Audi

Advancements in automotive technology mean engineers can pack more power into smaller, more potent packages. At least, that's how Volkswagen sees it. The 2015+ MK7 Golf R and all other MQB vehicles are among the most compelling examples of this theory to date, inching ever closer to the 300hp mark out of an unsuspecting hatchback, complete with AWD. The drawbacks to squeezing this much power into a compact platform are the heat generated and decreased room for cooling. VW found a way around this by employing additional auxiliary coolers in these applications. Still, those asking more of their Golf Rs will need more performance from the supplemental coolers, which is where we come in.

VW delivers the Golf R with one or two auxiliary coolers from the factory, depending on your transmission choice. No matter the transmission, VW strategically placed an additional heat exchanger in the left lower grille for supplemental engine cooling. When opting for the DSG, an identical twin on the opposite

Physical health is key for any athlete's performance. The same applies to anything mechanical, such as the Audi B9. Just as our bodies have defenses against sickness, the B9 S4 and S5 came equipped with a robust system to mitigate the effects of blow-by. However, as we went over in our last post, this separator might need some backup.

When we last left off, our in-house fabricated prototype made its way onto our donor S5 and was ready for our standard 1000-mile road test. This test provides us with a benchmark on the rate of blow-by collection while also being the final check against any dreaded check engine lights.

While our kit was on its inaugural test run, Jason worked on the final touches to make sure this system looked right at home under the hood of the B9. Thanks to our in-house fabrication abilities there wasn't that much on the to-do list.

For starters, this is a complex system with the PCV lines tying back into the intake system in multiple locations and the inclusion of two

Everyone loves a good underdog story. There's just something uplifting about the little guy persevering. If you know anyone who's a Philly sports fan, you're probably never going to hear the end of the most recent underdog story (S'go Birds). The Eagle's run might have cemented them into underdog history, but that's in the past now. The big game for Mishimoto is heating up with the MK7 Performance intercooler, and we feel like the hungry dogs on the block now.

What exactly makes us the little guy in this story, though? For the most part, it's the placement of the stock unit, and that we're still contending with the proverbial "intercooler sandwich" situation. Though, if you look through our last post, you'll notice we're not going into this entirely unprepared. We have some "Philly Specials" of our own, including that 89% increase in internal core volume while appearing about the same size as stock, and we plan to deliver quality with that design.

Part of that quality comes from our rigorous

We last left you off with the scaffold and tales of what our new intercooler design would be. Now it's time to put our money where our mouth is since the production sample of our new MK7 intercooler has arrived here at Mishimoto. This arrival gives us the tangible fruits of our prototyping labors.

Typically, these new intercooler production samples show up like a wrecking ball. No, not like a scantily clad Miley Cyrus, but rather with size-doubling volume increases figuratively smashing the stock unit to smithereens. This time around, though, given our extremely tight build envelope, our new design might look mostly the same to some. We can assure you that much like the subtle outward appearance of the MK7 GTI and Golf R, looks can be deceiving.

The end tanks for our MK7 GTI's intercooler have taken on a more supporting role than usual. If it wasn't already mentioned enough, build space was a huge limitation when it came to this intercooler. We started from the ground up with these end

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.

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 piping overhaul. We planned to make them bigger, and from better materials. More specifically, we increased the overall size of our piping to the extent that our build envelope would allow. Our hot- and cold-side piping now have a 2.75" diameter, equating

Bigger is better has long since been an unofficial mantra of the automotive world. To go faster or further, you have to go bigger. Either by way of more cylinders, bigger turbos, thicker sway bars, the increase in size helps quench the thirst for speed. The Golf GTI and all its subsequent variants have been showing us since 1974 that sometimes smaller can be just as good, and plenty of speed and practicality can come in a condensed package. The same can be said for our intercooler design for the latest generation of VW's compact chassis. It's not the size that matters, but rather the innovation packed inside.

Limited space in the engine bay is always a challenge when it comes to designing new products, but in the case of the MK7, it was a major obstacle.

With the MK7 especially, available space is the first major hurdle to overcome. If you revisit the stock review of the MK7's intercooler, you'll see that the intercooler is the meat in a heat exchanger sandwich, all mounted on the front

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.

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're prejudice against these building materials, but it's quite the opposite. These materials are great for the mass production of your Golf or GTI, providing an easily produced, lightweight channel for the charged air