# What makes a Ferrari sound like a Ferrari
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876
**Category:** PittSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [May 11, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876 "2007-05-11T21:45:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@taco](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/taco)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/1 "2007-05-11T21:45:00Z")
I know this is a stupid ricer question but I can’t find an answer.
I was just wondering what makes a Ferrari sound like a Ferrari. The f360 and F430 are v8 engines but they still have that high pitched pseudo F1 sound.
The F430 engine is similar in size to a ford modular 4v in both displacement and bore and stroke. Yet a ferrari sounds like a ferrari and a mustang sounds like a mustang. It isn’t the rpms because I have heard plenty of v8s at 9000+ rpm and they still sound like an american v8.
So what produces this sound?
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### Author:  [@JackdUp](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JackdUp)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2007, 10:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/2 "2007-05-11T22:03:58Z")
High compression, 5 valve per cylinder in some cases, very aggressive valve timing, high revs, titanium valvetrain components, carbon fibre twin plenum intakes combined together I’d guess?
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### Author:  [@green](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/green)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2007, 11:05pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/3 "2007-05-11T23:05:50Z")
high valve lift
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### Author:  [@imported\_gearhead](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/imported_gearhead)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2007, 5:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/4 "2007-05-12T05:49:12Z")
cylinder head design(ports, chambers, valves, cam profile, timing curve)
why does a mustang sound like a mustang and a chevy sound like a chevy? same reasons
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### Author:  [@berad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/berad)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2007, 6:04am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/5 "2007-05-12T06:04:23Z")
not a stupid ricer question at all.
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### Author:  [@Evolved](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Evolved)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2007, 7:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/6 "2007-05-12T07:56:38Z")
Ferrari’s used to sound great pretty much by accident.
Now they spend A LOT of money just to make the exhaust sound right.
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### Author:  [@taco](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/taco)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2007, 11:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/7 "2007-05-12T11:20:50Z")
I did some more research and I think I found the answer
A normal american v8 uses a cross plane crankshaft and a Ferrari uses a flat plane crankshaft. A flat plane crankshaft makes the two banks of 4 cylinders operate more like two independant inline 4s more than a normal american v8. So a ferrari sounds more like two honda s2000 engines in the same car than the rumble of an american small block.
> **[V8 engine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V8)**
>
> A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder V configuration engine with the cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two sets (or banks) of four, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft. Most banks are set at a right angle (90°) to each other, some at a narrower angle, with 45°, 60°, and 72° most common.
> In its simplest form, the V8 is basically two parallel inline-four engines sharing a common crankshaft. However, this simple configuration, with a flat- or single-plane crankshaft, has the same sec...
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### Author:  [@imported\_gearhead](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/imported_gearhead)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2007, 1:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/8 "2007-05-12T13:00:04Z")
ya thats a good point. considering firing order
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### Author:  [@slowcamaro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/slowcamaro)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2007, 1:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/9 "2007-05-12T13:03:07Z")
> [@WTB: Verizon Phone](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/wtb-verizon-phone/30086/6):
>
> why does a mustang sound like a mustang
flowmaters
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### Author:  [@BlkP42E](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BlkP42E)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2007, 9:10am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/10 "2007-05-13T09:10:14Z")
whistle tips
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### Author:  [@imported\_gearhead](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/imported_gearhead)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2007, 10:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/11 "2007-05-13T10:19:53Z")
> [@\*\*\*\*\*Official: Mighty Meet Thread\*\*\*\*\*](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/official-mighty-meet-thread/10918/1991):
>
> flowmaters
see, i say nay. u put the same exhaust on a vette or a camaro and it does NOT sound the same.
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### Author:  [@Sinner6.0L](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sinner6.0L)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2007, 10:21am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/12 "2007-05-13T10:21:08Z")
probably has something to do with the firing order and the crank
edit - :doh:
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### Author:  [@green](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/green)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2007, 11:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/13 "2007-05-13T11:05:01Z")
e-charger
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### Author:  [@slowcamaro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/slowcamaro)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2007, 11:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/14 "2007-05-13T11:13:51Z")
> [@04 m3 vs 04 jetta](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/04-m3-vs-04-jetta/30092/14):
>
> see, i say nay. u put the same exhaust on a vette or a camaro and it does NOT sound the same.
it was a joke.cause you know every mustang has flows
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### Author:  [@Orr89rocz](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Orr89rocz)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2007, 12:14pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/15 "2007-05-13T12:14:15Z")
yep engine design and the way the motor fires. it all changes how the sound works
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### Author:  [@obi-1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/obi-1)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2007, 5:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/16 "2007-05-14T05:31:51Z")
> [@Doritos X-13D](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/doritos-x-13d/30114/33):
>
> I did some more research and I think I found the answer
>
> A normal american v8 uses a cross plane crankshaft and a Ferrari uses a flat plane crankshaft. A flat plane crankshaft makes the two banks of 4 cylinders operate more like two independant inline 4s more than a normal american v8. So a ferrari sounds more like two honda s2000 engines in the same car than the rumble of an american small block.
>
> [V8 engine - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V8)
Interesting. Good find!
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### Author:  [@BlkP42E](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BlkP42E)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2007, 6:02am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/17 "2007-05-14T06:02:39Z")
i always thought it was the 3 R’s in the name? :dunno:
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### Author:  [@beat90tsi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/beat90tsi)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2007, 6:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-makes-a-ferrari-sound-like-a-ferrari/189876/18 "2007-05-14T06:05:22Z")
When you say similar in bore and stroke, how close are they?