It’s what we’ve all been waiting for! To go head to head with some of the rarest cars in the world, pitting them against each other in an exhaust showdown to answer one basic question – which one sounds the best? Now that my M3 CS has joined the BMWBLOG garage, I can finally publish this long-awaited comparison. And just in case you missed my M3 CS reveal, you can watch it here.
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So, car enthusiasts the world over know the rivalry between Henry Ford and Enzo Ferrari. Titans of industry, their racing escapades and their constant drive to best the other on the track led to some of the most spectacular car racing in history. This rivalry recently got the full Hollywood treatment in the “Ford v. Ferrari” movie starring academy award winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale, and so that got me thinking – “what if we setup our own little rivalry?”
Fast forward a bit, it’s a crisp, overcast but dry Saturday morning here in Washington State. I to my rendezvous location to sync with my fellow automotive collaborators for what promises to be a day of loud, unadulterated, and exotic car noises. We grab coffee and waste no time as we head towards our special shoot location. There were greeted by my friend and colleague who is on point to bring in the highly sensitive, robust, and very expensive audio recording gear.
After we snap a few photos, and place the cars in their dedicated recording spots (each car equidistance from the audio recording devices, of which there were many (you can watch the video and you’ll get an idea on the setup as well as the gear itself if you’re passionate about audio equipment) we begin our “Italian CS vs German CS” session.
First up, we have a gorgeous 2004 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale (or CS for short) finished in the special F1 color that is Rosso Scuderia. With only 1,288 examples in the world, this Italian stallion is a true exotic, one worthy of its supercar name. Equipped with a naturally aspirated V8, it sounds glorious!
Next up, my very own 2018 BMW F80 M3 CS finished in the BMW Individual color of San Marino Blue Metallic. With only 1,200 examples in the world, it’s even rarer than the Ferrari CS if you can believe it! Equipped with the optional M Performance titanium exhaust, its straight 6-cylinder engine is supplemented by the TwinPower Turbo system, and if you couldn’t tell, I’m a massive fan!
Finally, the last of our rare beauties stepped up to the podium, and it didn’t disappoint! Finished in the same fiery red Rosso Scuderia color, the F430 Scuderia (or Scud for short) packs a naturally aspirated 4.3-liter V8 and makes one hell of a noise.
I’ll refrain from telling you my favorite. Instead, I’ll just direct you to the film I put together so you can hear and judge for yourself! I’d like to say a personal “thank you” to everyone involved in the production of my film. If cool car people like the owners of these Ferraris didn’t exist, I couldn’t bring you awesome content like this. Also props to my friend and colleague for bringing his many years of audio experience to the shoot, and of course his priceless microphones and gear.
As always, we’d love to hear from you in the comments section below. Give us your thoughts on which one is your favorite, and if you have questions don’t hesitate to drop them below. Follow us on our social channels and subscribe for more content like this. Stay save, and we’ll see you next time!
[Photos: Orions Media]
