Assumption is it's better. If you consider that the "S" scoop is more of a "design" feature with very little airflow through the scoop (not too many holes in the black plastic honeycomb piece). So the air enters in through the front MINI grill, into the radiator and then washes over the front of the engine. Some air is deflected down towards the ground with the help of vacuum created by the ground effect and those two funky flexible plastic strips that hang down in front of the wheels that are a part of the bumper lip. Some air is deflected up over the top of the engine. Both air flows are heated by the downpipe / turbo. The air over the top of the engine then hits the firewall and is suck down with the help of the vacuum under the body. Add that new design Challenge scoop that operates on the Bernoulli effect and undoubtedly you end up pulling some of the hot air completely outside of the bonnet where it can't do harm. If it's not trapped under the bonnet, there has to be some benefit..... Of course test result would come in to play to verify it..... But it should be a way to remove heat from under the bonnet....
rkw, that's an interesting picture of the hood. No under hood bracing, so that must be a fiberglass or carbon fiber hood?
I don't have any details about that car. I simply did a Google image search for "MINI Challenge scoop" and it came up.
You would think since the scoop is not there that they would just make it smooth and add another pair of vents. I would think it would be slipperier that way.
MiniFini open flow Scoop Grill replacement. The first cars we put our replacement scoop grille on was my wife's 07'MCS and my JCW Clubman. Mine hadn't started to warp yet but hers had been replaced during development. Now after almost three years neither of them show any sign of warp developing. This is a very inexpensive way to solve this problem and we now offer it in powder-coated black over stainless steel for R-53 thru 2012 R-55, 56 S models check out at Mini-Fini designer of Mini-Cooper accessories: Home
MiniFini open flow Scoop Grill replacement. Here's a couple links showing the R-53 and the R-55,56 version. We make the R53 grill because we had so many requests for it. A lot of folks ( including me ) tired of cleaning out all of the bugs and debris that fly's in through there. I even pulled out a couple of birds. http://www.minifini.com/ShopDetail.aspx?id=66 http://www.minifini.com/ShopDetail.aspx?id=64