BMW confirms less is more when it comes to premium cars

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If we asked you what gives a car that quality feel we all desire there would probably be a long list of features. As well as revealing an awful lot about the priorities of our customers, it would be interesting to see how many people mentioned the one thing that every premium car doesn’t have. It’s something that we all take for granted until we get behind the wheel of a car that doesn’t have it. And in case you haven’t guessed yet, we’re talking about noise.

Throughout the history of the automobile the one measure of quality that’s always held true is the absence of noise. Whether it’s engine noise, tyre noise, or wind noise, the elimination of that background soundtrack represents the pinnacle of premium motoring.

New BMW centre opens to study car noise

And noise is exactly what BMW intends to study in its shiny new Aeroacoustic and Electric Drive Centre (AEC). After almost 40 years of service, BMW’s old aeroacoustic wind tunnel is being replaced with the largest and quietest standing wind tunnel in the world.

“Quiet is premium,” says Daniel Böttger, Head of Complete Vehicle Development at BMW AG. “Our focus is on meeting the premium standards of our vehicles. An important part of this is acoustics — particularly for quiet electric models.” The new wind tunnel enables groundbreaking advances in aeroacoustics research.

It’s almost as if BMW isn’t content to sit on its laurels. Instead, it seems determined to ensure that leasing the latest BMW model provides you with that premium feel that only comes from peace and quiet.

The new AEC building consists of two halves: a multifunctional part with workshop, testing and measurement equipment, and a prototype for high-voltage batteries and inverters, and of course, the new wind tunnel.

With a length of just under 100 m, a height of 45 m and a width of 25 m, it is the world's largest vertical acoustic wind tunnel and at the same time the quietest.

It’s equipped with the latest measurement technology including a 216-microphone acoustic camera to precisely locate the source of any background noises with an accuracy of less than one centimetre. It also boasts a laser vibrometry system, which can be used to measure the mechanical vibrations of the entire vehicle, and an acoustic all-wheel drive roller dynamometer to measure the effect of tyre and road noise.

The new facility has even been designed as “an acoustic semi-free-field space”, which basically means it’s been deadened to prevent sounds bouncing around the interior to properly simulate real-world conditions where there are fewer walls to create echoes.

The end result is a wind tunnel that can simulate wind speeds of up to 155mph where even the largest models such as the BMW X7 and Rolls Royce Phantom can be realistically tested for that elusive quality of silence.

The wind tunnel is also designed in such a way that it offers a high degree of flexibility for carrying out measurements.

The clever design makes it possible to separate the rolling noise and wind noise from each other (wind on/off, roll on/off). With this unique combination of performance, precision and flexibility, the new acoustic wind tunnel in Munich sets new standards for optimising vehicle acoustics and aerodynamics. The quietest wind tunnel and the most modern measurement technology can now be used to ensure the best aeroacoustics for the latest generation of BMW models.

The only thing the new wind tunnel can’t do anything about is internally-generated noise. Luckily, that’s your responsibility as there’s not much BMW can do about wittering passengers or screaming children.

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