[Sweet Tooth]

Some people have been disappointed with the exhaust sound of the BMW M3 and M4. I'm not sure if the complaints from people are worth taking seriously or not, but BMW took the time to respond to them anyway.

Note that the exhaust note of the M3 and M4 is partly created by BMW's Active Sound Design. I feel like that is the thing that people have a problem with. They think it sounds fake.

BMW M Head of Project Management, Carsten Pries, had this to say:

"The engine note in the cabin is largely pure. The electronic noise is minimized and only makes up 2% to 3% of the sound you hear"

On new cars, ASD will be disabled and the only enhancement the two use is a real-time amplification of induction noises made by the engine.

The rest of the noise is made by the new exhaust that was designed specifically for 'loud' sounds. It has two actuators inside that change position depending on the driving style. Once you go over 4,000 RPM, they open and the rear muffler starts sounding like the hounds of ****.

Do you guys have a problem with the exhaust note of the M3 and/or M4? Do you have a problem with the ASD system?

 

[MPWR]

When people say it sounds like a Prius, then you know it's really bad!

 

[porgy]

A) people are stupid B) BMW is stupid.

its easy to disable the system... http://f10.m5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=983411

 

[Forget Me Now]

Wouldn't disabling the system only make it sound even less loud and full though. Is it just the fact that part of it is "fake" or is it actually the note itself regardless of if it is fake or not?

 

[porgy]

Wouldn't disabling the system only make it sound even less loud and full though. Is it just the fact that part of it is "fake" or is it actually the note itself regardless of if it is fake or not?

OP said people complain the sound is fake, and it is to a degree in the cabin. So disable the system, no more fakery. It won't be as loud in the cabin because of the gobs of sound deadening but those are the choices. That or drop some coin on a new system.