PROFILE

The ARM MK8 GTI FMIC gives your GTI or Golf R increased power and torque by reducing intake air temperatures, making it one of the best upgrades you can give your MK8.  The ARM MK8 GTI FMIC positions the intercooler in front of your radiator stack, the most efficient position to cool your Gen 4 EA888. This is where the intercooler can utilize the ambient air where it is coolest, before it passes through your other radiators causing the temperatures to increase.   

WHY YOUR MK8 NEEDS AN INTERCOOLER UPGRADE

An intercooler upgrade is so essential for the MK8 platform, that most tuners require an upgraded intercooler for flashing your MK8 with any tune above a basic Stage 1 map.  Since we need an intercooler to make the power we want and keep our MK8 running efficiently, the best solution is to have an intercooler that is as small as possible while still keeping intake air temperatures (IAT) low.  This is exactly what the ARM MK8 FMIC Kit does.  

LOWER IAT’s

At only 660 cu. in., the ARM MK8 GTI FMIC kept our project MK8 IAT’s to a cool 21 degrees above ambient temperatures during 2nd – 4th gear pulls.  During the pulls the IAT’s only rose 7 degrees from the bottom of 2nd to the top of 4th!  Compared to the OEM intercooler which rose to a blistering 114 degrees, 45 degree rise from start to finish.  Even with a slight disadvantage due to higher ambient temperatures, ARM MK8 FMIC improved cooling efficiency by reducing the rise in IAT’s by 84%!  These runs were performed on an MT MK8R with a Stage 2+ tune running 28psi.

CONSTRUCTION

The ARM MK8 FMIC features a high-efficiency bar-and-plate intercooler core measuring 27.8 x 9.5 x 2.5 inches, resulting in a total core volume of 660 cubic inches. Compared to the OEM intercooler, which measures approximately 550 cubic inches, the ARM MK8 FMIC offers a 20% increase in core volume. Positioned in the optimal front-mount location, this increased capacity allows for improved heat rejection and consistent charge-air cooling, with efficiency supporting builds up to 700 horsepower.  To further optimize airflow and fitment, the intercooler utilizes high-flowing cast aluminum end tanks with oval-shaped inlet and outlet ports cast directly into the end tanks. This oval design is engineered to maximize airflow while providing critical clearance between the intercooler piping and the vehicle’s frame, ensuring proper routing without compromising flow efficiency or fitment.  The oval middle sections of the ARM MK8 FMIC inlet and outlet tubing are designed to retain the same overall cross-sectional area as the 2.5″ round inlet and outlet of 4.9″. 

The ARM MK8 FMIC utilizes 2.5″ intercooler piping at the inlet and outlet to connect directly to the factory charge pipes. This diameter is carefully selected to balance airflow capacity and charge air velocity, ensuring efficient boost response without introducing unnecessary volume that can slow turbo spool.  By retaining a 2.5″ connection size, the ARM MK8 FMIC maintains compatibility with OEM charge pipes and most aftermarket charge pipe upgrades, while supporting increased airflow demands from tuned and higher-boost setups.

The MK8 FMIC mounting brackets are designed to incorporate a dedicated ambient temperature sensor bracket, allowing the factory ambient air temperature sensor to be relocated and mounted correctly after FMIC installation.  This ensures the sensor remains positioned in a proper airflow location, providing accurate ambient temperature readings to the ECU and vehicle systems. Proper sensor placement helps maintain correct engine management behavior and ensures temperature-based calculations remain reliable after the intercooler upgrade.

Included in the ARM MK8 FMIC Kit are silicone caps designed to block off the inlet and outlet of the OEM intercooler. These caps prevent dirt, debris, moisture, and foreign objects from entering the factory intercooler while it is not in use.

INSTALLATION

The ARM MK8 GTI FMIC is one of the easiest intercooler upgrades to install for the MK8 GTI.  Like every intercooler upgrade for the MK8 platform, it does require the removal of your front bumper, but unlike stock-location intercooler upgrades it does not require any disassembling of the crash bar, radiator stack, or draining of the coolant.  The ARM MK8 FMIC comes with MK8-specific mounting brackets to secure the FMIC without the need to cut or drill brackets into the crash bar.  The full installation of the ARM MK8 FMIC only takes about 2-3 hours, even for the novice mechanic. 

BI-COOLER UPGRADE

If you’re running or plan on running an upgraded turbo on your MK8, you will want to opt for the ARM MK8 Bi-Cooler Hose Upgrade.  The ARM MK8 Bi-Cooler Hose Upgrade allows you to utilize a stock location intercooler (OEM or upgraded) in conjunction with the ARM MK8 FMIC giving your MK8 improved cooling efficiency over the ARM MK8 FMIC alone.  This is only recommended if you already have a turbo upgrade or plan on installing one in the near future as it can cause a slight pressure drop on the OEM turbo.  

IN THE BOX

• 1x ARM MK8 FMIC 

FITMENT GUIDE

NOTE: DOES NOT FIT VEHICLES WITH ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC) MOUNTED IN THE LOWER BUMPER.  WILL FIT VEHICLES WITH ACC MOUNTED INTO VW EMBLEM.  

Make	Model	Submodel	Engine
Volkswagen	Golf VIII GTI	Hatchback	2.0T Gen4
Volkswagen	Golf VIII R	Hatchback	2.0T Gen4