Just venting

Some cars use them to "breathe" and some are just posers, but the trend for side vents is as big as ever.

The locations ranges quite a bit. Some vehicles have them up front, some on the side and some are in the front or rear.

They are used to help engine bay airflow and permit hot air to exit and keep the cooling system and other components cool, while some air intakes are connected to the engine underneath, creating a ram-air effect. Some even push air into the brakes to keep them cool as well.

There are plenty that are just decorative, and even more available as after-market.

ASTON MARTIN

200 Aston Martin BD7 Vantage Convertible side vent.

Aston Martin Vantage emblem.

Aston Martin DB5 emblem.

Aston Martin Volante emblem.

BMW

2001 BMW E46 M3 side vent.

2001 BMW M-Coupe side vent.

2006 BMW M3 side vent.

CADILLAC

2003 Cadillac Sixteen concept emblem. (source: GM).

CHEVROLET

2007 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 hood vent.

CITROEN

Citroen side vent.

DODGE

2007 Dodge Nitro side vent.

2000 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe hood scoop.

2006 Dodge Viper SRT-10 hood scoop.

2000 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe hood vents.

2006 Dodge Viper SRT-10 hood vents.

2000 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe side "gills".

2006 Dodge Viper SRT-10 side "gills".

FERRARI

Ferrari F360 side vents.

FORD

2002 Ford Thunderbird side vent.

vent ford king ranch f250 lariat super duty 07

2007 Ford King Ranch F250 Lariat Super Duty.

Side vent from a 2009 Ford Focus RS.

Side vent from a 2009 Ford Focus RS.

2008 Ford Taurus.

2007 Ford Mustang GT hood vents.

JAGUAR

Jaguar XK side vent.

2009 Jaguar XF side vent badge.

LAND ROVER

2008 Land Rover LRX concept side vent.

2007 Land Rover LR2 side vent.

2007 Land Rover Range Rover side vent.

MAZDA

Nemesis side vent from a special edition 2006 Mazda RX-8.

1959 MG MGA hood vent emblem.

MERCEDES-BENZ

Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG V12 Biturbo emblem side vent.

MINI

S sive vent from a Mini Cooper S model.

2005 Mini Cooper.

PONTIAC

Pontiac Astre.

PORSCHE

The split grill of the 1997 Porsche 911/993 Carrera S Coupe is unique to the Carrera S, along with a special script on the engine cover.

Porsche 912 rear vent.

RENAULT

Renaut vent.

SAAB

Saab 900s.

SATURN

2008 Saturn Sky hood vent.

2008 Saturn Vue side vent.

SUBARU

2008 Subaru Impreze STI side vent.

TOYOTA

2003 Toyota MR2 side vent.

Factory Fakes.
Not exactly sure why why manufacturers bother with the entire design process to create a non-functioning vent in which, in most cases, sticks out like a sore thumb and detracts from the overall vehicle.

BUICK

While this looks like portholes, it is actually nothing more than an emblem. Four on each side of the front fenders for a V8 and three for a V6.

FORD

2008 Ford Focus.

2007 Ford Mustang GT side vent.

JEEP

2007 Jeep Liberty.

MAZDA

2006 Mazda RX8.

FAKE AFTERMARKET FOR POSERS

These are fake, carbon fibre stick-ons, with paste on plastic "fake-chrome" side vents.

Stick on vent on a Volkswagen GTI. (Is nothing sacred?)

This is the most idiotic vehicle molestation I have ever seen (at least with regards to fake vents). This guy took a perfectly nice BMW 328, expanded the side fenders to make a vent (which does nothing more than expose the frame and door handles, then sticks on 3 fake carbon-fiber looking, plastic framed vents! OMG!

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