Ok...well since I can post... here's some thoughts....
The air filter on these turbos seems to be semi or completely exposed. I'll do some assuming and guess that outside the fairing is a mix of high pressure at the front and low pressure at the rear of the filter. I doubt this amounts to a complete neutral situation, but there's probably less positive atmosphere than the stock "ram air" setup. Inside the fairing might be a little different, but without having it in front of me, I can't tell if there is any way that air entering the front of the fairing has anywhere to go? If it doesn't, that would build positive pressure except for where it was escaping around the filter through the fairing....resulting in lower intake pressure coming from outboard.
So, does it matter? Well that is one question. being forced induction, one could argue that all you have to do is adjust the boost to make up for it. This isn't a ram-air NA setup after all right?
Where is this leading? Scoops, cowls, whatever you would like to call them. A forward facing cowl would give you a ram-air effect and potentially a slightly cooler air source since more air comes from outboard than inboard of the fairing (where the air has to pass all this hot stuff). It would also give a slighting higher atmospheric pressure the faster you were going....thereby making the turbo system a little less linear.
It might also let you run a slightly lower initial boost, although I don't know if that's easier on the turbo or not for the difference?
Downside, it would also catch bugs and water like crazy so low to the road.
But... what about a full round cowl? Excuse me if I don' t break out the CAD/CAM but just imagine setting your filter in a pot of only slightly larger diameter and height?
Yes, this does negate the high pressure at the front of the filter (motorcycle front), but also eliminates the low pressure at the rear of the filter.
Assuming this "pot" (no I'm not smoking any) fully surrounds the filter and goes through the fairing, you also have eliminated high pressure warm air from the inside of the fairing.
Because it is forced induction, does anyone expect any performance differences?
The upside might be that the front of your filter no longer sees 50mph rain and road dirt/grime directly to the filter. I can tell you from quite a lot of traveling that this stuff hits the front of my vehicles and sticks. Sure, the turbo vacuum will still pull some in from the side, but ride in the rain and tell me what part of you gets the most of it....the front.
I think I'll call it...."The Filter Fairing"...lol!
Any thoughts?
Sean