Top 5 Best Sounding Porsche sports cars of all Time

The top 5 best sounding Porsche sports cars have been revealed in the ultimate Weissach sound chamber for the second episode of a weekly YouTube series. Located in Porsche’s development centre in Germany, high-tech microphones have measured the electrifying sounds as the roaring engines are let loose.

The Carrera GT claimed the number one spot with its special 10-cylinder V-engine that delivers one of the most unique sounds in the Porsche range. Originally developed so that Porsche could take part in Le Mans, the ultra-flat mid-engine sports car was manufactured in Leipzig in an exclusive series of 1270 units.

A spokesperson for Porsche said: “On September 21^st 2004, the Carrera GT conquered the Nordschleife at the Nürburgring in 07:33 minutes – setting a new lap record for road cars in the process. “The car was sold for $448 back then and can reach a speed of up to 330km/h.”

1. Porsche Carrera GT

The Carrera GT is commonly known as the racing engine for its small, somewhat stiff double disc ceramic clutch.

RM Sotheby’s recently sold a 2004 Carrera GT model for $649,000 (£518,039) – and the crisp sound of an engine can certainly influence this kind of price.

A spokesperson for Porsche said: “It is so important in the segment of premium sports cars. “Sound is one part of the perception and gives everyone a hint about the performance of the car. “Therefore it is a simple way to differentiate between ‘normal’ cars, ‘sports cars’ and ‘racing cars’.”

2. Porsche 918 Spyder

The sound of the 918 Spyder ranked in second place – the most expensive new Porsche model and the first vehicle to boast global road homologation. This particular model beat the record of seven minutes set for a lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife achieving a time of 06:57 minutes. Smashing through 0-60mph in just 2.6 seconds – the Spyder 918 has a unique sounding, high-revving, V-8 racing engine.

A spokesperson for Porsche said: “The 918 Spyder is the epitome of the future – and the quintessence of 60 years of Porsche super sports car history. “The car lines up alongside celebrated super sports cars and legendary cars like the 959 or the Carrera GT.

“It is the first and only super sports to date to have been purposefully conceived from the ground up as a plug-in-hybrid. “The 918 Spyder is a performance hybrid – this means it can be driven at the rear axle by the combustion engine, by the rear electric machine alone or by both together.”

3. Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Ranked third on the most iconic sounding Porsche cars list was the 911 GT3 RS. The engine was built with a low-centre of gravity that made it pre-destined for motorsport with an intense quick-to-rev nature – it can rev until 880rpm. According to RM Sotheby’s, in 2017 they sold a 2011 model of the 911 GT3 RS for $225,000 (£179,597) – the reduced weight and greater horsepower make this model different to the standard 911.

A spokesperson for Porsche said: “The GT3 RS can reach 0-60 in 3.3 seconds and has a top speed of 310km/h. “At 310km/h, the new RS generates an overall downforce of 330 kilograms without producing problem zones of air resistance.”

4. Porsche 550 Spyder

The sound of the 550 Spyder was placed fourth in the latest episode of Porsche’s weekly YouTube series. Introduced in October 1953 at the Paris Motor Show, this was the first sports car specifically designed in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen with racing in mind.

Perhaps the most renowned of the first 90 Porsche 550’s built was the ‘Little Bastard’ that belonged to James Dean – a car he eventually crashed into a Ford Custom in 1950.

A spokesperson for Porsche said: “In the years that followed, the Spyder, which weighed only 550 kilograms, scored numerous triumphs on racing circuits and in the then popular road races. These successes are a mosaic element contributing to the Porsche brand’s fame and its current familiarity among the general public. “The 550 Spyder has retained a secure place in the hearts of car enthusiasts through its performance.”

5. Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7

The air-cooled flat-six cylinder engine of the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 saw it take the final place on the list of the most unique and brilliant sounding Porsche cars.

Only 500 RS 2.7’s were produced originally – but a factor in Porsche delivering a further 1,800 models was indeed the sound of the engine.  The RS 2.7 was the first 911 to be adorned with the ‘Carrera’ name mark – a reference to the classic Carrera Panamericana road race.

The car has proved an enduring classic, with RM Sotheby’s selling a 1973 Carrera RS 2.7 model in Paris in 2017 for $571,208 (£456,090). With its distinctive spoiler and an engine capable of reaching a speed of 245km/h, it was also the fastest German production car of its time.

When discussing the attributes of an outstanding engine sound, a spokesperson for Porsche concluded: “One big mistake is that most of the people just rate a vehicle by the loudness. “Most of the time it’s like, ‘The louder, the better’. “But that’s just one part and not the most important for Porsche. “For us, it is all about the way the engine sounds – it has to be authentic.”

With all that said, it is safe to suggest that some of the most iconic engine sounds belong to Porsche.

Also see: Top 5 Rarest Porsche sports cars

Top 5 Best Sounding Porsche sports cars of all time: