Is track mode exhaust louder?

[EmirOfDenmark]

Not, sure if this was addressed earlier:
On the V6 manual FE, is the car exhaust louder/ different in any way in Track mode vs Sport mode? I thought the only difference was higher idle revs in Track mode ( which could make the car sound louder idling ).

My dealer yesterday was adamant that it “opens up more” in track. I don’t think so.

Do we have a definitive answer?

 

[Nova]

A couple of different things can make the car sound different: more open exhaust flap, and different throttle/fuel/timing mapping.

 

[kitkat]

I did not notice a difference between sport and track mode personally, however I don't think the valve actuation is binary so it's possible the valve opens more at various throttle inputs in track mode. We'd have to log the CAN messages to figure this out.

 

[Kentviking]

I can hear the difference at idle...it does go deeper than sport, and the burps on the overrun are more frequent and satisfying. I tend to drive mine around in track nearly all the time, unless it is particularly wet.

 

[scoates]

I find the opposite, it may be slightly deeper in Track, but in Sport mine seems to burble and pop more, and even potentially a bit more of a scream at the top end! I tested it out the other day, 2nd gear 4k to redline in Sport, then Track then back again and personally on my car Sport sounded a bit better, not sure about absolute volume outside the car though.

 

[Kentviking]

I find the opposite, it may be slightly deeper in Track, but in Sport mine seems to burble and pop more, and even potentially a bit more of a scream at the top end! I tested it out the other day, 2nd gear 4k to redline in Sport, then Track then back again and personally on my car Sport sounded a bit better, not sure about absolute volume outside the car though.

You are not alone...others have reported the same. Mine seems to burble more, and more satisfyingly in track than sport. going on a very long drive tomorrow so might just have to test it again...and again ;-)

 

[EmirOfDenmark]

This feels like something Lotus should be able to give us an answer to. Shouldn’t be an enigma.

 

[EZcheezy]

this now makes me wonder what the milltek valve opener controller makes it sound like. sport or track?

 

[EmirOfDenmark]

Intrigued, I went over to the garage to check. In the garage where you can hear all the mechanical noises, you can clearly hear the mechanics switch (click) between Tour and Sports. But not from Sports to Track; The only thing that changes is the idle revs.

 

[TomE]

Based on a small sample of only one car doing a static noise test for a track day, the measured db were the same in Sport and Track at the same fixed 4,750 rpm.

It will sound different at idle and across the rev range depending on throttle and engine load, as the valve opening is variable and ECU controlled, not on/off like on the Evora.

 

[hml_xy]

I'm also pretty sure there is slightly less burble on the overrun in Track on the higher end on the rev range. Would also make sense because why would anyone need the artificial sound getting you closer to the db limit on track. Other than the higher idle rpm, there is not another "layer" of sound.

 

[EmirOfDenmark]

So, took it out for a drive this morning, to compare Sports and Track:

- Cold start: same, except the higher idle revs in Track
- Warmed up reviving to 6500: Same
- Idle to 4500 soft acceleration and shift: same
- Idle to 4500 hard acceleration and shift: same
- 4500 to red line soft acceleration and shift: same
- 4500 to red line hard acceleration and shift: same
- Rev matched down shift: same
- No rev matching down shift: same
- Lift off at 3000: same mostly, maybe a little more burble in Sports, but not repeatable
- Lift of at 6500: same

So, if there is an ECU mapping difference, it is VERY subtle. I certainly can’t tell a significant difference between Track and Sports exhaust, even though the screen does tell us that Track exhaust is 3 bars while Sport is 2 bars. I haven’t tracked the car, so I don’t know in stress conditions if the difference is more noticeable.