Which Stock Car Has The Best Sounding Cold Start?

Cold starts sound louder due to higher idle speeds and looser engine tolerances when cold.
V8 and V12 engines often deliver the most aggressive, ear-pleasing cold start sounds.
However, enthusiasts debate which factory exhaust offers the best cold start auditory experience.

Mornings aren’t always kind, especially when they involve crawling out of bed and sliding behind the wheel for yet another soul-draining work commute. But for those of you who haven’t switched sides to electric rides and still own a performance car, there’s at least one small, mechanical silver lining to kick things off: the cold start.

And if you happen to own the right car, that first bark to life might be the one thing that makes the slog to work almost worthwhile. So, here’s the question: which stock cold start is the undisputed champion?

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Let’s rewind a bit. Why does a cold start sound different in the first place? It comes down to a few things. First, when an engine is cold, it typically runs richer, dumping in a little extra fuel to get things going. Idle speeds also creep higher, and the tolerances inside the engine are looser until everything heats up. Combine all that, and for a brief, glorious window, you get more noise, more bite, more character.

Of course, once the engine warms up and settles in, things smooth out and quiet down. But that initial burst? That’s where the glorious magic happens. So which factory-fresh engine delivers the best version of this aural chaos? Let’s dive into some of the more obvious contenders.

The One Rule: Keep It Stock

Right off the bat, we’ve got to set at least one rule and that is to only focus on stock production cars in this conversation. Pretty much nothing in that category would stand up to some of the wildest race cars out there. Just about anything from NASCAR, WEC, or F1 would likely run away with this award.

That said, the options are still quite endless. Take, for example, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage Zagato. It’s likely not the first thing one might consider, but turn up your speakers and have a listen. Not only is it loud but it features a burble that some V12s don’t. It’s the kind of sound that says “Yes, I’m expensive – and I’ll let the whole neighborhood know about it.”

Of course, we can’t really have this conversation without talking about V8s. The great thing about them is that many sound amazing in stock form without costing six figures as is the case for the Aston Martin. For instance, let’s have a listen to the cold start of a Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, a 668 hp supercharged 6.2-liter V8 sedan that sounds just about perfect straight from the factory.

Now, let’s compare that to the noise made by a supercharged Dodge Charger Hellcat. Both are loud, have attitude, and come with just enough rasp to let you know they’re serious. Bonus points here: the engines in both aren’t exclusive to a single model, so the same glorious noise can be had across a few different nameplates. A win for brand loyalists everywhere.

Obviously, these aren’t the only choices. Maybe you’ve got a favorite we didn’t cover – a straight-six symphony, perhaps, or a quirky five-cylinder that punches above its weight. Either way, we want to know: what’s the best stock cold start you’ve heard?

Drop it in the comments and let’s settle this the only way car enthusiasts know how; by arguing endlessly over engine noise, one rev at a time.