{"id":7712,"date":"2026-04-24T11:56:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T15:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/?p=7712"},"modified":"2026-04-24T11:56:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T15:56:34","slug":"porsche-fake-engine-noises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/porsche-fake-engine-noises\/","title":{"rendered":"Enthusiasts Hate It. Porsche Won’t Stop Talking About It. And It Might Be the Brand’s Only Way Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

Porsche recently backed away from its original EV plans, announcing a pivot back to sports cars. It’s pricey and practical electric vehicles saw a massive sales decline in 2025, while the 911 continued to prove popular<\/a>. CEO Michael Leiters recently told investors to expect more two-door cars, and I figured he meant a shift back to gas as well. But he never fully expressed that.<\/p>\n

Electric Porsche sports cars are still part of the plan, and the luxury brand has a new strategy that’s giving them hope.<\/p>\n

Would fake engine noises help or hurt Porsche?<\/h2>\n

There has been a lot of debate over fake engine noises and other stuff meant to simulate the experience of driving a gas-powered manual sports car. It’s difficult to emulate that visceral and engaged feeling, where you are at one with the car and in complete control of how it drives. But many automakers have tried.<\/p>\n

One of them is Hyundai. While the carmaker is still working on an engine<\/a> for the upcoming Elantra N, it has also attempted to bring its racing background to its electric vehicles. This includes the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, which has a mode that simulates shifting gears. It reduces acceleration time (one of the benefits of an EV), but could make the experience more fun for drivers who want that connected driving feel. The fake pops and crackles add to the effect.<\/p>\n

Wrote Car and Driver<\/strong> after testing the e-Shift drive mode: “To simulate the sensations of a car with a dual-clutch automatic transmission, the all-wheel-drive Ioniq 5 N moves and makes noises that an electric car typically wouldn’t. With N e-Shift drive mode enabled, its software will drop torque between ‘gearshifts’ and allow you to slam into a pseudo redline if you forget to upshift. It’s as convincing as it is cool. Pair that with the Ignition drive sound that mimics engine noise, and you could easily fool a passenger into believing they’ve climbed into the seat of some custom SEMA-show Elantra N with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.”<\/p>\n

Porsche’s GT division boss, Andreas Preuninger, recently drove the Ioniq 5 N himself, and it seems he felt very similarly. In fact, he was inspired. Convinced this simulation was the key to the Ioniq 5 N’s success, Preuninger told Autocar<\/strong><\/a> that Porsche could benefit from something similar: a fake manual experience could be even more convincing with Porsche’s steering and brake pedal feel.<\/p>\n

This isn’t the first time that Porsche has praised the Ioniq 5 N. Vice President of the Porsche 718 and 911 lines, Frank Moser, has driven the Ioniq 5 N himself multiple times. The Drive<\/strong> reported<\/a> that he called the experience “eye-opening.” Back in 2025, Moser even told Preuninger he was going to pick him up in the Ioniq 5 N, but the GT boss said he didn’t “want any of that electric stuff.” But after Moser turned on the e-Shift mode, all he could say was “wow.”<\/p>\n

The experience has clearly stuck with him, as Preuninger is talking about the Ioniq 5 N a year later.<\/span><\/div>\n

“We [Porsche GT] are automotive nerds and discussions about how to improve driving engagement are always happening. Discussions are often intense as everybody\u2019s got an opinion, but that only provokes innovation,” he added.<\/p>\n

Has Hyundai cracked the code? Has it bridged the gap between a driver’s car and an electric car? While Preuninger seems convinced, not every automaker thinks fake engine noises will win over car enthusiasts. Lamborghini’s CEO, Stephan Winkelmann, recently put the pause on development of the Lanzador after its clientele showed little interest in an electric Lambo. The biggest issue? A lack of that unmistakable V12 feel and sound. That’s what creates an “emotional connection” between a driver and the car, he said. The idea of fake engine noise feels inauthentic to Winkelmann, who said that kind of system doesn’t meet the demand of those looking for something real<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The debate continues. Most car enthusiasts are still not happy with the idea of an electric Porsche, especially<\/em> one with fake engine noises. It’s hard to find any comments supporting it. In fact, the reaction is quite harsh, with drivers calling it a “dumb” idea and even wondering whether Porsche is “doomed.” I don’t think purists will be convinced. But those open to the idea of EVs already are pretty intrigued.<\/p>\n

Said one enthusiast: “Having driven an I5N, this is excellent news. Yes, it\u2019s all fake and computerized\u2026 but goddamn, does it adds some fun bits of character and enjoyment back to the car. Good on Porsche for recognizing this potential. It doesn\u2019t need to be forced on anyone; just have it be a feature that can be enabled\/disabled.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Porsche recently backed away from its original EV plans, announcing a pivot back to sports cars. It’s pricey and practical … <\/p>\n

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