I was doing some reading on clubna-t and I read something about how a front facing intake manifold would be a downgrade since our ugly over the head intake manifolds are designed to give the car more torque? How true is this if any of you guus know? If it's true it would suck since you know, those overhead manifolds are pretty ugly....

 

Unfortunately, it is true. The over the top manifold creates more torque. If you are going turbo, the FFIM is a good purchase, because it wont heat soak the intercooler pipe. With the over the top design, the turbo is directly under the intercooler pipe (which is HOT!). As for a FFIM being an NA upgrade, it would be a downgrade.