Alastair Shephard

Content Writer

Joseph Law

Bumper Content Writer

The best sounding cars of all time aren’t always the largest. 

In a world of quiet electric vehicles, the roar of an engine stands out and is often missed by car enthusiasts. While EVs are a noble cause and at the forefront of technology, sometimes, you just want to hear an engine sing. 

Below, we’ve singled out the best-sounding cars of all time. Trust us, you won’t miss these if they pass you on the street.

From classic cars to modern vehicles, here are the cars known for their incredible sound.

 can help you restore your vehicle to health.

Lamborghini’s V12 beast, the Aventador, is synonymous with loud, raw sound. 

The awe-inspiring 6.5-litre V12 produces an ear-splitting wail that captures the essence of Italian supercars. 

Additionally, the Aventador’s exhaust note is a growling roar, combined with a high-pitched scream, when pushed to its limits. You’ll love the sounds of this one.

The Porsche 911 GT3’s flat-six engine is famous for its distinctive wail.

This vehicle features a motorsport-inspired exhaust note that is sharp and aggressive. But it’s also rather refined. 

The 911 GT3 delivers a sound that is as much about precision and engineering as it is about power, perfectly complementing its track-focused feel.

The Dodge Viper’s 8.4-litre V10 engine produces an enormous and unforgettable roar.

Unlike the refined tones of European sports cars, the Viper offers an unfiltered and primal sound experience.

It’s loud, bold, and unforgettable. A perfect match for the car’s robust styling and rugged performance.

The BMW E46 M3 is a fan favourite for many reasons, and its inline-six engine produces a distinctive, high-pitched exhaust note that’s both sporty and emotional.

Just like the equally loud BMW M850i, you won’t be able to ignore this vehicle accelerating down the motorway.

In addition to a gorgeous style, the Ferrari F355 is famed for its exhilarating V8 engine sound. Its high-revving 3.5-litre V8 produces a sharp, melodic scream that builds with intensity.

Plus, the iconic exhaust note perfectly captures Ferrari’s passion and precision.

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio’s 2.9L twin-turbo V6 delivers a deep growl that turns heads with every rev. 

Its exhaust crackles and pops add fiery character, perfectly blending sporty performance with the brand’s signature Italian flair. 

This car’s soundtrack is proof that Alfa Romeo knows how to make even an SUV sound thrilling.

The classic British muscle sound of the Jaguar E-Type is rich and guttural. 

Its straight-six engine produces a deep rumble that oozes vintage charm, reminding us why this car is still one of the most beloved classics on the road.

The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door’s handcrafted 4.0L twin-turbo V8 unleashes a powerful song that simply commands attention. 

Though many AMG models have downsized for emissions, the AMG GT 4-Door bucks the trend, roaring loud and proud with its twin-turbo V8 heart.

Audi’s legendary 2.5L turbocharged five-cylinder first made waves in the 1980s with the iconic Quattro rally car’s distinctive warble. Today’s RS3 packs 400 hp and keeps that unmistakable howl alive and kicking.

Crack the windows, hit a long stretch of road, and channel your inner rally legend with one of the best-sounding cars around.

Car enthusiasts crave V10 engines, and nothing sounds as distinct as the Lexus LFA’s snarling 4.8L beast. 

A stark contrast to Lexus’s well-known, comfortable image, this supercar screams like a vintage F1, revving so fast it required a digital tachometer. 

Now a rare classic, the V8 LC coupe is one to admire.

Ferrari often tops the list for having the best overall sound despite the intense competition.

The Italian brand’s commitment to naturally aspirated engines, precision exhaust tuning, and racing heritage results in a distinctively thrilling, high-pitched scream that’s hard to beat. 

And the others? Lamborghini and Porsche follow closely behind, each bringing their own signature roar that enthusiasts instantly recognise.

It’s challenging to provide a single answer to this question. Generally, the loudest cars tend to be those with large-displacement engines and minimal exhaust restrictions.

For example, the Dodge Viper, with its thunderous V10, is notorious for its ear-splitting volume. Other contenders include some heavily modified muscle cars with aftermarket exhausts that can exceed legal noise limits. 

While loudness grabs attention, it doesn’t always translate to a quality sound. So, the noisiest car isn’t always the best sounding.

The sound of a car is more than just noise. It’s a crucial part of the driving experience that evokes emotion and a unique connection between driver and machine.

But did your favourite cars make the list?

Car sounds should be an invigorating soundtrack, not a clunky disturbance.

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The Definitive 10 Best Sounding Cars of All Time

What's your go-to fast food order? A classic Big Mac? A foot-long meatball Sub? Or how about a simple sausage roll? 

Whatever your favourite, we all love a bit of fast food. In particular, we love eating it in our cars. I mean, what's the point in fast food if you can't have it passed through a tiny window and immediately spill it down your steering wheel?

In fact, at Bumper, we love fast food so much that we want to take it one step further. What about, instead of having fast food 

Thanks to the magic of artificial intelligence, we've been able to find out.

The absolute king of fast food around the world, McDonald's serves 69 million people daily across more than 100 countries. Fancy a ride in this golden-arched car?

Started in Newcastle upon Tyne in the 1950s, this home-spun fast food giant now has over 2,300 stores across the UK and is famous for their iconic sausage rolls. Imagine cruising next to the Tyne in this buttery, flaky motor? Yes, please!

Like it hot? This Mexican-inspired American fast-food chain is known for its bold flavours and unconventional menu items. Some fan favourites include the Doritos Lacos Tacos (with shells made from Doritos) and the Naked Chicken Chalupa (with shells made from chicken!).

Another strong contender for the king of fast food – of course, Burger King! Founded in 1954 in Miami, this hamburger joint was originally named ‘Insta-Burger King’. 

Famous for their Domino's Tracker allowing you to follow your pizza in real-time and their delicious stuffed crusts, Domino's was founded in 1960 by brothers Tom and James Monaghan. Tom traded his brother's share of the business for a used Volkswagen Beetle. Although we think he'd have preferred driving off in our pepperoni creation.

Focusing on freshness and simplicity, Five Guys only uses coolers so nothing is ever frozen, and their fries are hand-cut every day. Noteworthy Five Guys fans include Barack Obama, who was once pictured tucking into one of their delicious burgers in Washington D.C. 

Colonel Sanders founded KFC during the Great Depression, initially serving food from a gas station in (you guessed it) Kentucky. His iconic white suit and goatee still feature in the brand's logo today. How about a spin in our bargain bucket?

This iconic brand was the first to deliver a pizza to space, when in 2001 they sent a vacuum-sealed pizza to the International Space Station for a Russian cosmonaut – and we thought our AI pizza car was innovative!

As of 2024, this sandwich giant has over 37,000 restaurants, making it the largest fast food chain by number of locations. The brand distinguished itself from the competition as a healthier option during the early 2000s and has become a staple of the UK high street ever since. No doubt this car would run on low-fat mayo as a fuel source!

What if fast food chains made cars?

Ever wondered what it would look like if your favourite football club took a detour from the pitch and entered the fast lane? 

In this fun fusion of sport and style, we imagine what cars might look like if they were designed by football clubs. 

From sleek, high-performance rides to bold, personality-packed designs, here’s what happens when football passion meets automotive imagination.

What if football clubs made cars?

Ever since the car was invented, people have been vying to design and make the fastest one possible. 100 years ago the fastest car just about managed 130mph. Nowadays half the cars on the road could reach that speed. 

So what are the fastest cars ever made, and which one currently holds the record?

Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut - 330mph (claimed)

Whilst the famous Swedish hypercar maker has not yet conducted an official top speed run, they have plenty of form at breaking world records, previously holding the top speed title with their first car, the CCR, then again with the Agera RS. 

Not only have simulations shown the Jesko can hit 330mph, but real tests have also shown it beating the 0-400-0kmh record (0-249-0mph), achieving the feat in a staggering 27.83 seconds, and hitting the near 250mph peak in only 19 seconds!

Unlike the Chiron it borrows its engine from, the Bolide is a track-only car; not meeting the regulations for use on the public roads. That doesn’t make its speed any less impressive though, with an 8 litre W16 engine producing 1,847 horsepower and some serious aero, it's got all the ingredients to hit the manufacturer's claimed 310mph.

Only 40 cars were made by the German arm of the French automotive legend Bugatti, which helps to make the £3.5m price tag make a little more sense.

The first car on this list to actually set a world record, the Chiron Super Sport is the speed-focussed variant of the Chiron, announced in 2016. Only 30 cars were made, with the cars being delivered between September 2019 and July 2022.

As standard, the car was fitted with a speed limiter that prevented drivers from reaching the top speed on the road. But as part of the package, Bugatti would track-prep the car at the Ehra-Lessien test track in Germany.

John Hennessey started his business tuning and modifying standard vehicles, they still offer tuning packages for many models including the Ford Raptor pickup truck and the Dodge RAM. In 2017 they unveiled the Venom F5, featuring the company's first in-house made engine.

Hennessey squeezed over 1,800 horsepower from the relatively small 6.6 litre LS-based V8 engine, and simulations state the car should actually be capable of 328mph! A notable variant of the Venom F5 is the F5-M, a six-speed manual version, which unsurprisingly holds the record of the most powerful manual car ever built.

Despite the name, SSC or Shelby Super Cars, founded by Jerod Shelby is of no relation to the formidable Carroll Shelby of the 1967 Le Mans winning fame. The passion and performance are there, though. In 2022, the Tuatara hit 295mph on a closed runway in Florida.

This comes after the SSC made headlines in 2020 for releasing a promo video of the new car hitting 331mph, but eagle-eyed viewers noticed the on-board telemetry systems didn’t quite tally. After some discussion and admissions of misinterpreting, the Tuatara may always be known mainly by the controversy, rather than the genuinely impressive performance.

Out-and-out speed is one thing, and the car that holds the top spot will always be talked about, but in a world of simulated top speeds, social media and controversy, it’s often more satisfying to learn and reminisce about the older greats, and special breakthroughs.

First Car to hit 200mph - The Sunbeam 1000hp

Although very much a race car, the Sunbeam 1,000hp is worthy of an essay all on its own, not least because it highlights how far engine and aero design have come in the last 100 years.

In 1927, the Sunbeam 1,000hp set a new world record on Daytona Beach, Florida. Reaching a top speed of 203.79mph. The car, known as ‘The Slug’, was built in Wolverhampton by Sunbeam, a motorcycle, motorcar and aero engine manufacturer. 

It was their access to aeroplane engines that enabled the Sunbeam 1,000 to exist, it used two 22-litre engines that jointly developed over 900 horsepower.

First Road Car to Hit 200mph - Ferrari F40

The F40 is famously the first road car to achieve 200mph, with a top speed of 201mph on its release in 1987. This is, however, strongly contested; the Firebird-based Pontiac Tojan is claimed to have reached at least 203mph three years before.

The Tojan used a marine-based small block V8 with two huge turbochargers, and was built by a small tuning shop in Nebraska, but as that was a very limited run coach built car, the title is usually given to the Italian car.

And what a car, the F40 has to be one of the most recognisable and iconic supercars of all time, with its low, angular body and huge wing. Mechanically it was remarkable too, with a 2.9L turbocharged V8 - Compare that to the 44 litres in the Sunbeam above, just 60 years earlier.

First Car to Achieve 200Kmh (124mph) - The Jaguar XK120

At the time of its debut in 1948, the Jaguar XK120 was the fastest production car in the world, achieving 124 miles an hour in standard trim, and 135 with some slight modifications. The early cars featured a sleek all-aluminium body and convertible roof, it was powered by a 3.4 litre inline 6-cylinder engine.

A number of records were broken with the Jaguar XK120, including averaging 130mph for an hour, over 100mph for 24 hours and one particular test conducted on a racetrack in France, where an XK120 was driven for 7 days and 7 nights averaging just over 100mph for the entire run, a great testament to the durability of the car.

First Car to Hit 150mph - Mercedes Benz 300SL

A few years after the Jaguar XK120 was released, the Stuttgart manufacturer of prestige vehicles decided to make its first road-going sports car, the 300SL. Attention was drawn predominantly to the beautiful body and gullwing doors, but its 160mph top speed was another string to its bow. 

At the time the 300SL was the world's fastest production car, based on the race car of the same name that won Le Mans a few years prior. Thanks to its beauty, prestige and rarity, used prices of the 300SL are some of the highest on this list!

First Car to Hit 250mph - The Bugatti Veyron 16.4

A surprising venture that spawned out of Volkswagen’s re-launch of the Bugatti name, the design brief for the Veyron was that it should be as competent in reaching its proposed 248mph top speed, as it was being driven to the opera.

This led to an ultra-powerful, ultra-luxurious hypercar that produced over 1,000 horsepower from its 16.4-litre engine. Over the course of developing the Veyron, Volkswagen Audi Group spent $1.6 billion, meaning each Veyron cost at least $3.5 million to make. Upon launch, the car was priced at $1.9 million.

 has been writing about cars for over seven years and writing for Bumper for over two, blending his passion for automobiles with a talent for storytelling.

Joseph has written about engineering and cars for Autozilla, Komaspec, and several engineering manufacturers. When he's not writing or tinkering with one of his cars, Joseph dreams of owning an Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale.

Fastest Cars Ever Made

Speed cameras. Love them or loath them, they're there for one purpose – to keep our roads safe.

But is there a point where speed cameras go too far; when these speedy defenders become downright nosy parkers?

That's the debate around a new trial of speed cameras powered by artificial intelligence currently in operation across the UK.

These new AI cameras are designed to enhance road safety beyond just speeding. They look for drivers committing offences such as driving without seatbelts or using mobile phones, a new approach that aims to penalise distracted drivers and reduce road accidents.

So, how do they work? The system uses a multi-cam setup to capture different views of the driver and passengers. Artificial intelligence then analyses the footage to see if an offence has been committed.

But don't worry, it's not all down to AI. Identified offences are checked and verified by police officers.

Early results from the trial were promising. The cameras detected 590 instances of drivers not wearing seatbelts and 40 cases of mobile phone use within just a few weeks.

Following the trial's success the programme was expanded in 2024 to include 10 police forces across the country – Durham, Greater Manchester, Humberside, Staffordshire, West Mercia, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Norfolk, Thames Valley, and Sussex.

With so many drivers caught not wearing their belts and on their phones, the results speak for themselves – the more drivers fined for these simple errors, the fewer accidents we'll see, making our roads a safer place for everyone.

What do you think of the new AI cameras? Would you be happy to have one in your home town?

This new speed camera can see MORE than just your speed

Supermarkets put a lot of effort into trying to get customers through their doors. Memorable Christmas adverts, friendly mascots, and price-slashing loyalty cards; they're full of creative ideas that will get you to do your big shop in their store.

But we've had an even better idea. What if supermarkets made cars? 

What would they look like? How would they handle? And, most importantly, would they give you a discount for filling up at one of their pumps?

To find out, we've asked AI to create what cars would look like if they were created by our favourite big grocery shoppers.

What if supermarkets made cars?

Music whilst driving is an absolute must. There's no better way to pass the time than belting out some tunes at the top of your lungs.

But with so much time spent in our cars and only, let's face it, a handful of songs that we truly like it's incredibly difficult to find the perfect playlist.

We're all guilty of playing the same songs over and over until we can't stand to hear them one more time – I'm looking at you, Wicked Soundtrack.

But fear not, to spice up your drive-time playlists, we bring you the ultimate list of the most popular songs for your next musical road trip.

's research, the most popular driving songs of all time have now been revealed.

Taking the top spot is the undisputed ultimate rock banger Mr Brightside by The Killers. Followed closely by good 4 u by American singer-songwriter, Olivia Rodrigo. Heat Waves by Glass Animals took third place.

Other honourable mentions include Africa by American rock band TOTO, As It Was by One Direction's Harry Styles, and Hey Ya! by Outkast.

Want to add these top tunes to your driving playlist? We've included the full list below. Happy listening!

Revealed: Most popular driving song of all time

We've all done things we're not proud of behind the wheel – road-raging at other drivers, playing music too loudly, accelerating when we see the amber light. 

But not all bad driving habits are made equal. Some are particularly worse than others.

When one anonymous X (formerly Twitter) user took to the platform to confess their driving sins, they could be forgiven for thinking it was a habit everybody shared.

But unfortunately, it didn't go down the way they'd planned, as other users responded with absolute disgust.

Posted by @fesshole, an account sharing anonymous confessions on various topics, the motorist admitted to a driving habit so gross not even the strongest amongst us could stomach it.

I used to have a strange addiction”, the user began. They then explained how they “used to wipe my earwax on the underside of my driver's seat in my car.”

The user then confessed how they'd sold this waxy vehicle to another unsuspecting driver: “It got to a bad point actually, so if you're driving around in a 56-plate VW Golf covered in earwax then I personally apologise.”

Well, at least they've apologised to the new owner!

Some Twitter users, understandably, found this disgusting. One said, “This grosses me out." While another replied simply, “I hate”.

Other users seemed to see the funny side, with one user commenting, “The real test drive isn’t on the road—it’s the immune system of whoever bought that car.” Another said, “Volkswaxen golf”. 

However you see this confession one thing is for sure, if you're the owner of a 56-plate VW Golf, you'd better check under your seats.

Motorist admits to gross driving habit

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