Is this the end of sports cars as we know them?

As of April 2022, the Nissan GTR has officially been discontinued following 13 years of battling it out in Europe’s automotive market, and it’s not for the reasons you might think. The GTR’s untimely demise comes down to the introduction of new regulations limiting the noise vehicles can make either while they’re stationary or on the go.
Drafted in 2014, the regulation aims to reduce noise pollution caused by motorised vehicles, as we’re ushered towards a quieter future over the next four years. But how will manufacturers embrace the change? Watch our video where Rory discusses the future of Nissan and the sports car as we know it.

That depends on what you consider loud. In 1929, a year after the invention of the decibel, the UK Government introduced the first noise regulations, which have been updated over the years in an attempt to reduce noise pollution and improve public health. In 1978, a limit of 82 decibels was imposed, before cutting the limit to 72 decibels in 2016.
The regulation will continue to see the limit reduce to 68 decibels by 2026, meaning the sports cars of today known to make an entrance won’t make the cut in just four years’ time. Let’s take a look at the Nissan GTR, for example. Once banned from the Green Hell track for producing a massive 134 decibels, the GTR, at one time, made more noise than an aircraft carrier taking off. Newer GTR models hit around 78 decibels, which still doesn’t meet the current 72 decibel limit, forcing Nissan’s hand. But what about the top of the range sports cars such as the Lamborghini Huracan? Lambos are known to be loud, and the Huracan doesn’t disappoint with a recorded 109 decibels on the track. For comparison, an average car produces around 60 decibels; a similar volume to what you’d normally listen to a YouTube video at.

2026 is fast approaching and the clamp down on vehicle noise will urge sports car manufacturers such as Ferrari and Porsche to usher in a quieter era of the sports car to comply with the reduced decibel limit. Combine this with the UK government’s 2030 target to combat tailpipe emissions, and it surely won’t be long before we witness a new age of quiet, electric sports cars.
So what do you think of the new regulation? Do you think the era of the sports car is over, or just beginning? Check out our video and let us know in the comments.