Listen: Upcoming Ford Focus ST to employ sound symposer

While BMW employs a digitally sanitized/perfected sound file to give M5 owners the proper sense of aggro urgency when motoring at pace, Porsche went a little more organic with its employment of a sound symposer to feed the 911's flat-six growl into the cabin of the extra-refined 991.

Essentially, the sound symposer is an electrically controlled diaphragm in a tuned sound tube that brings the proper engine noises into the passenger compartment. It can be opened and closed by the car's onboard electronics to offer snarl when you want it and serenity when you don't.

The whole thing sounds a mite gimmicky, but trust us, it's actually pretty wonderful in operation.

A former General Motors employee mentioned to us that he'd been pushing for the system to be employed in Cadillacs, but the bean counters shot the idea down, saying that the system was too expensive.

Apparently, it's not too expensive for Ford, as the company has added a sound symposer to the upcoming Focus ST.

If the noise above isn't to your liking, why not consider the Focus' little sibling and take a listen to the Pogues' "Fiesta," which we've conveniently included below for your auditory enjoyment.

One of the two ought to do the trick.

By Davey G. Johnson