3-Cylinder EcoBoost! And how car companies FAKE the engine SOUND better

[MagicMtnDan]

Check this out:

"Ford's tiny (3-cylinder engine) gas-sipper has the footprint of a laptop computer.

The new 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder — the smallest engine Ford has ever built — is turbocharged and patterned on the same technology used in much bigger vehicles, including Ford's F-150 pickup truck. The engine will pack 100 to 125 horsepower, depending on the configuration. British drivers will pay about $400 extra for the engine over the base five-door Focus.

Its horsepower and torque outputs are equivalent to or better than many 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engines now on the market, said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of global product development.

Both Ford and BMW are said to be developing even more powerful three-cylinders — engines that could pack upward of 150 ponies, making them stronger than many of the four-cylinders that come in cars today.

Ford is shipping two of the three-cylinder Focus models to its Dearborn headquarters, where next month the North American marketing team will start to evaluate how U.S. drivers might view the car. Engineers will review technical aspects, looking to see what modifications might need to be made.

Engine sound will be one of the things engineers will be sure to consider as they ready the new three-cylinder engines for the U.S. market, said Sullivan of AutoPacific. Small engines can sound tiny and cheap to some American consumers. BMW and Ford's Lincoln division are both using the internal audio systems of vehicles to enhance engine sound in larger vehicles.

"This could be used on a three-cylinder engine to make it sound like an inline four-cylinder engine or a V-6 via the speakers in the car," Sullivan said. "If you could offer a 175 HP inline three that sounds like a V-6, would you buy it?""

Complete article here:

Automakers see three-cylinder engines as the next big thing

Automakers see three-cylinder engines as the next big thing - latimes.com

 

[IRONMAN]

Sounds like the movie "The Dilemma" where Kevin James designs V8 digital sound effects for whimpy cars.

 

[BigJ]

Yeps. I'm pretty sure BMW has been doing this for years on their V6s, with good success.

 

[Aaron]

Yeps. I'm pretty sure BMW has been doing this for years on their V6s, with good success.

Yep they have. I know they did it on the 2011 M3.

 

[Maxx2893]

Sounds like the movie "The Dilemma" where Kevin James designs V8 digital sound effects for whimpy cars.

Exactly what I was thinking

 

[Conejoracer]

It's no different than putting a free flowing exhaust on a Raptor. It makes it sound much faster than the actual gains the exhaust provides.
Sounds faster=must be faster.

 

[Hockster]

THis for the win... ha ha ha
Shonky and the SoundRacer V8 - YouTube

Or the V10 version
SoundRacer V10 V8 - YouTube

 

[MagicMtnDan]

It's no different than putting a free flowing exhaust on a Raptor. It makes it sound much faster than the actual gains the exhaust provides.

Sounds faster=must be faster.

Well, I think there's a least one HUGE difference betweeen faking the sound and putting on a free-flowing exhaust: The free flowing exhaust (1) improves the sound of the actual engine (which in this case is a V-8) and (2) improves the sound inside AND outside the vehicle. Jesz, I guess that's TWO huge differences

Unlike the fake engine sound coming through the vehicle's speaker system

Reminds me of the Indianapolis Colts a few years back when they were suspected (accused?) of amplifying the crowd noise through the Lucas Stadium's (dome) speaker system when the opposing team had the ball


Here's a motorboat sound (not fake ):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBtN1i3O4fY

 

[BigJ]

I guess I don't see the big deal. Its not like they're doing it without the driver's knowledge; the thing can be turned on and off with the press (or two) of a button. Who cares if he gets a little extra jollytime off enhanced sounds... ever seen and enjoyed a movie before?

 

[MagicMtnDan]

I guess I don't see the big deal. Its not like they're doing it without the driver's knowledge; the thing can be turned on and off with the press (or two) of a button. Who cares if he gets a little extra jollytime off enhanced sounds... ever seen and enjoyed a movie before?

But are fake engine sounds coming from your speakers what YOU want to do for your "jollytime?"

Seriously, maybe they could use a 3-cylinder EcoBoost motor in the Raptor and other trucks and they could put a fake supercharged V-8 under the hood (better to look at), run fake blown V-8 sounds through the speakers (better to listen to) - they could even put some speakers in the back and/or under the truck to make it sound better on the outside! And then add a mammoth coffee can exhaust pipe to show the world you've got...oh wait, that's a different type of sound.

New Exhaust on the FD (Coffee Can) Bridgeported Engine - YouTube