Soundracer V12 FM Transmitter

Price: £29.99

Contact: 01446 700533, www.gifthouseinternational.com

Get a meaty engine note on the move with the V12 Soundracer. It registers the voltage of your alternator and translates the fluctuations into engine noise.

To set the device, plug it into your car’s 12V socket, turn the ignition and blip the throttle. It gauges the difference between your car’s voltage at tickover and when on the accelerator. As it did this, we found a free frequency on our stereo and matched this to the device’s output.

We then hit the road and enjoyed a rumbling V12 noise via the speakers. Soundracer isn’t as accurate as systems that link to the OBD II diagnostic port, with a delay between throttle input and sound. It doesn’t always represent the revs, and if the device gets confused, the noise just drones on. The only way to stop this is to switch off the engine and start again.

Still, it’s entertaining when it works, revving up and popping near the red line. Plus, it can 

be used as a conventional FM transmitter. Simply plug the supplied 3.5mm cable into your MP3 player, and it overrides the engine sound to play your digital music over the radio. 

Verdict

Rating: ★★★
What is it?
A clever gadget which lets your car stereo emit a race car sound.
Problems?
Not always 100 per cent accurate, have to turn engine off and on again to correct it.
Why buy?
Good value, novelty when it works, great FM transmitter for cars without an auxiliary port.