APR’s Front Mounted Intercooler Kits were developed specifically with the 1.8T engine in mind. Extensive research went into to choosing the proper sized heat exchanger and what the optimal flow direction would be. A top-bottom, extruded tube heat exchanger with proprietary internal heat sink fins was chosen. This style heat exchanger offered very competitive performance when compared to the more traditional bar and plate design. Along with a low internal pressure drop, this style heat exchanger excels by presenting a lower external pressure drop then a bar and plate design. This allows for more air to penetrate through it for cooling of the radiator and other essential components.

Once the ideal heat exchanger was chosen, the task of using it to its fullest potential began. Unique cast aluminum end tanks were designed to ensure that the hot air entering the system would travel the full length of the core. A precise fin structure within the end tank helps to distribute hot air evenly across the core for the most effective cooling possible. Each fin is positioned at a specific angle to direct the correct amount of air down into that section of the heat exchanger. This allows the whole core to work at dissipating the heat.

When moving this air to and from the intercooler, you want to do so with the least amount of resistance as possible. With this in mind an effective series of tubing was designed. A combination of stainless steel and silicon tubing was used to create seamless internal geometry for the air to flow through. The stainless sections are used for the longer spans of tubing. The silicon is used to seamlessly and smoothly transition between diameters and to navigate through existing hardware.

The FMIC kit would not be complete without quality mounting hardware. Careful attention was paid to this area. We found that custom sheet metal designed brackets offered a healthy balance of a strength and aesthetics. All sheet metal parts are powder-coated to withstand rust so that they will remain strong throughout the life of the product.

Overall APR’s FMIC kit is the absolute best kit you will find on the market today. We work hard to design and engineer products that will last long and perform well for years to come and this product is no exception.