PIPERCROSS CARBON FIBRE INDUCTION KIT FOR G8X BMW M3/M4

Pipercross Airmax carbon intake System

Take your vehicle's performance to the next level with Pipercross Airmax Performance Induction Systems. Meticulously designed carbon induction systems are tailored to your specific vehicle, providing a bespoke solution for maximizing power, efficiency, and induction sound.

Pipercross G8X M3/M4 AirMax Intake System

The Pipercross AirMax Intake System has been designed and engineered to directly replace the OEM BMW intake airbox lids, air filters and front intake cross pipe on BMW M2/M3/M4 vehicles with the S58 engine.

FEATURES

• Carbon fibre AirMax replacement intake airbox lids featuring an increase of over 24% in outlet size
• Carbon fibre replacement intake pipe - volume & flow optimised for engine bay cavity w/ aluminium-reinforced inlet/outlet connections
• Pipercross Plus premium, hybrid multi-density replacement high flow panel filters
• High tolerance, turbocharger couplers CNC-machined from billet aluminium
• Step-matched, thick-walled silicone hoses, designed to maintain OE engine flexure & bay clearances
• Corrosion-resistant hardware for long-term corrosion protection
• Designed, prototyped and iteratively refined using latest 3D scanning, printing and CAD technology
• Flow tested to confirm 84.26% maximum and 62.59% average airflow restriction decrease vs. full OE intake system
• Dyno tested with an increase of +11 to +30 HP & +16 to +35Nm TQ Power gains (Stock to Stg1)

OEM INTAKE ASSESSMENT

The OE intake filtration medium, inlet/outlet sizes and internal body volumes of the OE airbox lids/intake crossover pipe were all specifically targeted by the Pipercross engineering team as areas for system airflow capability improvements. Conversely, the OE lower airbox halves and turbocharger inlet elbows were deemed sufficient to support the kit’s increased airflow targets; based on OE M-level engineering efforts, specific part size/functionality and Pipercross engineers’ experience from/knowledge with overall performance intake design.

Both airbox lids and the intake cross pipe were to undergo a ground-up redesign, leveraging carbon fibre manufacturing methods to achieve larger internal volumes, cross-sectional areas, inlets, outlets and filter-complimentary flow geometry throughout the new Pipercross performance intake system.

PLUS PANEL FILTERS

The heart of the G8X AirMax Kit is Pipercross’ flagship panel filter; the Pipercross Plus. These filters feature a hybrid, bespoke filtration multi-laminate foam to achieve the optimal balance between increased flow and air filtration. Additionally, the Plus filter range feature an industry-first, CNC-laser cut, 0.9mm thick stainless steel backing frame that increases effective airflow 22.1% over typical mesh backing frames. During airflow testing, the Plus filters even outperformed cylindrical cone filters with a 34.4% larger surface area with the same components/under the same testing conditions (further details in the Airflow Testing Data section below). As such, the Plus filters are the performance anchor for the entire Pipercross AirMax Intake, with all other components meticulously designed to leverage this remarkable airflow performance.

AIRBOX LIDS

The Pipercross G8X AirMax Lids allow full utilization of the Plus panel filters’ airflow potential. These lids have been precisely crafted to achieve better post-filter flow dynamics, feature more internal post-filter air volume, and utilize larger air outlets, all without compromising on OE fitment standards. The flow-conducive geometry and increased internal volume assist the natural formation of laminar airflow within each airbox, increasing filtered air throughput significantly vs. OE. The 98mm inner diameter outlets offer a 24.02% size increase over the OE right-hand lid outlet and a 75.03% increase over the OE left-hand lid outlet, these increases compliment the geometry and volume modifications perfectly; further increasing system throughput. Each AirMax lid also features an aluminium ring bonded into the outlet connection area; ensuring continued load (applied from hose clamps) and elevated engine bay temperatures have no effect on the structural integrity of the outlets. The carbon fibre designs boast a form-follows-function aesthetic, with crafted directional airflow channels that look right at home in the S58 M-performance engine bay.

INTAKE CROSS PIPE

The Pipercross G8X AirMax Intake Pipe supplements the right-hand airbox lid performance, and brings the flow capability of the overall kit to the next level. The carbon intake pipe was designed with one goal; to optimise internal flow volume within the relative S58 engine bay cavity. This volume increase allows for maximum laminar airflow (and maximum airflow delivery, as such) within the available space. The Pipercross part does this without compromising OE fitment standards or proper clearances, fully utilizing the advantages of carbon manufacturing to create indentations and cross-sectional transitions with favourable flow geometry and taking a no-compromises approach to the pipe design. As with both AirMax lids, the AirMax carbon pipe features an aluminium ring bonded into both the inlet and outlet pipe connection areas. Aesthetically, the AirMax pipe compliments the lids perfectly, placed front-and-centre in the G8X M engine bay.

SILICONE HOSES

All silicone hoses feature smooth internal bores, flow-matched coupling transitions and 5-ply wall construction; yielding just the right amount of engine decoupling without any airflow destabilization associated with typical corrugated or bellowed hoses.The left-hand side hose was specifically designed to maximise volume and air speed in the tight bend from the airbox outlet. With a constant tapered design, reducing down to match the turbo inlet ID with astepped interal for precise flow matched geometry.

FITTING HARDWARE

Both turbocharger couplers are CNC-machined from aluminium billets to stringent dimensional/finish standards, then hard-anodized to guarantee a perfect OE fit and functional durability for the life of the vehicle. Similarly, only stainless-steel hardware is utilized to ensure corrosion, oil and other adverse engine bay environmental factors have no effect on the Pipercross kit’s function or aesthetic – no matter how hard the vehicle is driven. Machined standoffs that house the fixing screws were designed to mimic the same spacing as the OE lid for perfect fitment and compression of the Pipercross PLUS panel.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

All Pipercross products are designed in-house, utilising the latest 3D-printing, 3D-scanning, CAD, CFD, airflow testing and performance testing product development technologies. Multiple stages of testing were conducted within Pipercross’ engineering department, to gauge the effectiveness and shortcomings of the OEM system, while confirming the increased performance of various iterations of the Pipercross intake. Bench airflow testing was conducted on the full OEM intake system and multiple Pipercross prototype intake design iterations, using Pipercross’ in-house flow test apparatus inside a controlled environment. Performance testing of the OEM and final Pipercross intake design was completed at a third party, independent, environmentally regulated dynamometer cell to ensure unbiased, final performance gain data was captured.

AIRFLOW TESTING DATA

Four intake configurations were tested on Pipercross’ in-house stationary airflow test apparatus. To develop an initial performance benchmark, the full OE right-hand and left-hand intake systems (full airboxes plus OE air filters, to turbocharger inlets) were flow tested to their respective maximum flow values. Notably, the left-hand OE intake system was not able to pass more than 647 CFM of airflow, while the right-hand OE system was able to pass 770 CFM of maximum airflow. The Pipercross Plus filters were then installed in the OE system, to gauge the resulting airflow increase from only the Plus filters. Following this, two prototype AirMax iterations were tested with different filtration methods; a cylindrical style filter and the Pipercross Plus panel filters.

Both AirMax intake versions were tested with the same AirMax cross intake pipe, billet aluminium turbocharger couplers and silicone hoses; only the prototype airbox lids were changed (one design that integrated cylindrical cone filter connections, and one design optimized for the airflow paths of the Plus panel filters). The table and graphs below summarize the results of this testing; confirming the performance benefit of the PX Plus filters alone, as well as the increased performance when the additional AirMax components are added. Of note are the Plus filters’ performance, when coupled with the complimentary AirMax components. This configuration was able to outperform the other AirMax configuration (utilising cylindrical air filters with 34.4% more filtration surface area vs. Plus filters); yielding 58.38% maximum and 29.16% average reduction in restriction vs. that AirMax configuration. Similarly, the AirMax kit w/ Plus filters flowed a maximum of 715 CFM (LH) and 785 (RH), to the respective OE’s 647 (LH) and 770 (RH) CFM maximum flow values.

PERFORMANCE TESTING DATA

Building upon the data gathered from Pipercross’ in-house airflow testing discussed above, the final configuration of the AirMax kit (utilising Plus filters) was tested on Pipercross’ in-house G80 M3 vehicle. This on-vehicle testing was conducted utilising a third-party, independent SuperFlow Autodyn 30 four-wheel drive dynamometer within a temperature and airflow-controlled test cell. The vehicle was tested with both OE and aftermarket tuning applied, to gauge the performance effectiveness of the AirMax kit at different levels of vehicle modification. Three runs of each configuration were tested on the same day, within the same cell (twelve runs in total) and the vehicle was allowed to cool between testing sets. Pipercross’ G80 M3 did not have any other engine modifications during this testing, other than the tuning and the AirMax intake kit.

The data graphed shows the average of three runs for each vehicle configuration tested. As demonstrated in these graphs, the AirMax kit provides meaningful performance benefits to a completely stock vehicle; but can significantly increase engine performance in conjunction with aftermarket engine tuning. Another performance benefit of the AirMax kit (not clearly demonstrated with the data graphed) is resistance to heat soak and resulting power loss.

When tested with OE tuning, both the OE and AirMax intake systems provided repeatable power figures across each of the three testing runs. Conversely, when tuning was applied, the OE intake system consistently lost power on each testing run – indicating the OE intake is particularly vulnerable to the elevated engine bay temperatures of tuned vehicles, and the resulting power loss from exposure to those temperatures. However, the AirMax kit performed beautifully in these same conditions with the tuning still installed, posting power and torque figures within +/- 3%, from the first to last dynamometer run. This can be attributed to the AirMax kit’s increased airflow capability/improved airflow dynamics (preventing internal air stagnation and subsequent heat soak) as well as the conductive heat resistance of the carbon fibre AirMax components (which has significantly better thermal conduction properties, vs. the OE reinforced plastic material).

COMPATIBILITY

• 2021 BMW G80 M3/M3 Comp
• 2021 BMW G81 M3/M3 Comp Touring
• 2021 BMW G82 M4/M4 Comp Coupe/Convertible