The 2012 BMW M5 features Active Sound so drivers of the high-performance sedan can better hear the twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 sing. But what would happen if you turned the technology off? The video below shares some audio clips of the system active, and then disabled.
Active Sound counteracts the effect of sound deadening material and exhaust-level restrictions that subdue the engine sound reaching the cabin. Add a pair of turbochargers to the mix and a high-performance engine becomes more muffled. The system works by playing the engine’s sound over the audio system’s speakers based on throttle input, speed, and engine rpm.
BMW isn’t the first to artificially enhance the sound of its engines. When the 2005 Ford Mustang debuted, the Detroit automaker actually piped induction sound into the cabin via a pipe that ran off the intake tube through the firewall.
Check out the video below to hear the 2012 BMW M5’s Active Sound in action and again after the owner pulls the fuse to listen to the sound solely from the exhaust tips.
