The Ferrari Sound
The importance of the Ferrari sound to customers is borne out by chat on the Ferrari website and by customer surveys that show that the vast majority of customers are excited about it. “It’s a major part of our brand image,” says Francesco Carosone, Senior Acoustic Engineer.
“The NVH Simulaton was a groundbreaking solution for us.
Francesco Carosone
Senior Acoustic Engineer
It’s not unusual for car companies today to artificially modify engine sounds in their cars with amplifiers or loudspeakers, an option that Ferrari is not considering:
“We have the authentic sound that other car companies want to create artificially, and we intend to keep it that way,”
This commitment to the purity of the sound creates significant challenges for the company. One of the largest is complying with noise regulations, both at racetracks and on public streets. Virtually all countries have legislation to limit noise from cars, especially in cities where it can be a major problem.
The legislation also imposes rules on racetrack noise, and racetracks themselves often impose additional regulations. An additional challenge is delivering such levels of exciting sound, while also making the car comfortable on a long journey.
“Our customers want a loud sound, a high decibel level, this means you can’t hide
– it has to be beautiful. We need to tune the sound quality carefully, usually by balancing the intake and exhaust”
Francesco Carosone
Virtual NVH Sound Targets
It can, however, be time-consuming and expensive to swap different components of the car’s intake and exhaust system and listen to the difference. In 2013, Ferrari streamlined the process by installing a Brüel & Kjær NVH Simulator that allows virtual prototyping to achieve engine sound targets rapidly and cost-effectively.
The NVH Simulator enables vehicle design and development teams to make the best possible use of customer preference and satisfaction input, set accurate NVH targets, design with specific differentiation to competitors, and work efficiently with all NVH data throughout the development process.
“The Ferrari sound is an immediately recognizable trademark. Ferraris are sporty, extreme cars and the sound needs to embody that. Our goal is to give all our cars the sound that is expected from them.” Francesco Carosone, Senior Acoustic Engineer