Reading the article, it's hard to believe that Stellantis didn't know that American pickup truck drivers love loud engines from endless market research, prior to introducing the V6 version of the Ram "which sounds like a Honda" according to someone quoted in TFA.
I mean, every car manufacturer engineers the sound of the freaking doors closing. How can they not appreciate the importance of engine sound?
You mean the Chrysler-Fiat "Global Large Engine" Turbo I-6.
The short answer is, Stellantis mgmt. takes the US market for granted, and is indifferent to what it wants, and is actively contemptuous of its US dealer and customer base.
This has been a continuous problem for mass-market European brands in the US.
The GR86/BRZ added those in 2022+ but didn’t offer a way to control loudness, using a small board attached to both the canbus and the audio system. It is, in online enthusiast communities, disliked for providing ‘fake’ horsepower and for being ‘too’ loud. So: they can, but if the manufacturer gets it wrong, then it’s much worse.
This solution also misses that for many folks in the U.S., imposing the emissions of a V-8 engine upon their environment is not just about how it sounds in-cabin, it’s about marking territory, and V-8 engines are quite good at that. You would need a subwoofer to broadcast it properly and you would likely run into amplified sound laws in many regions that are not applicable to engine noise.
They can and do. Since at least the 10s automakers have been using tricks like pumping the engine sound into the main cabin or using speakers playing an audio file. The speakers usually toggle when the car is in "sports mode" or not. Car enthusiasts typically don't like it because they know they're being lied to. Average drivers don't even notice it because we all grew up with "car goes fast, cat gets loud." Automakers started doing this to make inline 4s sound growlier and also because most of the time you want your car to be as silent as possible. Obviously as EVs appeared around the same time, they did the same thing with EVs (eg the BMW i8 is a notable example).
I didn't buy my V8 Tundra because of how it sounds. I bought it knowing that it will last me a long time with basic maintenance. While I may be lucky to get high teens in terms of MPG, I haven't seen much better from the likes of the newer twin-turbo V6. It wouldn't be practical to be a daily but I only drive around 5K miles a year.
Bit of a dishonest statement, "They don't want to give it up". As if it's a given that everybody has to drive electric in the future. But the WSJ is filled with what Washington wants I guess.
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[ 168 ms ] story [ 713 ms ] threadI mean, every car manufacturer engineers the sound of the freaking doors closing. How can they not appreciate the importance of engine sound?
The short answer is, Stellantis mgmt. takes the US market for granted, and is indifferent to what it wants, and is actively contemptuous of its US dealer and customer base.
This has been a continuous problem for mass-market European brands in the US.
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US refineries are already at maximum utilization (~96% as of this comment).
https://web.archive.org/web/20260813174516/https://thevaultr...
https://web.archive.org/web/20260813174447/https://www.eia.g...
This solution also misses that for many folks in the U.S., imposing the emissions of a V-8 engine upon their environment is not just about how it sounds in-cabin, it’s about marking territory, and V-8 engines are quite good at that. You would need a subwoofer to broadcast it properly and you would likely run into amplified sound laws in many regions that are not applicable to engine noise.