This intake configuration is designed for high-performance vehicles producing around 500 hp and above, where airflow demands go far beyond the limits of OEM solutions.

At these power levels, the factory air inlet opening becomes a major restriction — its flow capacity is no longer sufficient, even when using an upgraded intake and filter that still draws air through the stock inlet. As engine output increases, airflow demand rises sharply, pressure losses at the intake grow, and the engine begins to “choke” exactly where a stable and unrestricted air supply is most critical. In such cases, installing a larger filter or increasing pipe diameter alone makes no sense — the bottleneck is at the inlet itself.

Increased intake area allows:

✔️ elimination of the factory air inlet restriction
✔️ delivery of the required air volume with minimal resistance
✔️ stable airflow at high RPM and under heavy load

This solution is not about appearance or sound — it is about functionality and performance headroom, for situations where the factory intake geometry no longer matches the vehicle’s power level.

+23% Increased Air Inlet Area

In this intake version, the air inlet area is increased by 23%.

Thanks to the larger inlet area, air flows more freely — inlet resistance is reduced by approximately one third.

Simply put, the intake can “breathe” more easily: intake pressure losses are reduced by roughly 1.5× compared to the stock opening.

This improves cylinder filling at high RPM and reduces losses before the turbocharger, which is especially noticeable on hybrid turbo setups and high-power builds.

How We Improved Air Intake Flow

In most intake systems, air enters the airbox through the factory body inlet — and this fixed opening becomes the narrowest point of the entire system. No matter how much the intake itself is upgraded, airflow still hits this limitation.

We approached the problem differently.

Instead of adapting to the factory opening, we increased the effective intake area by positioning the airbox at a small distance from the body inlet.

As a result, air is now drawn not only through the opening itself, but also around the entire perimeter of the intake entrance, significantly increasing the total suction area.

The result is simple:
air enters the intake more easily, the engine breathes more freely, and the system works more efficiently than solutions constrained by the factory inlet geometry.

Increased Intake Pipe Diameter — Part of a Complete Solution

In addition to the enlarged air inlet area, this intake version features an increased main intake pipe diameter — from 80 mm to 106 mm. This change is not made for numbers alone, but as a logical continuation of the overall goal: reducing airflow resistance throughout the entire intake path.

At high airflow rates (large turbochargers, ~500 hp), the standard pipe diameter becomes an additional restriction:
air velocity increases, pressure losses grow, and part of the benefit from the improved inlet is lost.

Increasing the pipe diameter:
✔️ reduces airflow velocity inside the intake
✔️ lowers pressure losses along the entire intake tract
✔️ allows full utilization of the enlarged inlet’s potential

It is important that both modifications work together:
the enlarged inlet removes the restriction at the entry point, while the larger pipe diameter prevents the airflow from becoming restricted further downstream.

That is why this intake is not a collection of separate upgrades, but a single, balanced system designed for high airflow demands and real high-power configurations, where every bottleneck matters.

About “Hot Air Ingestion”

It is sometimes claimed that increasing the intake opening on Gen2 engines may cause the intake to draw hot under-hood air. Technically, this is possible with any intake that is not completely sealed to the body. However, in practice, this is not a critical factor in this design.

The airbox is positioned directly opposite the factory fresh-air inlet, where ram air pressure is generated while driving. This pressure differential determines where the engine prefers to draw air from — a zone of higher pressure and lower temperature, meaning outside air rather than the engine bay.

The additional clearance around the intake does not replace the factory duct. Instead, it removes the flow restriction by acting as a supplementary intake area. It functions as a pressure-relief zone, not as the primary air source.

The key point is simple:
it is far better to supply the engine with sufficient airflow and minimal losses — even if a small portion of the air could theoretically be warmer — than to force all airflow through a rigid “bottleneck” created by the factory opening. In real-world conditions, this provides more stable airflow and better performance, especially under load and at high RPM.

In short:
when ram air is present, the intake will always favor the factory cold-air inlet, not hot under-hood air.

Vehicle Compatibility, Air intake for:

• 2008–2009 Audi TT
• 2013 Audi TTS Quattro
• 2009–2015 Audi TT Quattro
• 2017–2018 VW Tiguan Limited
• 2008–2016 VW Eos
• 2009–2017 VW Tiguan
• 2008–2014 VW GTI
• 2009–2017 VW CC
• 2012–2017 VW Beetle
• 2008–2018 VW Jetta / Passat

Important Information

To maintain intake efficiency and extend filter service life, we recommend using the original Project-R1 service kit.

It ensures proper cleaning and oiling of the filter, guaranteeing stable system performance and warranty retention. The use of third-party oils and cleaners is not recommended, as they may negatively affect filtration efficiency and intake operation.

The kit is designed for multiple uses and allows significant savings compared to replacing the filter.