Experienced engine builders know that the key to horsepower isn’t big mods: it’s about mild mods that produce big results. A larger turbo with an intercooler, or a taller cam with stiffer valves will certainly produce powerful results, but they won’t come cheap, or without compromise. The added maintenance alone is enough to take the shine off of most big mods, especially if they’re done on a daily driver.

Milder, more incremental modifications, however, are just as capable of achieving results. In fact, Dollar for dollar, a smart selection of mild mods can yield a better return on horsepower than mega-mods can, and without sacrificing drivability or snowballing into other, even costlier issues.

Replacing a restrictive air cleaner assembly with an aftermarket cold air intake (CAI) is one such mild mod that can be made to any street-driven car. It’s a quick, straightforward mod that’s going to do something that’s actually better than adding more horsepower, though: it’s going to free up a stable load of horses that your engine’s already making.

How Aftermarket Cold Air Intakes Deliver Easy Horsepower 

Let’s be honest: although the hunt for horsepower can easily lead down some long and costly paths, CAIs are among the top Australian aftermarket car parts when it comes to delivering potent power boosts. And especially on newer cars, they’re the perfect low-profile addition to any engine compartment that doesn’t require any special tools or automotive expertise to install or maintain.

CAIs are designed to capture air that’s inside your engine compartment, remove power-robbing heat from it, and then give it a straighter, more optimized path into the engine. If you think that sounds like the same job your car’s OE air intake is already doing, you’d be right; however, these mildly modified aftermarket car parts do it significantly better.

A top-quality, high-performance CAI only consists of 3 major components:

·   A heat-shielded air intake box. These lightweight, all metal containers are direct replacements for OE air boxes that not only helps to pressurize the air being drawn into an engine, but also act as a heat shield to keep unwanted hot air from being drawn in too.

·   A low resistance air intake pipe. Unlike you car’s OE air intake pipe, the custom engineered intake pipes that come with CAI systems are designed to provide the shortest, smoothest, and least turbulent route for air to flow directly into the engine.  

·   A high-flow air filter. High flowing aftermarket air filters are already one of Australia’s most common high performance car parts, but the extra-high surface area found on CAI air filters allows engine to take in even more air, and with less restrictions.

The most remarkable quality of a high-performance CAI system though, is that they don’t actually produce more horsepower. They simply provide your engine with cooler, less turbulent airflow than what the OE air box was designed for, to unleash valuable horsepower that was already being produced. There’s no costly, unpredictable engine work involved; and depending on your engine’s state of tune, 25 extra horsepower and a broader torque curve are easily reached on the dyno just from this mild mod.

Getting Big Performance Gains With Mild Mod Simplicity 

As one of the most straightforward aftermarket performance auto parts available, CAI systems don’t require any more tinkering under the bonnet than removing your OE airbox, switching your mass airflow (MAF) sensor from the old airbox to the new intake, and then installing the new unit. It’s a mod that can be comfortably accomplished in an hour with basic tools, and with no extraordinary technical or automotive expertise. In short, it’s a mod that any car owner can easily make in an hour.

And while increased airflow is the main engineering objective behind every aftermarket CAI system, they also make way for a group of benefits that any performance-minded driver would appreciate, including:

·   Snappier, more aggressive throttle response that accompanies a broader power curve;

·   A throatier induction note to correspond with fewer air intake restrictions; and,

·   An easier, more cost-efficient maintenance routine with the washable, high-flow filter.

Make no mistake: it doesn’t matter if your car is turbocharged or naturally aspirated, a CAI system one of the most advantageous mods you can make. They’re one of the few high performance parts for cars that you can order online with complete confidence in what they’re capable of delivering, and without the need for professional installation assistance.

The Custom Cold Air System That’s Exclusively for Your Car

You can buy custom-made CAI systems for a wide range of cars sold in Australia, including:

·   BMW F20s, M2s, M3s, and M4s;

·   Volkswagen Mk6,  Mk7, and Mk8 Golfs and GTIs;

·   Audi’s full lineup of A, and RS class movers;

·   Toyota Yaris GRs, A90 Supras, and 2.0L Corollas; and,

·   Mercedes W176s, W177s, and W205s.

These are more than just brands and marques of some of the most popular cars in the country: they’re also among the most powerful, and receptive to modifications. The costs that go along with upgrading and maintaining these machines beyond their factory parameters can add up quickly though, which is why CAI system are such an appealing option.

A CAI system is a one-time investment that won’t turn your wallet inside out, won’t void any aspect of your car’s warranty, and won’t burden you with the need for expert maintenance every few thousand kilometers. The logic of keeping mods to a minimum is what makes them ideal aftermarket auto parts for drivers who want performance and value.

The Final Word

At the end of the day, while it’s easy to look for big mods to make big power differences, it’s also easy to forget that automotive manufacturers have already invested heavily in building the best all-round performance product possible. That’s why, more often than not, a few simple mods are all that’s ever needed to make a noticeable increase in performance without sacrificing drivability or reliability.

A top-of-the-line cold air intake system needs to be among the top Australia aftermarket car parts you go looking for when you want to increase performance. Your engine is already making the horsepower; you just need the mods that’ll let you put them to full use.