There's something about the Nissan 350Z and its VQ35DE powerplant that car enthusiasts can appreciate. Whether it's the sporty look that seems to be lost in this day and age of horrid hybrid vehicles, or the longitudinally mounted V-6 engine ripping a respectable 287 hp, you've got to love the Z.
Kinetix Racing of Santa Ana, Calif., didn't need to second-guess the VQ35DE's potential as they quickly worked out a master plan, developing an intake manifold that would revolutionize the import world forever. Working behind closed doors for more than a year, Kinetix tested and designed a manifold worthy of its name. Their hard work paid off as their long awaited and highly anticipated SSV (stainless steel velocity) Extreme Flow Manifold was finally complete. The finished product was a complete replacement of both the upper and lower factory plenums that delivered exceptional horsepower for both naturally aspirated and turbo application vehicles.
Take a good look at the VQ's upper and lower factory OEM intake manifold as it will reveal numerous sharp turns and obstructions that impede the flow of air. While engineers at Nissan developed the factory intake system to promote good engine response, they were faced with two limiting factors. One was optimizing fuel economy and emissions while the other was overall space due to a cramped engine bay. These limitations caused Nissan to develop an unusual intake manifold design that unfortunately caused air restriction and starvation to the intake runners.
A close-up view of the factory lower plenum reveals many of the dips and turns that restrict sufficient airflow, creating turbulence within the factory intake. Kinetix Racing addressed this problem and developed their manifold using a straight shot design, eliminating the twists, turns, and obstructions to unleash the VQ's hidden horsepower. | 
As seen in the pictures of the upper and lower OEM manifold, there are numerous sharp turns and obstructions that impede the airflow. | 
Engineers at Nissan developed the factory intake system to promote good engine response, but were also limited to their design due to a cramped engine bay. |
Kinetix Racing engineered their manifold to replace the complete factory unit, focusing on freeing up the air flow to the front cylinders banks while increasing overall plenum volume and maximizing power throughout the entire horsepower band. | 
Kinetix originally designed their manifold with a "split" plenum approach, using three runners on the driver's side, and 3 runners on the passenger side. Jamison states, "We simply could not achieve the same flow as a single plenum design, with all runners pulling from the same chamber of air." | 
Runner length, diameter, and plenum volume have all been carefully matched for the VQ35DE as a means of equal balance between both naturally aspirated engines and higher demanding forced induction vehicles. |