Hello all

I'm ready to pull the trigger on a 2018 F type R awd but wanted to get confirmation if the exhaust sound on a U.S. car is muted when compared to the 2017 models. I used to have a 2017 F type S and it sounded amazing to me but I haven't been able to get a concrete answer anywhere if there was a modification done to the 2018 car that infact mutes the pops and crackles that I remembered in my 2017 S. If there is something different between the 2017 vs 2018 cars, what can be done to return the exact sound it once had? I'd rather not buy an exhaust and change the sound. I'm hoping either A. there is no difference or B. I can remedy this without having to do any mods that require a tune of sorts. Any definitive answers would be appreciated. I've been searching this up for hours but based on what I've seen on forums in general, it seems like people are talking about software versions with horror stories about bringing cars to service to get back a totally muted car in comparison and yet others saying they heard no difference. The car in question is this one...

https://www.maseratiofnaperville.com...55ee3jck48443/
Thanks

 

I have a 2018 F type R Coupe and have always made sure that the dealer would never install the updated software that you describe above - the software that seems to mute the original exhaust note. The dealership kept warning me that the day will eventually come where I will be unable to get around skipping the software update to perform certain repairs/services/module upgrades. Well.... it happened - the day came where my service writer called and told me that they could not go any further with the work on the car without upgrading the software, so I agreed to let them do it.
When i got the car back, the car may have been a bit quieter -- if any, it wasn't by much and was mostly noticeable at lower rpm's anyway. I did notice that prior to the software update, when I set the car into Dynamic Performance mode and turned the engine off, the car would start up in Dynamic Performance mode again as long as it was restarted within 6 hours. After 6 hours, the car would start in normal driving mode, but would have to be physically placed in the Dynamic Mode position again to operate in Dynamic Mode.
After receiving the new software update, the Dynamic Mode switch is not memorized at all when using Dynamic Mode and then turning the ignition off -- Dynamic Mode must be switched back on every time the car is re-started to be used in the Dynamic Mode.
Overall, I hear a minor difference in exhaust sound at lower RPM's (higher RPMs still scream and pop upon decel) and experience a minor inconvenience in having to set the switch after restarting the car. It's manageable for me.

 

My experience was very similar - same MY and same exhaust behaviour. The pedant in me has to point out that the car does remember the dynamic mode setting after 6 hours, but immediately turns it off - you can verify this by seeing the bright red interior lighting on switch-on, then change to whatever the non-dynamic lighting is set to. Before the software update in non-dynamic mode the exhaust switch would cause the valves to open from tickover, but after the upadate they now open around 1500 rpm. Dynamic mode operation of the valves was unchanged.

 

Thanks for the feedback. This definitely makes me feel better about maybe buying the 2018 R then. Still trying to figure out if there is a difference between the 2017 vs 2018 R in exhaust notes but perhaps someone who's owned both will chime in. As long as the pops and crackles are still the same on downshifts in dynamic, I'm good. Thanks again!

 

I never really drove my 17 S out of dynamic mode anyway so as long as that is unchanged, I guess it comes down to there being a difference from a 2017 R vs a 2018 R in terms of exhaust notes. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated.