QAnon is a group of far-right conspiracy theories that claims that certain members of the US deep state are Satan-worshiping pedophiles who are running a global child sex-trafficking ring and that they are targeting Donald Trump and he is secretly trying to undermine their operations. It implicates high profile individuals and establishments, such as Hillary Clinton, Dr Anthony Fauci and JP Morgan. The theories even go as far as to suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic was manufactured by the ‘deep state’ as part of its campaign against the incumbent President.

From a harmless internet conspiracy to a rapidly emerging right-wing political movement, QAnon has entered mainstream politics and may have some serious implications on the upcoming presidential election.

It began with a few posts on 4chan, an extremely popular imageboard website developed in 2003. The term ‘imageboard’ basically classifies an internet forum that requires users to post images in order to start a discussion. 

In 2017 an anonymous user claiming to have Q clearance within the US government (hence the shortened name QAnon from Q Anonymous) began to post information detailing a secret government investigation spearheaded by the President himself, Donald J Trump. They mentioned Robert Mueller, the man in charge of investigating Russian interference in the previous election, as being allegedly tasked instead by the President to be the head of this secret investigation. It highlights various political figures, like Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama and speaks of their involvement with the ‘deep-state’ of alleged sex-trafficking and paedophilia.

The posts contain a plethora of conspiracy theories primarily centered around outlining threats from the deep-state against Donald Trump. These theories range from harmlessly implausible (like that of JP Morgan sinking the Titanic to assassinate Col. Jacob Astor, Isidor Straus and Benjamin Guggenheim 108 years ago) to outlandishly dangerous. 

Later in 2019 a man accused of killing an alleged Gambino mob boss stated that he believed the boss was part of the deep state. At his extradition hearing he happily showed the judge and everyone else in the courtroom his hand where he had scribbled messages in support of QAnon. It was events like these that led to the FBI describing the movement as a potential domestic terrorism threat and all posts, hashtags and ads affiliated with the group being taken off mainstream media.

Before we go further we must outline that other than these and a few other minor events, the majority of the QAnon’s supporters remain largely non-violent. There are many who don’t agree with specific theories particularly because many have been “deciphered”  from cryptic messages and thus lose their credibility once filtered through  the minds of many a wanna-be sleuth. While others support it in its entirety. Nevertheless its significance and impact on the upcoming presidential election can not be understated.

Sources cite that there have been 10 times as many searches for the group on Google in July compared to January and even as much as a 651% growth in Facebook pages and groups dedicated to QAnon since March. Now while Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms have pulled most of QAnon’s content from their sites, those numbers suggest that the theory is not only gaining traction but steamrolling into a political movement as well. 

For starters of the more popular theories implicates high profile democratic politicians (like Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama) and various celebrities in the operation of a shadowy paedophile and sex trafficking ring. This may remind some of you of the famous Pizzagate conspiracy theory that made rounds during the 2016 election. You may also then remember that as a consequence of this, a North Carolina man walked into a pizza shop in Washington DC and fired an assault rifle in the establishment in search of the alleged sex-traffickers. This year, with tensions at even higher levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic and various protests happening around the country, these theories risk an explosion of violence. Particularly should the Democratic Presidential candidate, Joe Biden, win the election.

In addition the group has acted predominantly in support of Donald Trump. Using its platform based on groundless lies to garner a wider support of the incumbent President. Now it is important to note that the creation of any group or organization in support of a specific political candidate or leader is completely legal and often encouraged. However, the dissemination of political falsehoods that have the effect of instilling fear and possibly inciting violence against an individual or group in favour of a political candidate is illegal and extremely dangerous. It’s dangerous not only for the reasons listed in the previous point but also as it is a form of textbook manipulation of law-abiding citizens to garner votes for specific candidates. 

Thus undermining the principles of Democracy itself.

Some have argued that Facebook and Twitters’ removal of posts, groups, ads and accounts is too little too late as Reddit banned QAnon subreddits back in 2018. And is just another example of popular social media sites failing to eliminate potentially dangerous political falsehoods from propagating in their platforms. Due to its rapid spread in notoriety and unsubstantiated conspiracies it is unclear whether the removal of QAnon rhetoric will be taken by its followers (who may now be in the hundreds of thousands) as evidence of its mendacity or of the deep-state censoring the “truth”. The latter may only serve to reinvigorate the movement or, in its extreme, inspire public outrage.

We are halfway through the summer and depending on what part of the world you’re in, that means that the roads have gotten a little… louder. With more and more people coming out of their homes as COVID related legislation becomes more lax and businesses open up again the world’s most audibly exhilarating cars are emerging from their annual hibernation in droves. 

If you’re like us and you’re worried about giving yourself whiplash the next time a set of straight pipes announces themselves to the whole block, then this article is for you. We have combined a list of what we believe to be the Top 20 Best Sounding Cars in the world right now in the hopes of sharing our love for some of the mind blowing engines in production today. Who knows? Perhaps after reading about our top 5 contenders you may change your mind about that dream car you’ve been looking at. 

For our first entry we take a look eastward to the meticulous, high-quality world of German automobiles. This particular Porsche has a 2.9L V6 engine built to accommodate the needs of both a sport and every day utility car. Although being relatively quiet compared to the other cars on this list, its muffled sound gives it a stable rising rev sound which is surprisingly loud despite “only” producing 375 hp and 519Nm of torque.

So right now you may be thinking: this is a list for the best sounding cars, why is a Tesla here when it makes virtually no sound? Well you wouldn’t be wrong to be a little sceptical. Its 3 phase AC induction motor generates up to 825 bhp and about 1300 Nm of torque (when both front and rear motors are activated) and yet it sounds as if you never turned it on. It should come as no surprise that any list like this is naturally going to have a degree of subjectivity and for many car enthusiasts sometimes no sound is the best kind of sound. This car will have you moving stealthily as a panther in the night but at the speeds of a cheetah giving chase. What’s not to love about that?

Speaking of luxury sports cars, it is tough to find something as well rounded as the Bentley Continental GT. A car built for speed (reaching break-neck speeds of over 180 mph) and world-class levels comfort that will cost you well over CAN$200,000. It makes sense then that it sounds as good as it looks. Its standing rev is deep and low like the regal roar of a male lion, capable of making the 2 ton car shake. This it owes to its colossal 6.2L W12 BiTurbo engine which – when accelerating – produces its own smooth, composed variation of the infamous flutter that turbochargers are known for.

Alright, it’s another luxury sports car but hear us out for a second! British car manufacturers Aston Martin really pushed the envelope when it comes to bridging the gap between opulence and performance with the Vanquish S and this carries on beautifully to the sound it produces. At a standstill rev its naturally aspirated 5.9 V12 engine doesn’t roar, it purrs. A borderline therapeutic sound that could have you spending far too many minutes behind the wheel parked at home with your eyes closed, soaking it in. When it leaps into action, however, the purr transforms into a deep, angry growl that startles all within earshot. A truly threatening sound.

Make no mistake the SVR isn’t just fast, its really fast. One of the fastest SUV’s in the world today, it sports a 5L supercharged V8 engine giving it its signature, throaty rumble. Even at full throttle (travelling up to 170 mph) it maintains the integrity of that window shaking grumble that would have most passerbys wondering if they had stumbled across an American drag race.

This – quite literal – blast from the past contains a naturally aspirated, 4.3L V8 engine that generates 506 hp and 465 Nm of torque. With all that power it sounds like every racer’s dream. That sustained, iconic low to high pitched whir as it picks up speed is certainly very close to, if not the actual, sound that comes to the average person’s mind when they imagine a high performance racing car speeding down a track. Put simply its a Ferrari doing what Ferrari does best, announcing its presence and being the loudest thing on the road.

Oh I can hear them now: “why on earth is the 911 so low on the list?” Despite not making the top 10 the 911 has been credited as being one of the fastest cars on the market period, with its Turbo S variations credited with putting Lamborghinis in their rear view mirror. Its classic twin-turbo, 3.0L flat 6 engine creates a smooth, deep whir that’s unique to Porsche boxer engine. Easily one of the most identifiable sounds on the road, it is as if Porsche found the perfect pitch for a super car that isn’t at all annoying despite being rather loud.

Starting off our top 10 list is this absolute beast of a Ferrari, its massive 6.3L F140 V12 engine is also one of the loudest, but then again you knew that, it’s a Ferrari. Despite sending you flying down the open road at speeds that are guaranteed to land you straight in jail, the patrol cars are bound to hear you before they see you. Another naturally aspirated vehicle, it picks up from a low, menacing rumble to a high-pitch whir in the blink of an eye, turning heads and setting off car alarms like a V12 is supposed to and at full pelt it sounds strikingly similar to an F1 car.

You knew the muscle cars were coming. The first one on the list conceals a 650hp, supercharged V8 engine underneath its stylish hood. This drag racing regular, quite literally, booms as it flies down the road leaving in its wake dazed and confused pedestrians and paralyzed drivers, not quite sure what just happened. As it accelerates to insane speeds of up to 200 mph the explosive snarl amplifies to a sound resembling one thousand curtains being torn apart simultaneously. So yeah, it’s loud.

Put a Biturbo V8 engine in the hands of some German car makers and what do you get? A majestic, muffled roar that does not impose but demands reverence. It also helps that the car goes from 0-60 mph in under 4 seconds and up to a staggering 180mph. Its decelerating gargle is difficult to describe any other way than immensely satisfying. It’s perfect for anyone that wants a beautifully sounding car that’s not invasive.

7. McClaren 720S Spyder

This juggernaut of a supercar is arguably the best McClaren you can buy today (if you’ve got $315,000 USD lying around) and it sure sounds like it. Capable of going from 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds with 710 hp and 770Nm of torque its 4.0L V8 engine produces a loud but refined high pitched whir that is surprisingly very pleasant to the ear. In a world where supercars are starting to sound more and more like giant mosquitoes, the Spyder rises above its competition and manages to avoid that piercing shrillness. Thank goodness for that since its exhaust pipes are conveniently placed 46 inches off the ground.

The Aventadore’s deafening older brother, the Murcialago is the loudest Lamborghini ever made. With a similar 6.5L V12 engine it can reach speeds of up to 205 mph. At that kind of velocity it screams down the tarmac, a sound that supercar lovers know all too well. Stepping behind the wheel of one of those is like getting into the cockpit of a fighter jet, and Lamborghini made sure that it sounded like it too.

The Shelby is the second muscle car on our list and what a car it is. Its 5.2L V8 engine produces 526hp and 582Nm and a sound that makes the very ground shake. Revved up it’s hard to describe the sound as anything else but thunderingly angry and aggressive. It immediately drowns out all other sounds in the area. It’s the kind of car that knows it’s powerful and isn’t too shy to make sure everyone else does too.

While being the fastest production car Audi has ever made the R8 V10 Performance, we believe, is the best sounding one as well. Packed with a ludicrous 5.2L, naturally aspirated, V10 engine it has 620 hp and 580Nm of torque. How this car is street legal is anyone’s guess but, hey, we’re not complaining. Remember how we mentioned that the Vanquish S purrs? Well, next to the R8 the Aston Martin sounds like a catfight on chalkboard. Revved up it is simply MESMERIZING. Even when it shoots forward on the open road it always seems to maintain control over its sonic output, keeping it nice and low. One of our personal favourites.

We’re just going to say it: this is the best sounding muscle car in the world right now. Every drag racers fantasy and the most accurately named car on this list, the Demon produces a mind bending 840hp and 972 Nm of torque and can explode from 0-60 in just 2.3 seconds. That makes it the quickest production car ever made. Period. Revved up it produces a medley of hundreds of deep detonations coming from the exhaust and at full pelt this thing both moves and sounds like lightning. It’s the kind of sound that makes you duck for cover and silences all of its contenders and driving it is a surefire way to piss off a lot of people. But then again, the Dodge Demon wasn’t designed to be loved but to be feared.

And finally at number 1, probably not surprising to many of you, is Porsche’s supercar crowning jewel. Originally intended to be raced in the 2000 La Mans, the Carrera GTs naturally aspirated, V10, monster of an engine produces 650 hp and 590Nm of torque. While slower than some others on the list its sound is just magical and completely sets it aside from all others. Revved up, this car produces a high pitched ‘zing’ that is so well composed that from the time you start the engine and to when you switch it off, no sound produced seems out of place or out of control. Put simply, for car lovers, it’s a symphony, guaranteed to give you goosebumps and we believe the best sounding car out there.

Now just to clarify the cars on this list have been selected as they exist in their respective production designs. 

Needless to say there are tons of modifications one can do to change and redesign the sound of their car. Anything from installing straight pipes, adding a cat-back exhaust, changing the exhaust size and shape can make your car sound different. Or you could try upgrading the intake in your engine, get it sounding louder. I would recommend seeking professional help before attempting to do any of this yourself, however, these options are certainly much cheaper than buying any of the cars on this list. Part prices vary between a couple hundred to a couple of thousand dollars depending. 

Whatever you choose to do, I hope you enjoyed our list and are a little more confident in your ability to identify some of the truly special cars out there.