This is an item that we had been wanting to make for a while, or at least since the purchase of the MK7 GTI project car. For those familiar with the MK7 platform, you would know that this is the first GTi platform with a properly designed, frontal air-intake system. That looks like this:

The outlined red areas are the intake areas for the front collector. However from factory, there are a number of downsides, namely:

1.  The passenger side inlet (ringed in red in front of the airbox) is sealed shut with plastic castings covering the inlet. 
2. The driver side inlet is open on the engine side, allowing both air from the front to enter the engine bay (not necessarily a downside, but from an intake air temp point of view, not ideal). Under load, hot air from the engine bay will be drawin into the front collector and into the airbox.
3. The only 'fresh air' inlet is through the grill vent in the top of the grill, in front of the driver side front inlet.
4. The bonnet closes along the yellow line, closing off the frontal air inlets from true fresh air.

In the interest of introducing fresh air, not hot air from the engine bay, we set about making an affordable solution to this problem. After measuring and drawing up a few designs and running through a number of prototype units, we settled on the design or either one or two ram-air styled air scoops that protrude below the upper grill, directly into the air-stream, lifting it through the previously closed off barrier and forcing it into the air-inlets. This is the design:

The frame follows the shape of the upper grill/valance so that it acts as its own template in order to dremel out the centre cavity for the scoop to be placed into. It utilises the existing fastening point for the upper grill, as well as another fastening point placed near the embled to provide a sturdy connection for the grill. If using the stock airbox, the vents on the passenger side should be dremeled out to allow air to flow into the airbox. This can be placed on either driver or passenger side, or, as we prefer it, both!

The scoops sit directly in the airflow, giving a ram-air effect as the incoming air is redirected under the bonnet line and up into the airbox. It's recommended that , on the stock intake, either the centre of the frontal air-intake is closed, or the engine bay opening is closed off to prevent hot air from infiltrating the air system under high load. Our project Mk7 (pictured above) made 300 kw+ on the stock airbox, with a single air-scoop, of course most of the gains will be on the road at higher speed, but we'll get to that later.

"Two scoops are better than one" - Everybody

The effect of the scoop is quite literally doubled by adding the mirrored scoop to the system. At this point we had already added the VWR600 Intake as well, which is fully closed off to the engine bay by design.

Now to answer some FAQs:

"But does it add more power, and if so, how much" 

Yes, however, we followed an 'in-principle' design process with this item. By that we mean that the principle of getting the coldest, most dense air to the air-box allows for cooler air to enter the turbo, higher efficiency compression to occur by the turbo, cooler air to flow through the charge system and cooler, more dense air to enter the motor, allowing for more power to be generated. It is not going to give more power through the removal of a restriction, and so proving gains on a dyno is not possible. We also don't want to be arrested testing the difference in 100-200 times using a Dragy, which is why we were happy to go with an 'in-princple' approach. Theoretically, the faster you drive, the more air pressure you will generate on the intake side of the turbo, decreasing the amount of work the turbo has to do to generate boost pressure. How fast and how much? Well we'll leave that up to you to find out. It does look mean and definitely not something you see on every Mk7 on the road (*cough* Oettinger rep wing).

"Will it work with a stock airbox?"

Yes, it will work perfectly well with a stock airbox.

"Will it work with my VWR600 Intake?"

Yes, it will work perfectly well with a VWR600

"Will it work with my Cone-on-a-stick Intake?".

Yes, it will work perfectly well with el-cono-de-sticko Intake

Suffice it to say, it will work with absolutely any intake system since it does not protrude into the bay where it may obstruct XYZ's carbon swoosh master whistle intake.

"What if I don't want white?"

We sell all of them in a brushed stainless finish, so that the end-user can spray it to their colour of choice, J2 Performance also offers a spray and fit service for the people wanting to fit it in Cape Town.

"How hard is it to install and what do I need to install it?"

Not a difficult install at all, the following steps will get it done:

1. Undo the two fastening screws for the upper grill
2. Quite literally, YANK, the upper grill out, if you attempt to do it gently you will break the tabs
3. Place the frame against the upper side of the grill against the edges, and mark out the holes as well as the centre to be cut out. Remove the frame from the grill.
4. Using a dremel, or a drill and jigsaw, or even a hacksaw. Drill 6 mm holes for each of fastening points, and if you're not using a dremel or die grinder, drill a few starter holes on the edge of the centre area to be cut out. Cut out the centre portion that the scoop is fitted into.
5. Fasten the frame to the upper grill using the supplied dome headed allen bolts, washers and nyloc fasteners.
6. Place the scoop on top of the frame and fasten using the fastening hardware.
7. Place the entire grill assembly with scoopies back onto the vehicle.
8. Win.

"Will it block the radiator?"

No, the bottom of the scoop sits above the radiator level, and as such it is not drawing air away from the radiator in any way.

"Will it make more spooly noises?"

Yes, exactly 79.6% increase in spooly whistle noises, as proven by science.

"Is cereal just breakfast soup?"

Hmm, good question.

Thanks for reading, and if you have a Mk7 and you want only the coolest, freshest air being fed to your IS20, IS38, IS38H or Big Turbski, make sure to check out the link below and pick up a pair of scoopies.