The Advance Of The Scoop

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:36

The hood has not yet arrived in the pants. But it already adorns the hood of compact cars. Their advance from motorsport to production models does not seem to be stopped.

After the spoiler, another body element known from motorsport ventures into the lower vehicle classes: We are talking about a "scoop" on the bonnet through which more air should flow to the engine. The compact class Mazda3 MPS, which will debut at the Geneva Motor Show (March 5 to 15), is now wearing such a hood on its hood for the first time, which ensures a better flow of cooling air to the intercooler on top of the engine.

More air for the engine

The sporty five-door is still powered by the previous 191 kW / 260 hp 2.3-liter petrol engine, but the new looks with the bonnet scoop in the direction of racing. The wide-open air inlet and the steeply rising roof spoiler speak a new design language and make competitors such as VW Golf GTI or Opel Astra OPC appear quite good. But the hood in the compact class is not new, as the Subaru Impreza WRX STi proves. Because the sporty five-door with all-wheel drive and 221 kW / 300 PS boxer engine has had such a hood on the hood for years.

Only a matter of time

It will probably be a while before the hood scoop finds its way from the compact class to even smaller vehicle classes. At the moment, the revived finishing company Abarth with the revamped Fiat 500 is proving that even the smallest vehicles are not safe from all-round tuning. (mid)