Hey you got a Subie motor in that Porsche?

carl

carl

True Classic
A new Porsche Cayman went bubbling by me and I was confused as to why it sounded like a WRX (booda booda booda) until I remembered Porsche went to a turbo four. Posches have such wonderful exhaust notes with the flat six (just like a Corvair with headers) and a switch to the four has to have some marketing downsides for if no other reason than that silly exhaust note.

But then what do I know, I mess with Fiats.
 
I'm not certain what the attraction is, but apparently the "tuner" scene loves the sound of the Subi exhaust. There is something about the unequal length of the two sides (left and right banks) before they merge into one exhaust, that makes for a unique sound. Honestly there is no real logic behind it, but they love this "off" sound. To the extent there are "Subi" style exhaust manifolds (tube headers) for normal (inline) engines. They have one branch coming off a set of cylinders with an extra long extension built into it. This makes for an unequal length between the cylinders, throwing off the pulses and creating the "Subi" sound effect. For the life of me I can't understand why someone would reduce their engine performance to make it sound like another car (unless it was the burble of a Lambo or such). But it has become a bit of a "thing":

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For the last several years, often my work days are spent in the company of Porsche GT3 Cups and GT3-RSRs. The 997 and 991 3.8 motors, which make 500+ HP at 8500 rpm, have a glorious wale at full song. While the note of a Porsche flat six is one of the truly iconic car sounds, I was never that taken with the sound of the Porsche flat six until this engine.

However, the modern GT3 homologation formula favors turbo charging and thus the previous normally aspirated engines will be usurped by smaller displacement turbos. The new Ford GT is a turbo V6, Ferrari has a new turbo engine replacing the 488. While these are cool engines and technically advanced they are relatively low reving engines that don't make inspiring sounds.

The common characteristic of all of the great sounding racing engines; V12s, straight 6s, 60 degree, even-fire V6s, etc..., are they have smooth melodic notes. The by product of a smoothly running engine. The Subi Boxer engine's note is counter to that. The odd beat sounds more like a misfire than a performance engine. No wonder the Subi is propular among the counter culture?
 
Now I gotta find someone to make one of those goofy headers for my X and then put WRX badge on the rear trunk lid! Maybe cut two or three coils off my springs to get the car slammed to the ground. Perception is reality, who cares what it drives like.
 
A new "trick" item I saw today in action was something on a new Camry that made the center brake light pulse and then a Subie with something that made all the brake lights pulse on initial application.

Actually there are a couple of guys in DCfiats that have added an electronic module the makes their brake lights pulse on initial application.
 
The initial flashing of brake lights (usually the "third light") has been shown as a safety advantage. It tends to get the attention of the drivers following you and prevent rear-end collisions. Many newer cars have it, and as you say it can easily be added to any vehicle with a small module. It is very popular for motorcycles with small tail/brake lights. Motorcycles also have constantly flashing low-beam headlights to get the attention of drivers about to pull out in front of them.
 
I guess with automatic braking in new cars the flashing brake light will become redundant.

Buddy of mine had the flashing brakelight on his BMW R90S back in the day. I thought it not needed as most bike hits are from people pulling out in front of them. I did have the headlight pulsing module on one of my bikes last century. Finally figured out pretending I was invisible on my bikes and acting accordingly was what was going to save me.
 
I have a problem with the constantly "evolving" safety gadgets. Look at school buses with flashing lights, the swing out stop sign, swing out gate, and more recently a strobe light on top. Now cars have high mount brake lights, lane crossing warnings, automatic braking, etc. All these fail to address the root cause of drivers not paying attention. What we really need is fewer distractions in the car and much stricter driver training.

Or maybe I don't have a clue what I'm talking about...

As for noise, I like the sound of a subdued v-twin, but not a Harley, more like a Ducati.
 
I am stealing that idea for the pulsing brake lights. It's a great idea for our old cars to catch the eye of the distracted masses behind the wheel.

As for engine tone: I like the diversity of sound of different engine architectures. Another reason to be wistful when everything goes electric and silent.
 
beezee said:
I have a problem with the constantly "evolving" safety gadgets.
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That is very true. Kind of a psychological learned adaptation behavior; when something new comes along it catches our attention, until we grow accustomed to it, then our subconscious ignores it. So another new stimuli is created to get our attention, but the same happens in time so another new thing is added. Etc, etc. There have been some great scenes in comic movies about the future where this evolves into something utterly ridiculous. As I'm sure it will.
 
You guys don't have to worry, self driving cars are just around the corner. Car enthusiasts are really a fringe element and probably represent a tiny minority of drivers, I'm sure most folks would be perfectly happy to have the car drive itself.

By the way, flashing lights are of no use if the driver behind is not looking....maybe a flashing light on their phone would make more sense.
 
Another thought to address the nut behind the wheel.

Remove the airbag, and replace it with a large spike pointed right at the face of the driver.

This would fix the problem one of two ways.

1) nothing like looking at that death spike to keep your attention.
2) if 1 does not work. when you hit something. the person not paying attention will not be driving again.

Both outcomes would cause the overall population to be better drivers.
 
I can tell the national heat wave is getting to you guys.
If the clowns in the government can try and convince us that better gas mileage will cause greater highway deaths, then anything is possible.
By the way, I notice spiked lug nuts are now the hot car and truck fashion items...it's the Ben Hur chariot races all over again!
 
carl said:
If the clowns in the government can try and convince us that better gas mileage will cause greater highway deaths, then anything is possible.
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Say what? What's the reasoning behind that? Better gas mileage = people willing to drive farther/more often because it's cheaper resulting in a higher risk of having an accident?

I think the spiked lug nuts on tractor trailers are an effort to dissuade cars from cutting them off.

Personally I'm looking forward to self driving cars. When everyone else on the road is in a self driving car, you'll be able to just bully your way through traffic. They'll be programmed to always avoid accidents.

Is someone driving below the speed limit in front of you? - just start to tailgate them and the self driving car will speed up to avoid being rear ended.

Is someone blocking you from making a turn or taking an exit? - just start to move over and the self driving car will avoid you.

Plus you'll no longer have idiots merging into you, cutting you off, etc.

I have no/little interest in owning a self driving car, but I can't wait for everyone else to have them. I also don't think driving a "manual" car will be outlawed in my lifetime so I'm not too concerned about that. Freaking steam cars from the turn of the 20th century can still be registered and driven on public roads/highways - manual cars will be legal for a long time.

I do suspect however most people will just not bother getting drivers licenses since they'll have no need now that they only own self driving cars.
 
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