[secret agent]

I had an M sport 428i for a few hours last weekend. It was amazing !

The exhaust note was unbelievable ! In comfort mode, it sounded reasonably quiet, but once in sport & sport + mode- it became a different beast. It rumbled like a 6 & I'm not kidding. I reckon they have tweaked the engine or remapped the gearing. It picks up a lot faster than a 328i.
Cornering is great due to a low centre of gravity, feels really planted on the road.

The car cost about $103K here in Australia.

Its a better buy than a 435i according to a whole lot of sales staff at the dealership. Almost $30K cheaper !!! Wow

How did they change the exhaust note ??? Artificial stereo radio tricks ???

[3xED]

You're the first one I've seen that has commented on this...surprised it took this long, as the feeling is pretty dramatic as you've noted. Yes, for sure BMW tweaked the N20 engine sound for 2014 (328i/428i), responding to customer complaints that it was souless. It is obviously done electronically as it's keyed to the Driving Experience Control - but there has been no press release or technical information that I've been able to find. It would be great if someone could dig up some details. Note: Electronic enhancement of engine sound is becoming pretty typical - I just read where Cadillac is doing it on the CTS V-Sport - and of course BMW was one of the pioneers with the M5.

[btbossman]

Ive only driven a 435, but the exhaust sounded the same as my 13' 335 exhaust. Glad they made the 4 banger sound better though, all the ones Ive heard sound dieselesque.

[Christos]

Originally Posted by secret agent

I had an M sport 428i for a few hours last weekend. It was amazing !

The exhaust note was unbelievable ! In comfort mode, it sounded reasonably quiet, but once in sport & sport + mode- it became a different beast. It rumbled like a 6 & I'm not kidding. I reckon they have tweaked the engine or remapped the gearing. It picks up a lot faster than a 328i.
Cornering is great due to a low centre of gravity, feels really planted on the road.

The car cost about $103K here in Australia.

Its a better buy than a 435i according to a whole lot of sales staff at the dealership. Almost $30K cheaper !!! Wow

How did they change the exhaust note ??? Artificial stereo radio tricks ???

My few test drives I concur, it has a deep rumble under acceleration. I heard it in all driving modes though

[Rasengan]

it does sound good and quite surprised me when i first heard it...i'm still breaking the car in so i have not floored it yet, hell, i haven't even gone past 4k rpm but i can hear a very nice deep rumble hiding under there already

however, it's really only apparent in Sport and Sport+ mode...i cannot hear anything in Comfort or Eco Pro and the car is about as sluggish as a honda civic in those modes...the car should really allow you to default mode to sport/sport +...i know several people are, unknowingly, going to test drive this car under comfort/eco pro and be completely underwhelmed...sport/+ changes this car completely, it's night and day

[Christos]

Originally Posted by Rasengan

it does sound good and quite surprised me when i first heard it...i'm still breaking the car in so i have not floored it yet, hell, i haven't even gone past 4k rpm but i can hear a very nice deep rumble hiding under there already

however, it's really only apparent in Sport and Sport+ mode...i cannot hear anything in Comfort or Eco Pro and the car is about as sluggish as a honda civic in those modes...the car should really allow you to default mode to sport/sport +...i know several people are, unknowingly, going to test drive this car under comfort/eco pro and be completely underwhelmed...sport/+ changes this car completely, it's night and day

I test drove a 428xi several times, I didnt find the comfort mode sluggish, slower but not sluggish, the eco mode definitely sluggish. I couldn't test drive a straight 428i, for none around here in central NJ, i'm hoping the reduced weight makes it more snappy

[raleedy]

The 428 "engine" sound is -- as in a number of other sporty BMW models -- a recording played through the audio system.

[Christos]

Originally Posted by raleedy

The 428 "engine" sound is -- as in a number of other sporty BMW models -- a recording played through the audio system.

I believe it, but Where can the supporting info for this be found?

[335BOY]

Originally Posted by secret agent

I had an M sport 428i for a few hours last weekend. It was amazing !

The exhaust note was unbelievable ! In comfort mode, it sounded reasonably quiet, but once in sport & sport + mode- it became a different beast. It rumbled like a 6 & I'm not kidding. I reckon they have tweaked the engine or remapped the gearing. It picks up a lot faster than a 328i.
Cornering is great due to a low centre of gravity, feels really planted on the road.

The car cost about $103K here in Australia.

Its a better buy than a 435i according to a whole lot of sales staff at the dealership. Almost $30K cheaper !!! Wow

How did they change the exhaust note ??? Artificial stereo radio tricks ???

Glad to hear . I've NEVER heard a good sounding 4.

[DrivenByE30]

.... but

The way of the future? :L

[Ivan@PYSpeed.com]

interesting

[jzcrna]

Originally Posted by raleedy

The 428 "engine" sound is -- as in a number of other sporty BMW models -- a recording played through the audio system.

I test drove a 428i today with a CA who is also a BMW enthusiast. I specifically asked him if they added the sound modification and he said no, that it was natural. Maybe he's wrong, but he did say that the engine changed from 2013-2014.

[mtbnole]

do the cars sound different from the outside?

[jzcrna]

Originally Posted by mtbnole

do the cars sound different from the outside?

It didn't have rattling and clanking, thats for sure. It had a slight hum to it from what I remember.

[Jamesons Viggen]

Originally Posted by jzcrna

I test drove a 428i today with a CA who is also a BMW enthusiast. I specifically asked him if they added the sound modification and he said no, that it was natural. Maybe he's wrong, but he did say that the engine changed from 2013-2014.

He is wrong.

[jzcrna]

Originally Posted by Jamesons Viggen

He is wrong.

So are you employed by BMW? Are you the leading BMW authority?

Why the hostility? Relax.

[Jamesons Viggen]

Originally Posted by jzcrna

So are you employed by BMW? Are you the leading BMW authority?

Why the hostility? Relax.

How is it hostility?

You heard it from a guy and then posted it 3x on this forum and then other people hear it and all of a sudden everyone thinks the 4 series got a "new" engine.

It did not.

I am just trying to squash mis-info early on.

A direct BMW employee I am not.

Instead a best friend is a master BMW tech who when sent to NJ for all the latest trainings, always meets up with me and gives me the scoops. He has been to school for the N20 and the 4 series. He is aware of every change of a 3 to a 4 and confirmed for me 100% that the N20 was not touched to be inserted into the 4.

Do you know how famous it is to get bad info from a CA, things like XDrive cars having Sport suspension, or the DDC button affecting suspension on cars with no DHP?

[335BOY]

Does it have artificial sound like M5?

[Rasengan]

Originally Posted by Jamesons Viggen

Do you know how famous it is to get bad info from a CA, things like XDrive cars having Sport suspension, or the DDC button affecting suspension on cars with no DHP?

+1

my CA had no clue what the Lightning Package had in it, he thought all it had were the auto high beams...i corrected them on that

he also told me that, "as a precaution" they like to make sure new buyers understand that my car would not have a moonroof unless i got the premium package...i had to point him to the BMWUSA site and show him that it's standard on all 4s

[Jamesons Viggen]

Originally Posted by 335BOY

Does it have artificial sound like M5?

I have seen not one single data point where ONLY the 428 has a sound piping feature that no other 3 or 4 series has.

[secret agent]

Hi guys !!! I have the M Sport 428i for the weekend again.
This time I drove the car with the sunroof open and windows down.
The exhaust rumble was even more prominent! I believe the new sound is also coming from the exhaust not just the sound system.
The car sounds really cool from the outside that's for sure.
Tried the launch control also! The rear wheels screeched like mad. :-)
This car seriously sounds like a true 6 with the power of a six as well.

[tuned2ride]

I wouldn't be surprised because a 128i/328i E92 sounded different and more aggressive than a 328i E90.