I've been experimenting with intakes recently and here are my findings thanks to the ol' butt dyno...
My old CAI was nice for noise and bragging rights, but the short-ram (cone filter in the engine bay) allowed for better throttle response and spool-up. I am running the stock airbox right now and it is quiet, but is the best for low-end torque among all 3, hands down. The CAI had more low-end than the short ram, but the CAI choked the turbo in the upper RPMs. Throttle response has gone down with the stock airbox, but the return of low-end torque has offset that.
All in all, the stock airbox is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. The CAI is fun for sound and turning heads, the short-ram was best for throttle response and quick reactions, and the airbox IMO, is best for the street.
So I say do what you want when it comes to the intake. You're not going to win any races by changing anything there.
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