What does luxury sound like? Inside the growing world of sonic branding

The National · Josh Sims · 2026-10-25 02:03 UTC

From the sounds inside Ferrari’s first electric car to a bespoke piano built for a Danish bank, brands are paying closer attention to what we hear

Those fortunate enough to own Ferrari’s new all-electric Luce may be preoccupied with whether the supercar can retain the Italian manufacturer’s famed engine sound. But listen more closely and it becomes clear that just as much thought has gone into the sounds inside the cabin, as Emmy-winning composer Nick Wood knows well.

“From the engine start to indicators and warning tones, these are very simple noises. But they had to have a Ferrari feel to them, not sound generic like your open fridge door,” says Wood, who designed what he calls the Luce’s “sonic universe”.

Every sound the car makes is the product of live recordings of organic sounds – from pianos and cellos to banging wood on pipework and the growl of vintage Ferraris – manipulated in the British composer’s Tokyo studio.

Read the full story at The National · All coverage of this story