ROAD NOISE

[Porter]

I do not find the F1s noisy at highway speed (sport chassis)…but I’m accustomed to Cup 2s on other mid-engined cars that I’ve owned.

They are completely silent on most pavement. With certain coarser asphalt mixes though, they immediately change to a howl.

It's a real thing, I guess I need to take a video or something to show it. I'm talking a huge difference in sound, enough to make you need to raise your voice to be heard on a phone call, and certainly enough to make the KEF audio kind of superfluous.

I suspect we're going to be having a lot of this conversation as more people get their cars and start posting feedback and questions.

 

[Fasttoys]

They are completely silent on most pavement. With certain coarser asphalt mixes though, they immediately change to a howl.

It's a real thing, I guess I need to take a video or something to show it. I'm talking a huge difference in sound, enough to make you need to raise your voice to be heard on a phone call, and certainly enough to make the KEF audio kind of superfluous.

I suspect we're going to be having a lot of this conversation as more people get their cars and start posting feedback and questions.

The corvette C8 Z06 with those massive tires on the car can be very noisy too. iMO mid-engine cars have a tendency to be louder since the engine is behind your ear and is not separated by a large padded dash like front engine.

 

[FeelsWheels]

@ Blackthought. You are absolutely right it’s a damn Lotus it is noisy so what. So @Stiffarm get over it.
This is the quietest lotus ever built.
Just don’t talk in the phone. Pay attention to how wonderful the car is
Talking on the phone is dangerous
Or just sell it and buy a Bentley no noise
Shoot me if you want but just get over it.
The negativity sometimes on this forum just blows me away.
Not to discuss personal issues but I have been dealing with my wife’s serious health issues the last year. That is more important to me than the bullshit fucking minor issues some people spew about a fantastic sports car. Just get a life or sell the car.
I make no apologies for my ranting here
EDIT my dear wife just drove 350 miles with me this past weekend and loved the ride compared to my Evora GT
I was grateful that she was able to be my passenger

You are a god amongst men.

 

[Fil]

I have to say, my own opinion on the Emira is that I was extremely surprised just how low the road / tyre noise is compared to all other 'sports' cars I've had/driven, especially given the ultra low profile tyres it sports.
I hear a level of engine noise transmitted through the bulkhead, not bad, but noticeable....but tyre (Tire) wise, mine is very, very quiet.
I'm on Tour chassis, with the Goodyears.

I have heard a lot of reports of excessive wind noise from the door seals, but again, whilst I haven't yet exceeded 150mph, mine is devoid of any such wind noise & whistles.

A normal conversation in the car @ 80mph is very easy.

These cars seem to vary a lot!

Jon

Yes I agree (apart from a slight wind noise from what appears to come from around the passage door window around the door mirror) but it proving difficult to pinpoint and it is only slight. So not a real issue. Phone calls or radio are easily listened to without any problem. The car is so enjoyable to drive I can forgive it.

 

[NicolasB]

They are completely silent on most pavement. With certain coarser asphalt mixes though, they immediately change to a howl.

It's a real thing, I guess I need to take a video or something to show it. I'm talking a huge difference in sound, enough to make you need to raise your voice to be heard on a phone call, and certainly enough to make the KEF audio kind of superfluous.

I suspect we're going to be having a lot of this conversation as more people get their cars and start posting feedback and questions.

Virginia has a lot of that horrible pavement that looks like it's made with 50% seashells and small rocks. It is super noisy and the second it gets wet it becomes as slippery as ice. I certainly don't miss that.

 

[Stiffarm]

It was a bit louder being a mid engine car but nothing uncomfortable that I noticed.
Where in AL are you?

I am in Mobile.

 

[Porter]

Virginia has a lot of that horrible pavement that looks like it's made with 50% seashells and small rocks. It is super noisy and the second it gets wet it becomes as slippery as ice. I certainly don't miss that.

That's coastal only. The roads I was mentioning were more traditional asphalt, in the western part of the state. Not every road, either, just some specific asphalt mixes in certain counties. Very unusual.

 

[Dan C]

Hi all - I have had my Emira for about a week. I am in Dallas where most roads are concrete. I have also found the road and tire noise incredibly loud. At times, I even slowed down or hung up a call because it sounded like something was broken, but it appeared to be because of rough pavement. Will try to find smooth asphalt to test.

 

[digilotus]

I actually haven't driven an Emira with Goodyear F1s as mine has the Cup 2 connect tyres with sports suspension setup. I've been pleasantly surprised with how quiet the car is with the most aggressive setup possible over various road surfaces. I thought it would be loud as.

I would be very interested to see if anyone's made a back to back noise comparison of the F1s and Cup2s over the same stretch of noisy/rough bitumen.

 

[neiru37]

First, my $0.02. It has become my absolute pet peeve when you present a problem and people are minimizing your problem with "just don't try to do what you are doing" or "why are you making a problem out of something that shouldn't be one". So I am greatly appreciative when someone actually helpful comes along.

Now my actual take: I agree that there are times when I feel the car is noisy with more road/tire noise than engine noise, and other times road noise is minimal and I can mostly hear the engine, which isn't annoyingly loud when you're on 6th gear cruising at <3k rpm. Given that I am also on touring + goodyears I'm leaning towards what others have said in that this is a tire that is sensitive to pavement.

In my past vehicle (a civic type r) I also didn't like how loud the road noise is on the stock tire config (245 30 R20) so the community recommended way of reducing road noise would be to swap to a quieter tire (PS4S I've heard is quiet) and switching to a setup with a smaller wheel and a thicker sidewall (265 35 R18). This method was super effective on that car. And while I would really like to get some 18" aftermarket wheels and thicker side-walled tires, the wheel aftermarket for the Emira isn't that big.

So my current strategy would be to run the goodyears until they're done and swap to PS4S in OEM spec while I wait for smaller wheels to come out for the Emira.

 

[seriously]

First, my $0.02. It has become my absolute pet peeve when you present a problem and people are minimizing your problem with "just don't try to do what you are doing" or "why are you making a problem out of something that shouldn't be one". So I am greatly appreciative when someone actually helpful comes along.

Now my actual take: I agree that there are times when I feel the car is noisy with more road/tire noise than engine noise, and other times road noise is minimal and I can mostly hear the engine, which isn't annoyingly loud when you're on 6th gear cruising at <3k rpm. Given that I am also on touring + goodyears I'm leaning towards what others have said in that this is a tire that is sensitive to pavement.

In my past vehicle (a civic type r) I also didn't like how loud the road noise is on the stock tire config (245 30 R20) so the community recommended way of reducing road noise would be to swap to a quieter tire (PS4S I've heard is quiet) and switching to a setup with a smaller wheel and a thicker sidewall (265 35 R18). This method was super effective on that car. And while I would really like to get some 18" aftermarket wheels and thicker side-walled tires, the wheel aftermarket for the Emira isn't that big.

So my current strategy would be to run the goodyears until they're done and swap to PS4S in OEM spec while I wait for smaller wheels to come out for the Emira.

I would try the ps4s before changing to a smaller wheel. I did the same on a previous car and was surprised how much more comfortable the ride was and quieter yet still with a sticky tire. It might be good enough for you.

 

[marc1adrien]

I'm also on touring / goodyears, and in Virginia.

I concur the noise is very highly variable based on road surface. On smoother, newer, finer-aggregate asphalt it's actually surprisingly quiet, and fine for a call at 65mph. On courser aggregate, or concrete, it's notably louder and I think I would struggle a little to hear. The odd thing here is that road surfaces very often change as you cross municipal borders (as a cyclist I've come to expect this) so a change in sound typically comes when you cross into another town or county.

Harry did run his DB meter on his Emira, and commented that it was a little quieter than a Cayman or 911. That said I'm pretty sure the roads in Oxfordshire are probably better and more consistent.

A friend has a 911 and we often switch cars for a bit, and it's certainly not quieter.

I love the way this car drives and handles on the Goodyears. That said I'm not feeling overly attached to them either, so may replace them with something else when the time comes.

Bear in mind the envelope for the Emira is narrower than most cars -- so it's less focused on being everything to everyone than an equivalent Porsche or Corvette.

I think for the OP is it a question of something being wrong with his (like bearings, or alignment) or is it simply that road surfaces in his area mean that it's sometimes loud. If it proves to be the latter then I'd start with tires.

 

[scc.131.fe]

Hi all - I have had my Emira for about a week. I am in Dallas where most roads are concrete. I have also found the road and tire noise incredibly loud. At times, I even slowed down or hung up a call because it sounded like something was broken, but it appeared to be because of rough pavement. Will try to find smooth asphalt to test.

I grew up outside of Chicago with lots of concrete road and now I'm in NY (Hudson Valley) where concrete is more rare. When I visit family in the Chicago area I can't believe how loud those roads are (in any car) by comparison.

In my area, Sport suspension on Goodyears is very acceptable by my standard. But given the lack of sound deadening in the car, I wouldn't enjoy a phone conversation. Luckily, that has a zero percent impact on my reason for driving the Emira. But the KEF threads in this forum are starting to include some results from adding sound absorbant material to the doors and rear firewall, so that could be an option as well as optimized wheel/tire combo. Best of luck!

 

[JClem]

I was able to hold a conversation with the instructor at Hethel going 125mph and with helmets on!!

Admittedly, the asphalt is very smooth.

The M25 through Surrey is concrete with gaps between the slabs. The texture of the concrete is such that my old GLC43 would resonate at 75mph and create an awful drone.

 

[Dan C]

I grew up outside of Chicago with lots of concrete road and now I'm in NY (Hudson Valley) where concrete is more rare. When I visit family in the Chicago area I can't believe how loud those roads are (in any car) by comparison.

In my area, Sport suspension on Goodyears is very acceptable by my standard. But given the lack of sound deadening in the car, I wouldn't enjoy a phone conversation. Luckily, that has a zero percent impact on my reason for driving the Emira. But the KEF threads in this forum are starting to include some results from adding sound absorbant material to the doors and rear firewall, so that could be an option as well as optimized wheel/tire combo. Best of luck!

I have now had a chance to drive in smoother surfaces, and it sounds very different.

All things considered, I will probably try different tires in the future, and prioritize one with less road noise.

On a positive note, the supercharger whine is quite addictive!

 

[seriously]

supercharger whine gives a similar thrill to a high revving engine. I love it!

 

[KJWEmira]

Hey Gents,

I posted the below on another thread - might be useful for some on this particular "road noise" point :-

This is how my sound deadening project turned out. Ended up installing "Skinz" to both front doors and the whole of the rear compartment. I used a whole box, which adds approx. 14kgs, however, it was worth the gain and here's why -
The difference it has made is unbelievable, even the sound the doors make when shutting is greatly improved, and they feel more solid. The only piece of deadening already in the car is stuck onto the bulkhead of the engine compartment - you have to reuse this due to how the interior bulkhead trim is manufactured.

I no longer hear a ton of road noise, or the noise of stones flicking up, not to mention slightly yelling at my passenger.....Yet I can still hear the engine, supercharger & much-loved exhaust (modified of course). Phone calls are also greatly improved!

This addition was completed because I've greatly upgraded the audio (no more KEF!). The speakers require this to function at their optimum / produce the perfect sound quality. Now the cars' audio sounds just as perfect as the car looks, plus I'm not turning the volume to max!

Ps – I’m on Sport suspension & Cup 2’s - Many issues resolved after the transformation.

Should this be of any interest to anyone, here's the Link to the Audio upgrade journey & installation:-

KEF Audio Upgrade Parts - Now Available! | Lotus Emira Forum

 

[crestima]

I was able to hold a conversation with the instructor at Hethel going 125mph and with helmets on!!

Admittedly, the asphalt is very smooth.

The M25 through Surrey is concrete with gaps between the slabs. The texture of the concrete is such that my old GLC43 would resonate at 75mph and create an awful drone.

There have been several references and experiences on sound proofing the rear shelf engine firewall and doors which undoubtedly should help reduce some of the unwanted pavement contact noise, but I believe that most of that noise (aside from the type of tires in place) actually comes from the wheel well arches. I’ve read a couple of members comments on this specifically, but haven’t seen any feedback if this has already been attempted or not. Curious if this is difficult

I'm also on touring / goodyears, and in Virginia.

I concur the noise is very highly variable based on road surface. On smoother, newer, finer-aggregate asphalt it's actually surprisingly quiet, and fine for a call at 65mph. On courser aggregate, or concrete, it's notably louder and I think I would struggle a little to hear. The odd thing here is that road surfaces very often change as you cross municipal borders (as a cyclist I've come to expect this) so a change in sound typically comes when you cross into another town or county.

Harry did run his DB meter on his Emira, and commented that it was a little quieter than a Cayman or 911. That said I'm pretty sure the roads in Oxfordshire are probably better and more consistent.

A friend has a 911 and we often switch cars for a bit, and it's certainly not quieter.

I love the way this car drives and handles on the Goodyears. That said I'm not feeling overly attached to them either, so may replace them with something else when the time comes.

Bear in mind the envelope for the Emira is narrower than most cars -- so it's less focused on being everything to everyone than an equivalent Porsche or Corvette.

I think for the OP is it a question of something being wrong with his (like bearings, or alignment) or is it simply that road surfaces in his area mean that it's sometimes loud. If it proves to be the latter then I'd start with tires.

I happen to also own a 2017 911 S and can definitely attest to the fact that it is quieter (not quiet) than the Emira on Goodyears. On rougher road surfaces, I can still carry on a phone conversation in the 911, while in the Emira it’s a lot more challenging.
There have been several references and experiences on sound proofing the Emira’s rear shelf engine firewall and doors which undoubtedly should help reduce some of the unwanted pavement contact noise, but I believe that most of that noise (aside from the type of tires in place) actually comes from the wheel well arches. I’ve read a couple of members comment on this specifically, but haven’t seen any feedback on this sound proofing around the wheel arches having already been attempted. Curious if this is difficult/impossible and what needs to be removed to access the critical areas.

 

[ManOfSteel]

If long freeway drives on the phone are the primary use case, you might not have the right tool for the job. Might I suggest:
View attachment 38789

Agreed, that's my daily, except it's a 2018 - last year with the 4.0T

 

[Lotus64]

I find the Emira loud and firm and I love it! Not ideal for a GT but perfect for a sports car.