Citroën Saxo inlet restriction, or...?

[Checkmate]

A friend of mine picked up a Saxo today, a £300 special, so could be anything really, though a 1.6, apparently, a VTR. The seller wasn't entirely sure what it was either so said friend brought it over to ask my opinion, upon opening the bonnet there is the 8v head there, VTR then.
Anyway, having a poke around under the bonnet as you do, something struck me about the inlet tract. Though most of it is at a guess around 2 inch bore, there is a little section in the middle that narrows to around an inch at most. Is this an artificial restriction on power, or something that actually improves the behaviour of the engine? I struggle to see how it is the latter, due to its placement in the system, which after said piece opens up again, and the airflow then undergoes a very harsh 90 degree turn, surely negating any benefits from increased intake velocity at that point. Is there some matter of inlet tuning I am yet to become aware of?

[mini1380cc]

They were all like that, not sure why but it didn't seem to do any harm as an aftermarket filter and pipe does sweet fa for the performance. As for the model, what did they v5, wing badges and boot say? What colour is it?

[Supercell]

Supposedly it was to increase torque at particular rpm?! That's what I heard anyway.

[Checkmate]

mini1380cc said:

They were all like that, not sure why but it didn't seem to do any harm as an aftermarket filter and pipe does sweet fa for the performance. As for the model, what did they v5, wing badges and boot say? What colour is it?

Oh that's interesting, I would have thought it would make a difference, maybe it just doesn't eat enough air.
The V5, apparently says 1600 Saxo, no particular denomination, but when he rang the insurance company to cover it they just said it was a "VT", not a model I have heard of. He tried to ask them what engine it should be, they didn't have a clue, not a massive surprise. Wing badges say VTS, despite it clearly being an 8v, but then I think it must have had these side strips retrofitted along with some of the bodykit, or are they the same on both models? No badges on the boot. It's in a light silver colour.
Edit: splerring

[Checkmate]

Supercell said:

Supposedly it was to increase torque at particular rpm?! That's what I heard anyway.

I did think that that may be the case, but then why improve the velocity of the intake charge, just before a very harsh and abrupt 90 degree bend in the inlet tract, is that charge not just going to become massively turbulent?

[mini1380cc]

Strange one on the model. It will be a VTR if it is a 1.6 and 8v. From my vague memory of owning all the models i seem to remember no difference at all in the bodykits.

[Al U]

While we're on the topic of power, the earlier ones have 90bhp and the later ones 100bhp.

[xRIEx]

Checkmate said:

Though most of it is at a guess around 2 inch bore, there is a little section in the middle that narrows to around an inch at most.

which after said piece opens up again, and the airflow then undergoes a very harsh 90 degree turn, surely negating any benefits from increased intake velocity at that point.

After the restriction air velocity would have been reduced again, and pressure increased.

Edited by xRIEx on Wednesday 12th November 10:33