Commenting on cars that produce the best sounds on full pelt almost sounds laughable nowadays. Gone are the days where every car was fitted with an analog rev counter, serving the sole purpose of telling how fast or hard your vehicle’s engine is working. With the electric revolution now in full swing, labelling it as irrelevant doesn’t sound harsh at all. Energy recuperation meters and simulated battery percentage indicators are cutting-edge and cool, don’t get us wrong, but they serve a different purpose.

Just like some government agencies that discourage quick disposal of single-use plastic, driving a car powered purely by an internal combustion engine almost feels “illegal” nowadays. Sure, some of us who grew up listening to some of the best sounding cars in the business can go all nostalgic, but we can’t deny that it’s still a very marketable aspect of car ownership - prices of some of these era-defining heroes seem to back up this claim.

While some would argue that good sounding cars have a correlation to fast speed, we know by now that the former need not be present for neck-strapping pace to be unleashed. It’s a case of different strokes for different folks. For those that still find the idea of “hear it before you see it” appealing, the pool is shrinking but there are still some cool finds to savour…

Porsche 911 (993)

Regardless of engine capacity, the 993-gen Porsche 911 was responsible for keeping the mid 90s alive and kickin’. Opt for the naturally aspirated 3.8-litre and hear both induction and cams on song, or if you’re resourceful enough, locate one equipped with a 3.6-litre twin turbo. Turbo lag used to be laughed upon, but let them do the talking now and bring back old school air-cooled cool.

Jaguar F-Type

Not many performance cars are as accommodating when it comes to engine configurations. The F-Type’s lifespan saw it lug a base 2.0-litre turbo 4, right to a hulking 5.0-litre supercharged V8. But it’s the middle ground that we find most appealing - a pitch-perfect V6 that purrs and screams when the supercharger hits full swing. This example comes equipped with a brilliant Meridian sound system, but cylinders working in perfect harmony makes music work better here…

Subaru WRX

Rewind a decade and WRX diehards would have formed distinct camps, with some swearing not to ever lay their hands on an EJ25-equipped Rex. Only a Japan-built EJ20 would have made the cut. But the proliferation of EVs have left slim pickings for ICE-powered enthusiast cars, so much so that any WRX from any generation would be well received now. The late noughties WRX STI hatch might not be peak WRX for diehards, but one can’t deny its boxer rumble appeal when deployed in this sea of silence.

Audi TT-RS

We know by now that the Audi TT is no more - more than 600k units and 25 years later, this sports car would be fondly remembered for the Mk1’s retro-futuristic design. Skeptics might lean towards the VW Golf GTI for more bang for buck appeal, but the debate was put to bed once Audi decided to plonk in the 5-cylinder in the RS variant. Fun fact: the TT-RS wasn't bound for the US market, until an internet petition of more than 11,000 signatures persuaded Audi to do so. This Mk2 TT-RS has changed hands seven times, but full service receipts might quell your skepticism.

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