Do these engines love 60F temps?
 

Is anyone else noticing much smoother and happy sounding engines in these crisper days of fall? It seems especially noticeable in the evening when there aren't as many cars around and I can filter out all the traffic noise. It strikes as though there is a point where the cold air coming in has a sweet spot. I've been keeping a log of each drive and temps to see if I can notice a difference as the weather gets colder.

I was thinking the same thing....I also noticed it all summer while driving in the mountains with cooler temps.

Perhaps a bit rich? Have noticed that shifting is a little notchy in the crisp near freezing temps I've been commuting in these last few mornings...

I think it's as simple as cooler air is denser helping to make a little more power.

Can't say I've noticed it in the Box but my 84 Alfa Spider really feels more responsive in cooler weather.

I haven't noticed anything...

Car's due a full fluid flush this winter, hoping that fixes the cold weather cold engine shifting notchy-ness. Have plans for one of Bens shifters as well.

No noticeable difference for me engine wise with temperature. But then again we only get a month or two of hot humid weather here and the AC is on the entire time so hard to compare that to the rest of the time...

Perfectlap you are quite tuned into your car to notice that change over time. I live 20 minutes from the ocean and often the temp difference to the coast is 40+ degrees. When I drive over the coast range I can leave 100 degrees and =/- 20% humidity and be in 60 degree 60% humidity. There is absolutely a difference, almost like high altitude to sea level breathing. With my old air cooled cars it was even more apparent.

I've found that letting the car idle in neutral with no foot on the clutch for a minute or 2 greatly improves the first couple of shifts during cold weather.

I have absolutely noticed my car runs sweeter at elevation 4-7 thousand feet. Seems to love the cool air.

All engines love cooler charge temps..

My shifter feels best at these cool but not cold temps.

cool weather
 

The engine temperature sure loves the cool fall weather - especially on the highway.

My butt dyno says the cooler temps are better for performance in the boxster but my tranny gets all notchy and harder to shift so it has its good side and bad side.

My next Pcar will have a PDK in it and then I'll be able to be more objective!

cooler air is denser air and denser air is more Horse Power.

And cooler temps mean cooler transmission fluid which means stiffer shifting until the fluid warms up a bit...

I guess my thinking was at what point does the air get too cold to see a performance gain?
For instance do Rally Car racers see better engine performance in wintery conditions vs. cool weather.
Those guys really cover the calendar.

I'm sure there is a point were it gets to cold and performance suffers but for most of us that's never an issue. Were I notice bigger differences is with forced induction engines. The E55 AMG I had, which has a supercharged 5.5l motor, on hot 110 degree days would easily loses 50 to 75 hp and on cool 50 degree days have tear your face off levels of power. The Mini Cooper S I currently have also responds similarly with it 1.6l turbo motor easily lossing 10% of it power. More heat equals less power. Furtunately in the Boxster it's is not as dramatic.