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  1. Intercooler Sandwich - Performance Intercooler Kit Part 5 - Piping Production Sample and Testing

    Intercooler Sandwich - Performance Intercooler Kit Part 5 - Piping Production Sample and Testing

    When it comes to turbocharged cars, the flow of air through the system is just as important as keeping it cool. From the factory, the MK7s do get some extra attention in the performance category, especially when it comes to the GTI and Golf R, but they’re never really pushed past what the VW engineers designed them for. Given the popularity of cranking up the boost on any turbo vehicle, especially the 2.0T found under the hood of most modern VWs and Audis, it’s no wonder that the stock intercooler piping turns out to be a restriction.

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    Before we dive straight into how our new piping design performs, let’s take a look at what it is that makes them perform. As you might recall from our last post, we went into the basics of our intercooler pipin

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  2. Intercooler Sandwich – 2015+ VW MK7 GTI/Golf R, Audi A/S3 Intercooler R&D Part 4 – Piping Design Plans

    Intercooler Sandwich – 2015+ VW MK7 GTI/Golf R, Audi A/S3 Intercooler R&D Part 4 – Piping Design Plans

    Big things in small packages have long since been the idea behind the hot-hatch. Smaller, punchy engines in small bodies creating big smiles in the corners is the name of the game, and the GTI wrote the rule book. Now, 44 years later, the seventh iteration is the ideal platform for any enthusiast of fast and practical.

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    For those looking to enhance the sporty Golf even further, you might have already taken notice that we’re already on the case by way of cooling the charged air running through your 2.0T. A beefier intercooler is a start, but unfortunately that air doesn’t transfer into our intake manifold via osmosis. Naturally, ducting is still required.

    When it comes to

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  3. Intercooler Sandwich – 2015+ VW MK7 GTI/Golf R, Audi A/S3 Intercooler R&D Part 2 – Piping Stock Review

    Intercooler Sandwich – 2015+ VW MK7 GTI/Golf R, Audi A/S3 Intercooler R&D Part 2 – Piping Stock Review

    When we’re talking about cooling the charged air in any forced induction vehicle, the intercooler always steals the show. To be fair, it is doing a majority of the work. No matter if you’re still running a stock unit or if there’s an all-aluminum core seated in the front of your car, it’s the star. However, the intercooler would be nothing without the back-up band, the intercooler piping. Putting in all the effort to cool off the charged air would be useless without a method to transfer it to the intake. If the stock intercooler unit had some shortcomings, the piping was bound to end up with some flaws, too.

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    The safe passage for your charged air is currently left up to the combination of plastic and rubber construction that makes up the factory piping. It might seem that we

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  4. Intercooler Sandwich – 2015+ VW MK7 GTI/Golf R, Audi A/S3 Intercooler R&D Part 1 – Stock Review

    Intercooler Sandwich – 2015+ VW MK7 GTI/Golf R, Audi A/S3 Intercooler R&D Part 1 – Stock Review

    The Golf GTI has been one of the most revered hot hatchbacks since its inception in the mid-1970s. While it was immediately a hit in Europe, and especially the UK, we didn’t get the chance to experience Volkswagen’s ingenious combination of efficiency and speed until the early 80’s with the “Rabbit” GTI. The MK1’s screaming 98 horsepower engine boasting Bosch’s latest fuel injection technology, combined with crisp and responsive suspension, was enough to draw in a huge following. With that following came an explosion in aftermarket parts for these vehicles, from wheels to lowering kits, and just about any other trick to squeeze every drop of performance from the naturally aspirated motors equipped through the next two generations.

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  5. Gas and Grease - The 2017 Philly Cheesesteak Run

    Gas and Grease - The 2017 Philly Cheesesteak Run

    The section of I95 between Baltimore and Philadelphia might seem like drab and uninspired stretch of pavement for the millions of commuters and travelers getting from point A to point B. However, it  serves as the main artery for bringing together people every year in a celebrated event to scarf down the savory staple of Philadelphia’s culinary prowess, the cheesesteak. It’s not just any group of people, but rather an extensive faction of gear-heads piloting the best vehicles that Germany, England, Japan, and America have to offer to satisfy their craving for speed and the fine mixture of cheese wiz and steak. What caused this yearly pilgrimage to South Philly’s very own Tony Luke’s cheesesteak stand? Simply one man who found Bimmers and cheesesteaks belonged together, and clearly others shared his appreciation for the combo before finally the event took its current form.

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