V8
V8
McLaren 570GT sound
The McLaren 570GT sounds raspy and high-pitched rather than deep and burbly because its 3.8-liter V8 uses a flat-plane crankshaft and revs to 8,500 rpm. Its twin turbochargers smooth the exhaust pulses, though, so it never gets the open, shrieking howl of a naturally aspirated flat-plane engine. Expect a busy, mechanical idle, a hard-edged rasp at high rpm and plenty of turbo noise in between.
What to listen for
- Start: a quick, sharp flare as the V8 catches, then a busy fast idle without any V8 lope.
- Idle: a flat, slightly gruff hum with lots of mechanical noise from the engine just behind the cabin.
- Revs: the rasp building as rpm rises, with turbo whoosh and chatter when the throttle closes.
- Drive: boost building through each gear and short, clean breaks in the sound at each dual-clutch upshift.
Why the 570GT sounds like that
In a flat-plane V8 the crank pins sit 180 degrees apart, and the engine fires alternately from one bank to the other. Each exhaust bank therefore receives evenly spaced pulses, which removes the lumpy, off-beat burble of a cross-plane V8 and replaces it with a flatter, harder rasp.
A V8 fires four times per crank revolution, so at the 8,500 rpm redline the M838TE produces about 567 firing pulses per second (the firing frequency shown above). Peak power of 562 hp (570 PS) arrives at 7,500 rpm, so the engine is happiest and loudest in the top third of the rev range.
What the turbos do to the note
Each turbocharger's turbine sits directly in the exhaust stream and absorbs much of the energy in each pulse before it reaches the tailpipes. That softens the sharp edges of the sound and lowers the volume, leaving a broader, more muted rasp. In exchange you get turbo sounds that an atmospheric engine does not make: spool, whoosh, and chatter as the boost is released between shifts.
The M838TE family is known more for its performance than for its music. It is effective and very fast-revving for a turbo engine, but compared with naturally aspirated flat-plane V8s it sounds more industrial and less tuneful, which is a common point of debate among McLaren fans.
570GT vs. 570S and other flat-plane V8s
The 570GT shares its engine and power output with the 570S. The GT is the more comfort-oriented, long-distance version of McLaren's Sports Series, with a glass rear hatch over a luggage shelf, so the core engine sound is the same family even if the car around it is tuned for touring. For a naturally aspirated flat-plane V8 to compare against, listen to the Shelby GT350 in the app, which keeps the even rasp but adds a sharper, unfiltered top end.
Frequently asked questions
What engine does the McLaren 570GT have?
A 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft, known as the M838TE. In the 570GT it makes 562 hp (570 PS) and revs to 8,500 rpm.
Does the 570GT sound different from the 570S?
Not much. Both use the same engine with the same power output, so the core sound is very similar. The GT is set up for comfort and touring rather than for a louder or harsher note.
Why doesn't the McLaren 570GT burble like a Mustang?
The Mustang's V8 uses a cross-plane crankshaft, which sends unevenly spaced pulses to each exhaust bank and creates the classic burble. The McLaren's flat-plane crank fires the banks alternately, giving each side even pulses and a smoother, raspier sound.
