Gruppe M Air Intake for a 1995 Ferrari F355 Spider M2.7

If money is no object and you don't want turbos I would say yes.

 

2.7 Gruppe M intakes = totally foolish price, ridiculous GruppeM Ferrari F355 M2 RAM Air Filter Intake System

 

What other intake options would you recommend?

 

In a normally aspirated engine then the initial restriction in the intake, regardless of whats in front of it, is the maf/throttle body.

Those are just fancy airboxes, all the carbon/kevlar does is reduce any weight compared to the standard boxes, skip lunch before you drive and you would have the same effect.

If the car was forced induction then strength from carbon/kevlar would be required to cope with the increased intake pressure ahead of the maf/throttle body, but all those ones have to deal with is atmospheric pressure, they could be made out of cardboard!

Its purely the look and the induction roar they produce that people are paying for, and less restrictive filters than the standard paper ones and thats it.

 

A guy on the NSX forums did before and after on his 5.2 and got 13 rwhp. He didn't have much good to say about the 355 so not biased. Scuderia Systems in England did a dyno before and after and got the same result. Box is a different shapeand larger than stock, the box is much much cooler temp so air is not heated, filters are the same in the Audi LeMans cars that I saw in the pits at Road America a few years back. I've had one for over ten years and it is more than a better sound. Just my opinion.

 

I would be interested to see some dyno results. Toda racing said they saw no power gain over stock air boxes if I recall correctly. With the prices they charge I think they would have no problems selling it even if it was only worth 1hp.

It would surprise me if it added up to more than a few hp gain, if anything.

 

Post 4 looks he like had his car on the dyno and got the same 12-14 rwhp. I've read other forums in particular Porshe and BMW where rwhp gains where made. Haltech makes one for the Corvette and owners are seeing 12-15rwhp. When I had my Viper Coupe, smooth intake tubes and a K&N filter gained 10rwhp. I saw that on a dyno of my own car. So, I think gains can be make by changing and intake as seen on the 355 and other cars. I have ported heads and throttle bodies so my gains might be bigger.

 

Any idea why he bought and owned a 355 just so he could have not much good to say about it? Strange thing to do.
I would buy a used Gruppe M in a hart beat, but would never buy brand new. As in the link i posted above, there ridiculously expensive. There again so are the f430s and 360s to.

 

He thought maintenance was high compared to his NSX. He liked it otherwise but thought he was getting hosed by Ferrari.

 

Any increase in hp will be down to the less restrictive filters that's all, nothing to do with the airbox.

The volume of air coming through the intake is so vast that it would make little difference is the metal they were made of was hot, its simply not in their long enough to be affected.

If however the air is being channeled into the airboxes from a hot engine bay that would make a difference. Better to ensure the standard boxes are receiving colder external air with additional ducting if needed and have clean/new paper filters

 

I've also heard really pessimistic reviews from all the race shops I've spoken to, as I was looking to purchase one. Seems that on the 2.7 its not much more than a sexy looking air intake (not my opinion, just what I've heard). I wish there was some concrete dyno evidence from Gruppe M to actual numbers on a 2.7.

 

Thanks all
Just about to add all Fabspeed package and was wandering about intakes?
Guess I'll just keep stock hardware and change filter up to a k&n or similar.

 

Yes I've seen some numbers mentioned but graphs would be good

I tune/dyno stuff every day and do many of the Halltech/K&N/Other for american cars and many have measurable (but not huge) gains.

Of course $500 is easier to swallow than a few thousand.

I think there is some room for improvement but the stock air boxes appear to be -pretty good-. Could definitely have a better bell mouth inlet but that could be changed on the stock setup as well.

 

These things are fuggly and look totally out of place in a 355 engine bay

Why not appreciate the 355 for the great car it is? I would not install these if someone gave them to me.

 

Its funny how opinions are so differant,l have this and a capristo twin valve, and tubi headers. It all cost a lot but i have had the car over ten years so i justify it that way.
To each their own.
Some where i have seen and have copies of dyno rsults with this exact set up and on a 5.2 like mine it gained over 20 hp at the tires.

I do think a 95 would gain less simply because their system is less restrictive allready. Thats just common sense.

 

certainly seriously expensive even on sale at $3,087.06 on (list price$4,205.13)

 

+1
expect is the the K&N filters that make most of any alleged power gain.

 

Well I think the inside of the GruppeM airbox has a nicely shaped inlet bell (so that could help) but it's been a while since I've seen a pic.

The stock air boxes are fed by either ducts behind the windows (2.7) or the ducts in the doors (5.2)

 

Any Dyno comparison is kind of ridiculous unless you put K&Ns in the standard 2.7 and 5.2 air boxes. Otherwise it's really somewhat apples & oranges.

 

Agreed

 

I've heard good reviews on the CDA airboxes (esp for the price...couple hundred bucks).

 

Hi all: I've just installed the GruppeM intake on my '98 355 Challenge (2.7). The car infow has a Motec M84 ECU and the dyno graph *before* the install showed 344 rwhp. This was with the stock airboxes with K&N filters. The car is in the UK And is street legal, though predominantly used for Trackdays.

The news is this: after the install (which happened yesterday) the low-end torque has improved *slightly* but top-e d power is DOWN. I will have the new dyno graph tomorrlw and will post both new and old power graphs.

The reduced power, acceding to the tech at the dyno shop, is due to the heat generated by the exhaust. The heat is enough to penetrate the GruppeM carbon fiber and heat the internal air. The next step (there's always a 'next step' with Ferrari mechanics) is to apply a reflective coating on the exhaust facing surface of he Airbox and also (if possible) a heat shield. Then, the intake runners to the Airbox need to be modified to increase airflow)

Fortunately, I bought the intake in japan for $2000 so did not pay as much as others. But the overall power gain is not that much. In fact, it's a Lowe LOSS right now at the top end and a small torque gain at the bottom end.

Will post graphs. And also do the mods and repost after yet another dyno! Do t we love the 355!!

-- Atul

 

The bottom line right now is that the 2.7 with K&N filters performs better than the GruppeM for top-end power. But let's see what the heat-shield, reflective coating and intake runner mods buy in terms of HP !!

 

I would line the bottom of the intake with gold heat foil adhesive.

That stuff works amazing. I had fuel temp issues with my old Porsche and wrapped the bottom of the tank in the stuff and was surprised by how effective it was.

 

Did you buy the GruppeM new? And did it come complete?
I ask because mine came with a different heat shield that goes between the airbox and exhaust, aluminum lined with kevlar shielding. If you didn't get that and have it installed as well as the air box, perhaps that's why you're getting heat bleed.

Mine was installed by the PO (Thank you, Jay!) so I can't say for sure what the car was like before it (power-wise), but I regularly keep pace with 360s whose drivers often say afterward that my 355 is the fastest they've ever encountered.