7 of Our Favorite Side Scoops and Vents
Be it a scoop, duct, or even speed holes (they make the car go faster, you know), there’s little doubt that negative space improves a vehicle’s design. Some are real and help with induction, cooling, or aerodynamics, but many are fake. With the wide variety of body side holes available, we asked the Hagerty Media team for their thoughts on the best examples of the breed. While many of their answers won’t surprise you, some are likely to do just that!
RUF CTR Yellowbird
“I’m a sucker for the side scoops in the original 1987 RUF CTR ‘Yellowbird.’ So massive, so bold, and necessary for that car to cement its name in history as one of the all time greats. Speaking of which, it’s about time for my monthly watch of Faszination on the Nürburgring. —Nathan Petroelje
Ferrari 308
“I’m going Ferrari here. Testarossa is the obvious choice, but it’s almost too obvious. The F40 nearly nails the look with its twin NACA ducts, but everything on that car is overshadowed by the rear wing. The 348 is too ‘baby Testarossa,’ and while the 355 is a bit more understated, I’m going to go with the long, sharp simple scoop carved out of the belt line of the 308.” —Stefan Lombard
Pontiac Trans Am (Second Gen)
“I had a hard time pinning one down. First-gen Shelby Mustangs, Cayman GT4RS, Italian anything. Even the box-flare scoop on the mid-engined Ford Shogun looks cool to me—I like aggressive-looking cars. But I’m going to go with second-gen Pontiac Trans Am fender vents. They’re a cool design, I’ve been drawn to them since I was a kid, and they’re a nice bit of ‘means business’ on the side of a car that was all about bravado.” —Eddy Eckart
Ferrari Testarossa
I have to go with Testarossa. Not picking it as an icon and pop culture masterpiece is like not acknowledging Harley Earl’s impact on car design. The way Pininfarina got away with ensuring small critters wouldn’t take residence into its side scoops is pure brilliance. It’s literally aluminum window dressing that looks like it could slice an apple, but man, what a way to decorate an empty space. —Sajeev Mehta
Cizeta-Moroder V16T
“A good side scoop has to grab your attention, so I’m going to go with the Cizeta V16T. Its strakes and scoops aren’t as elegantly pulled off as the Testarossa it’s ripping off, but they are more over the top. And in a car with 16 cylinders and two sets of pop-up headlights, being over the top fits with the theme. Honorable mention to my Lotus Elise. Those are some damn good scoops.” —Andrew Newton
Corvette Grand Sport (C6)
“The sixth-generation Corvette has been hot and cold throughout my life as an auto enthusiast. Lately it has been on the rebound and my interest only growing stronger. Of the available C6 models, the Grand Sport seems to be the car for the buyer in the know who actually plans to drive it and wants a great balance of performance and livability. The twin scoops on the side are unique to the Grand Sport trim and enhance the lines of the C6 in a positive way, unlike those of some of the other trims.” —Kyle Smith
McLaren 765LT
“The scoop carved into the door of McLaren’s modern 765LT (along with its many siblings whose names begin with 7). Its placement and rake recalls that of the F1, McLaren’s legendary ’90s road car. The vent that exists here mimics the side strakes of the F1, with some sort of flare and tuck and crease business behind and below it. I don’t speak enough designer to really break it down, but wow, it’s nice to look at. The hard edges of the vent, both at top and at the trailing edge, are such a yummy contrast to the smooth surfacing of the rest of the door.” —Grace Houghton
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of great or at least interesting side scoop and vent designs out there. Which one is your favorite?
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RUF CTR? What scoops?
1970 Plymouth GTX
Renault 5 Turbo
Maybe there ought to be a separate article on “Best Non-functional Scoops” as a lot of the favorable comments reference cars so-equipped. I’m all for vents and scoops that actually vent and scoop.
My 1968 GT500KR had the excellent (and functional) upper-rear venturi-effect scoop/vents for the interior, and what has to be one of the most effective hood scoops ever created…tall, wide, and located at the front of the hood, for maximum airflow, and ducted to a cold-air plenum on the air cleaner.
Shelby’s designers also added air-exit vents on the trailing part of the hood. But, even ol’ Shel (more properly: FoMoCo, which was in charge of production by ’68) let the car down by making the rear brake scoops non-functional. Yeah, the ’67 versions really just ducted air via small hoses to blow on the top of the rear tires (unless a racer wanted to properly modify it to the brakes) but it still looked great…and technically was “functional.”
No Mark 4 (1993-1998) Toyota Supra? Every scoop has a function unlike the fake Zupra which most are blocked off pieces of plastic.
1969 Mustang Mach1
58-59 Corvette! I loved that look then, and it holds up pretty well now.
My late Father’s ( now mine ) 2002 Guldstrand Z06, just gorgeous! 😍
Come on, how can you leave the Shelbys off this list? Especially the ‘67-‘68 models.
1967 Mustang. Not functional but tastefully done.
Come on boys. Let’s talk what’s on the road, what we drive and what’s functional. Gotta recognize the VW bus bay window!! Those scoops helped to cool, get rid of gas fumes and were fit to the body as perfection. Sometimes the obvious it overlooked. And no more fiberglass shells to blow off. Just saying.
Gotta love style n functionality.
Porsche Boxster
VW Vanagon …yup way up high back there … and they ARE functional
What no VW thing?, GR Corolla? Citroen? sigh……
Great call on the C6 Grand Sport. I owned a 2013 example and felt it was the most beautiful example of the C6. I traded it on a 2013 427 Collector’s Edition to get a manual and the LS7 but have often felt that I should have kept the coupe (roadsters with the top up are less good looking, in my opinion).
Ferrari 308 has my vote…integral to car’s design, not overstated, and functional. The best in my opinion (the fact that I own one notwithstanding). Cheers.