Just installed a K&N drop in panel filter on my 2006 R50 (manual transmission). I have the say the improvement in performance and sound is better than I expected. I have installed K&N filters on other cars without any noticeable difference, but on the R50 I can honestly feel a difference.

I doubt it was a placebo effect because I had actually forgotten that I had installed the air filter when I noticed the improvement.

It has better throttle response, smoother revs, and improved low end torque. It has much less of a tendency to "bog" on launches.

For the record, the stock filter was not that dirty.

 

Thanks for the review!

 

My pleasure!

 

I do not have a panel currently, I have the K&N Typhoon but I have used drop-ins in every car Ive owned for 15+ yrs and they all provided a noticable, for greater or lesser, measures of improvement. They are easy to clean and I have never had a gasket edge leak or quality control issue with any of them. I dont work for K&N but I +1 on any recommendations. So far, the Typhoon has been excellent, 0% problems and according to the dyno sheet with the kit, is +11.18HP in a K&N test on an otherwise stock 08. Which happens to be my year. I thought that sounded perhjaps a touch high but they have the sheet and the guarantee.

 

I put a drop-in K&N in my R50 as well and had the same experience; a little freer breathing equals smoother, less restricted throttle response. Well worth the $30 or -so. The stock filter that I removed was quite new too, BTW.

 

Glad to see my butt dyno is still calibrated