Also keep in mind that Formula E debuts this year; it will be the sport we all eventually follow (not sure how I feel about the passing cars sounding more like aircraft than cars): http://www.fiaformulae.com/
Who cares about the sound? I'm tired of seeing blog comments on Jalopnik complaining about it. Of the many dumb excuses car nuts use to whine about electric cars, "they sound different!" is by far the worst.
I have an old muscle car with a built V8. The crackling sound of the engine start, and the sound it makes when it 'digs in' under acceleration, is viscerally thrilling.
The smell of a hot engine, and the shaking of the car also add a lot of fun.
One of the best movie montages ever is the opening sequence of the movie "Grand Prix" where they start the engines and warm em up.
In "Rush" they ruined the movie by having a rock soundtrack laid over the sounds of the cars.
"Bullitt"s car chase has never been equaled because the director had the guts to let the V8s and various car noises be the whole soundtrack. The music overlay stops when the chase starts, the complete opposite of every other movie.
Maybe you're used to the modern cinematographic technique of quick cuts where one barely has time to focus on a scene. Older movies tend to use longer shots in action sequences.
Besides what I already mentioned, Bullitt is cool because:
1. the setup where the guy puts on his seatbelt
2. the total lack of dialog - the driver and the gunman understand each other just by looks
3. the deadpan expression on the driver
4. when Bullitt slides off the road, the slightest, most barely perceptible smile on the driver's face
5. McQueen's expression of complete focus and concentration
6. the 68 Mustang and Charger just totally rock. I never understand having a chase sequence with boring cars
7. the lack of CGI, models, and special effects
8. the skid marks from earlier takes
9. the amazing teleporting Green Beetle :-)
10. I love the shot of the rearview mirror when the hunter becomes the hunted - it's just classic
It needs more Michael Bay! Kidding aside, I do agree the Fastback and Charger are beautiful pieces of engineering. What I wouldn't do to own a Charger.
What stops me is I don't have the garage space for it, or I'd get one. If you don't need one fully restored, or numbers matching, or all original, the prices aren't too bad.
It's refreshing to see a car chase that looks and sounds a lot like what an actual car chase would actually look and sound like, as opposed to the very synthetic and stylized depictions typically found in modern movies and television.
At the end of the day sound is an inherent inefficiency. The aim is to maximise the kinetic energy output of the motor — any sound or heat energy produced is waste that could've better been produced as kinetic energy.
Not always. Did you know that in top fuel cars, the "waste" energy of the exhaust works like jet thrusters, providing up to 1000lbs of traction-boosting downforce?
I have to admit I love the sound of a good engine - and aeroplanes, and boats, trains, everything. It's the sound of power. Watching cars race without that sound is a far less emotive experience. One of the commentators on tonight's Bahrain race said that the safety car sounded much better than the race cars, and I wistfully agreed.
That said, I do think some people overdo it a bit and I actually like that FIA is willing to force innovation, even if it's (initially?) unpopular.
I haven't read the book but I think CanAm in the 70s was pretty much racing with no engineering restrictions. Hence you had the Porsche 917 putting out 1500hp+ and only weighing 1800 lbs.
When you go to a race, you can feel the thrum of the engines in your chest. It can be a part of the experience. The same way that 100mph on a motorcycle is more thrilling than 100mph in a BMW, because of the roar of the wind, the heat of the bike, and the scream of the motor.
Lots of people do - some were drawn to F1 just because they stopped walking past a TV or near a track and wanted to know what was making that unworldly racket.
That, to me, is equivalent of saying who cares what the cars look like? It's all part and parcel of the appeal of the sport - if somethings amiss, you've lost a little bit of that appeal.
Was completely unaware of the upcoming Formula E. Thanks for sharing.
I'm a bit surprised by the "single provider" system used there. Read the Wikipedia article and it sounds like McLaren will supply all teams? Doesn't sound ideal to promote research. Also would love to see a Tesla Formula E team.
Formula E is only going to be around along enough to prove the concept is viable. Once it is, its going to either be relegated to a feeder series, or the ideas merged into formula one.
Thanks for the link. I didn't know about Formula E! I watched a video linked off the front page and while I missed the roar of a petrol engine, but it had it's own neat sound.
