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Have any of you heard a BMW i8 in anger?
While I was washing my car last night, some people were out in the street looking at an i8. He was driving off then coming back a few minutes later then repeating. I assume he was giving test runs to all his mates.
What struck me was how awesome and loud it sounded. This confused me as I though it was a small engined hybrid. Not only could I hear it as it thundered past but I could feel it too. No way could this be a speaker I thought. But when I finished washing my car I had a quick google and lo and behold that is exactly what it was! I can see lots of people moaning about fake sound from BMWs and there may be some point to their arguments when it comes to the m3 and m5 etc but for me I'd rather have that sound fake or not than no sound from the electric motor and a rubbish sound from the 1.5 litre engine all day long. I was surprised how good, realistic and loud it was.

Yeah, I've heard a couple and they surprised the fcuk out of me. Shame they don't stack up against their direct competitors.

Not heard one under WOT so can't comment but i can only assume it's somewhat weird.

Key difference is between fake & amplified though as the M5 does make the noise it's meant to externally, however BMW in their wisdom decided to ham it up a bit in the cabin with amplified M5 engine noises (still can't say i've encountered this on mine but it was altered on the LCi so perhaps it was muted somewhat). The i8 i'd assume would make a somewhat girly noise so anything heard outside the cabin must be 100% fake & then what have BMW done to the inside cabin noise?

Not been in a new M3/4 yet so i don't know how the amplified sound manifests itself in those cars.

It is definately fake on the i8, there is no way a 1.5 litre 3 cylinder car makes a noise like this. Sounds more like a noisy V8. I could feel it through the ground too, pretty sure that coudln't have been just the weight / wind causing that.

And it's not weird, it sounds amazing!

Don't like. I could fit speakers and make mine sound like an F1 car... But I don't, because that would be <beep>. (and it sounds good already because it has a real engine!)

They aren't fast and don't even get that great mpg. No point. Clueless people drool over them and it pisses me off!

I get the objections etc and I partly agree, but have you heard one at full pelt? It needs to be heard.

Admittedly no, only heard them driving around town. I'll keep an ear out for one being given some welly.

THIS.

MikeFish wrote:I get the objections etc and I partly agree, but have you heard one at full pelt? It needs to be heard.

It's a proper double take WTF moment.

bam_bam wrote:THIS.

MikeFish wrote:I get the objections etc and I partly agree, but have you heard one at full pelt? It needs to be heard.

It's a proper double take WTF moment.

Every now and again I hear a car from a distance and think 'WTF is that?' Most of the time it turns out to be an RS4 or RS6 with an aftermarket exhaust, or a Lambo or Maserati. This was one of those moments. I seriously wondered if I was mistaken and there was in fact a big fcuk off engine version made that I'd forgotten about.

I was out on the pi$$ in Chelsea one night a long time ago and waiting for mates to get out of a bar, all I could hear was one of the best sounds ever made by an internal combustion engine. It was being given death in the back streets and it was getting louder making its way to the high street. I fully expected to see a Lambo round the corner, instead, a blue Beemer 5 series, an M5 or whatever those clowns call it. To this day, one best sound I've heard, I'm sure it was stock but it was probably a combination of the setting, the still night and the reverberation around the buildings. I'm not so sure a Lambo could've done it better, the shock of seeing the Beemer made it all so awesome.

...not the same as this i8 thingumgy but the shock value adds to it and you're left wondering why does it sound so good?

bam_bam wrote:I was out on the pi$$ in Chelsea one night a long time ago and waiting for mates to get out of a bar, all I could hear was one of the best sounds ever made by an internal combustion engine. It was being given death in the back streets and it was getting louder making its way to the high street. I fully expected to see a Lambo round the corner, instead, a blue Beemer 5 series, an M5 or whatever those clowns call it. To this day, one best sound I've heard, I'm sure it was stock but it was probably a combination of the setting, the still night and the reverberation around the buildings. I'm not so sure a Lambo could've done it better, the shock of seeing the Beemer made it all so awesome.

...not the same as this i8 thingumgy but the shock value adds to it and you're left wondering why does it sound so good?

V8 or V10?

E60 M5.

Best sound ever (for sensible money) is the M120 engine from an S600 merc, running equal length manifolds, no silencers.

Basically a zonda. Completely insane and possibly the best exhaust I've ever heard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5ZIomet8Yk

http://carbuying.jalopnik.com/how-to-ma ... 1611782156

Yeah seen it but it ain't stock... that said, non-OE zoorsts in the future will just a beefier speaker

Maybe BMW just bought a job lot of these things ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9XAC-BvUyo