BMW 4-Series F32 Intercooler 2014+

Everyone loves a dynamic character. Think about it. When have you ever read a book or watched a movie and said to yourself, "Wow, I'm really glad that the main character didn't develop throughout the story"? We long for that feel-good moment when the protagonist reaches a turning point and changes. The development for our F20/F30 intercooler has a relatable plot line.

R&D is a process with its own ups and downs. That's what makes it a challenge, and thus fun for us problem solvers. Even with a lot of research and simulations, some things lead to unexpected outcomes. If you look back through the beginning stages of our development, it's clear that we're taking a unique approach when it comes to the stepped-core intercooler. If you're worried that adding the angle to the top of our intercooler core was the part that worked out differently, never fear, it does its job. The topic of shrouding is the aspect that eventually took a different turn once we arrived at the testing phase.

Heavy Shrouding

It's been a long time coming since we last left off with the development of this intercooler. While it might have been trying on your patience, and a little on ours, it's not necessarily a bad thing that it took some time. Simply put, how are we going to make sure that what ends up at your door step is perfect if the first doesn't possess the same qualities? And sometimes doing things a little differently takes some time.

If you look back to our last post outlining the design plans, you'll see exactly what I'm on about when it comes to doing things differently. We did end up giving a good amount away then, but since it's been a while, I'll refresh your memory.

Yes, the stepped core is nothing new nowadays. With the F2X and F3X Bimmers, the design of the stock system almost requires a stepped core in order to squeeze more performance out of the N55 and N20 engines. During our development process, we investigated the idea of a few other core configurations, but neither quite stacked up to

When I last left off our engineer, Steve, was busy scanning and creating a 3D model of the F30 stock unit as a reference for our new design. There is an impressive amount of engineering that has gone into this intercooler project already, with more to come. One of the reasons for this attention to detail is because of the wide range of models that this new cooler is going to fit, as seen by our photo gallery. Another reason is because BMW has a pesky habit of living up to their moniker, "The Ultimate Driving Machine," they leave little room for error.

Steve working the Faro Design ScanArm to create a 3D model of the stock intercooler unit.

I've always been a huge fan of BMW, especially when it comes to the meticulous engineering that goes into each of their vehicles. Every model they put out is designed to last. Whether it be a 28-year old 3-series speeding around the flat back roads of New Jersey, or the much bigger and heavier X3 taking on the winding mountain roads of the Colorado

Mishimoto prides itself on the ability to improve the cooling systems on just about any vehicle that rolls through the garage door. Intercoolers have become our bread and butter at this point. That being said, BMW's are notoriously over-engineered, so improving on the meticulous German design isn't going to be an easy task.

It seems that the engineers at BMW wanted to make sure they provided the best equipment on their "Ultimate Driving Machine," which means tight spacing. Peeling the front bumper cover from our loaner 2014 335i M Sport reveals a space no bigger than a toaster oven. A tricky intercooler project lies ahead, but that's OK, because we're up to the challenge.

The front fascia is secured on tight, but our engineer Steve, left, and project manager, Rob, make short work of it.

The F30 335i with the front fascia removed. The M-Sport aero package includes its own full set of shrouding and duct work.

BMW already has an adequate design on their stock intercooler. It's a stout tube