On Friday, I finally got to test drive the GTR I'm about to buy... I have (will have) a thousand questions to ask, but for today I'll limit myself to just this:
is it possible that a fake engine sound is played inside the cabin? If so, can it be turned off, and how?
Personally, I find the fake sound annoying and completely useless; in fact, on my Audi TT-RS, one of the first things I did was turn it off...
Another annoying thing is the start-stop system... I hope there's an external module or maybe a code to disable it... I imagine it's not a feature found on cars for the North American market (lucky you), just like with the OPF...

P.S.: To avoid any misunderstandings, I’ll specify that the GTR in question is a 2021 European version, so it has an OPF or GPF, whichever you prefer

 

[Previously posted] Looking at WIS, it appears that:

- a car has "fake engine/exhaust-sounds" sent through your (front woofer and side-door midrange) speakers ONLY if your car has build/option code B63 (Sporty engine sound)

- there are 2 other types of sound generation that are referenced (I did a full search for "sound generation"):

+ for cars with build/option code 97B (Engine noise reduction via speakers): this is a noise-cancellation sound that's sent through speakers to REDUCE engine sounds in the interior (maybe SL and Maybach?)

+ for cars with build/option B53 (Acoustic ambient protection): this is an outside-the-vehicle sound generator that's enabled at low speeds to alert pedestrians of the car's presence (I assume it's for hybrid/electric vehicles)

If you want to know whether your vehicle generates "fake exhaust sounds" inside the vehicle, look up the build sheet for your car's VIN and see whether it has code B63 (ask Mr. Google to find Mercedes VIN lookup sites). Code B63 is listed as applying to "all" so it appears to be the only such code used for any Mercedes.

From what I've read, the European GTRs and GTBS cars do have "enhanced"/fake engine sound in the cabin. In videos, the internal sound in European models seems more "raspy" than North American models.

 

thanks, I checked my build list, but this B63 doesn't seem to be mentioned... do you know what's the description for it?
I searched for it on the net, and the only description I found is “Vehicle preparation for shipping / transport protection measures”

 

Does your moniker Kevin #34 a reference to Kevin Schwantz the GP motorcycle champion?

 

of course
He was my idol when I was young

 

The Black Series is the only GT that I'm aware of with enhanced engine sound in the interior. The flat plane crank V8 in the Black Series is very subdued in the sound department. It sounds like a hair dryer from the outside, but the interior sound is very different, so it's very apparent that the sound is enhanced in the interior. I can confirm this, having driven the Black Series myself. On the other AMG models, several claims have been made, but nobody has been able to actually demonstrate that there's enhanced engine sound. The B63 option has only been found on regular Mercedes models. There's a sound generator module that goes along with it. The part number has been identified in a long thread about this very same topic in the C63 section, however, no C63 has been found with the part installed, or having the B63 option. Cars like the C300 and other regular models have B63 and when present, there's an engine sound setting in the Individual mode settings that turns up the engine sound in the interior when set to Sport+.

Some newer AMG models have the AMG Real Performance Sound option. This is a known system in newer AMGs that pumps engine/exhaust sound into the interior. As far as I know, the Black Series is the first one to use a form of it. However, this isn't actually fake sound. There are microphones strategically placed throughout the powertrain that record and amplify the real engine/exhaust sound into the interior, so it's not synthetic sound. It's just amplifying the real sound for the enjoyment of the driver due to the ever stricter noise limits on the outside. Real engine sound has been pumped into the interior of performance cars for a while using pipes and membranes. Porsche and others have used this approach for years. AMG Real Performance Sound is a modern interpretation on this using microphones instead of membranes and pipes.

I'd say just enjoy the car and don't fret about if there's enhanced engine sound in the interior. For reference, here's a recording of me driving the Black Series. If you compare what you hear to recordings of the outside of the Black Series, you'll immediately hear that the sound is enhanced in the cabin.

 

I appreciate your comment, but I still have my doubts as to whether this specific model (equipped with a GPF, which is known to dramaticallly reduce the engine sound) actually features an artificial sound generator

 

Popular to contrary believes, the GPF is not what made exhausts quieter. The noise regulations are responsible for that and the exhausts are quieter with or without GPF. If there's no GPF, they have to use other means to quiet it down. Pops and bangs have been eliminated or delayed to above 4000 rpm as below 4000 rpm is where the noise regulations are in effect. It's also no longer allowed for the exhausts to exceed the noise regulations in the sport modes. It used to be that the noise regulations only had to be met in the default drive mode, which is what spawned valved exhausts, but now they have to be met in all drive modes. Even the US spec models that don't have a GPF are quieter and have less pops & bangs. Something many have complained about, but personally I was never a fan of the artificial explosions for no good reason. The pops & bangs technically stem from anti-lag systems that keep the turbos spooled during brief off throttle moments, but that's only really necessary if the car is driven spirited, which is when the pops&bangs happen now on newer models. Just driving normally, pretty much all AMGs since 2019 are quieter now, but they naturally become louder above 4000 rpm and when driven spirited with higher rpms in general.

 

For comparison, here’s the US spec FL GT R. No GPF, but still quieter than the PFL. Does yours sound different inside?