Will the Black FMIC Core for VB fit a stock WRX with the factory top mount intercooler?

No. The Black FMIC Core for VB is designed to sit in the bumper opening as part of the COBB front mount system, which also needs the hot and cold charge pipes and a bumper support beam. A stock WRX should get the complete COBB kit.

How big is the COBB front mount core for the 2022 and newer WRX?

COBB specifies a Garrett core measuring 24 inches by 8 inches by 3.5 inches. Air passes through it vertically, from bottom to top, and the inlet and outlet on the tapered end tanks are machined billet aluminum, sized at 2.5 inches.

Does this intercooler core require a tune?

No. COBB states that tuning changes are not required to support this intercooler. It can safely run on the stock Subaru calibration or on COBB Off The Shelf maps through an Accessport, and the core does not change any calibration requirement.

Is the core legal for use in California?

No. COBB lists the Black FMIC Core for VB as still in external testing, with the CARB Executive Order submission not yet complete. As listed, it is not legal for sale or use in California on any emission controlled motor vehicle. No EO number has been issued for it yet.

Should I choose the Black FMIC Core for VB or the silver one?

Both share the same Garrett core, end tanks and billet connections, so cooling performance is identical. Only the powder coat differs. Black tends to disappear behind the grille and suits darker paint, while silver makes the upgrade obvious from the front.

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Description

COBB Tuning Black FMIC Core for VB Subaru WRX

COBB Tuning’s Black FMIC Core for VB WRX models is the heart of the COBB front mount system: a Garrett core measuring 24 x 8 x 3.5 in, finished in black powder coat. Black keeps the core from drawing the eye through the grille. COBB rates it for the factory calibration or Off The Shelf maps, so the cooling gain comes without a retune. On its own it is a replacement or colour swap part; a stock top mount WRX needs the full kit.

Core Design

Charge air moves bottom to top through the Garrett core rather than side to side. COBB says that orientation helps the system package neatly in the WRX bumper. Tapered sheet aluminum end tanks keep pressure even across the core. In the full kit, structural Thrust Tunnels hold the core and guide air through the cooling stack.

Features

Garrett core measuring 24 x 8 x 3.5 in with bottom to top airflow
Tapered formed sheet aluminum end tanks for even pressure across the core
Machined billet aluminum 2.5 in inlet and outlet
Black powder coat finish over the assembled core
Made in the USA

Specifications

Core Dimensions: 24 x 8 x 3.5 in
Flow Direction: Vertical, bottom to top
Inlet and Outlet: 2.5 in billet aluminum
End Tanks: Formed sheet aluminum, tapered
Finish: Black powder coat

Applications

Subaru WRX: VB | 2022-present | Sedan, manual and CVT, USDM and ADM
Subaru WRX Sportswagon: 2022-present | CVT | ADM
Subaru WRX TR: VB | 2024 | Sedan, manual | USDM

Notes

The Black FMIC Core for VB replaces the core of an existing COBB front mount intercooler and does not bolt in place of the factory top mount intercooler
Hot and cold charge piping is a separate part, 746550-Piping, and is not included
COBB normally supplies this core inside its Front Mount Intercooler Kits, part numbers 746550-BK and 746550-SL
COBB lists this part as still in external testing with the CARB EO process ongoing; not legal for sale or use in California on any emission controlled motor vehicle

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the Black FMIC Core for VB fit a stock WRX with the factory top mount intercooler? No. The Black FMIC Core for VB is designed to sit in the bumper opening as part of the COBB front mount system, which also needs the hot and cold charge pipes and a bumper support beam. A stock WRX should get the complete COBB kit.
How big is the COBB front mount core for the 2022 and newer WRX? COBB specifies a Garrett core measuring 24 inches by 8 inches by 3.5 inches. Air passes through it vertically, from bottom to top, and the inlet and outlet on the tapered end tanks are machined billet aluminum, sized at 2.5 inches.
Does this intercooler core require a tune? No. COBB states that tuning changes are not required to support this intercooler. It can safely run on the stock Subaru calibration or on COBB Off The Shelf maps through an Accessport, and the core does not change any calibration requirement.
Is the core legal for use in California? No. COBB lists the Black FMIC Core for VB as still in external testing, with the CARB Executive Order submission not yet complete. As listed, it is not legal for sale or use in California on any emission controlled motor vehicle. No EO number has been issued for it yet.
Should I choose the Black FMIC Core for VB or the silver one? Both share the same Garrett core, end tanks and billet connections, so cooling performance is identical. Only the powder coat differs. Black tends to disappear behind the grille and suits darker paint, while silver makes the upgrade obvious from the front.

About COBB Tuning

COBB Tuning was founded by Trey Cobb in 1999 in Rockwall, Texas, as a Subaru performance shop in the back of his father’s tire shop, and is now headquartered in Austin, Texas. In 2004 COBB introduced the Accessport, a handheld ECU tuning device that flashes COBB’s off-the-shelf maps or a custom tune and doubles as a real-time gauge and datalogger. The range has since grown from Subaru to Ford, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Toyota platforms, with intakes, intercoolers, exhausts and flex fuel kits engineered alongside the tuning, and many COBB parts carry California Air Resources Board Executive Order numbers for use in all 50 states.

Additional Information

The Bulletproof Automotive website contains many thousands of products purchased in multiple different currencies. All of the prices are entered manually and accurately at the time of entry. Due to the consistently fluctuating international exchange rates, at times prices may not be able to be honored at their original intended rate. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, unfortunately our website is unable to compensate dynamically for what can at times be volatile changes in the cost of items due to currency values fluctuating, changes in prices from suppliers, changes in shipping and import duties, and other factors. Rest assured that any order you place on line will be at zero risk to you in this area. If in the event your order cannot be fulfilled at the original intended website price we will offer you a 100% refund, no questions asked. We will continue to do our best to maintain updated prices and we will always continue to offer our price match guarantees as well to ensure our prices are always the best for you. In short, prices may change without notice. It is always advised to give us a call prior to placing your order online to confirm availability and to confirm current pricing.

Shipping Policy

Items that are in stock in the US, either at Bulletproof’s warehouse or at a supplier’s warehouse, are generally delivered within 7-10 days. Special order items from overseas take considerably longer. As a courtesy Bulletproof offers delivery estimates to our customers which take into consideration manufacturer availability and shipping schedule. These estimates represent our best guess based on previous orders from the manufacturer and do not in any way imply a guaranteed delivery window. Many manufacturers work in a “just in time” inventory system and often take 2-20+ weeks to produce an item once an order is submitted. All deliverable items are then sent to our Japanese warehouse. Bulletproof ships a minimum of one full ocean freight container every month from Japan, oftentimes more than one a month. Ocean freight takes an average of 4 weeks. Typically it breaks down to one week in Japan for paperwork and customs, two weeks by boat and one week in US customs/clearance. Due to the wide number of variables between manufacturer and shipping schedules, delivery estimates are simply just that – estimates. We attempt to estimate conservatively and we usually deliver faster than our estimates suggest. It is not Bulletproof’s policy to guarantee delivery time of any special order item, this is impossible for us to do. By ordering you acknowledge that there is no required delivery ETA and an order may not be canceled or altered due to manufacturing or shipping delays, all ETA’s are provided as a best guess only. Please review the full Terms & Conditions here.

BP Pricing Difference

We do pricing a little differently on our JDM brands and we believe in making things simple and clear. No hidden fees or surcharges. Every price you see includes the shipping cost to our office in Los Angeles, California and all the associated taxes/duties/fees for bringing the products into the US. The only shipping you ever pay is from our facility in the US to your location. Be wary of resellers that don’t include the cost of international shipping in their pricing on JDM parts. While we believe we’ll always have the lowest all-in price on JDM products, we offer a price match guarantee for all authentic parts purchased from authorized dealers as well. For many international customers, it’s much more affordable to ship from the USA than from Japan directly, as the air freight and ocean freight costs are typically much less. However, for customers looking to ship directly from Japan outside of North America, or domestically in Japan, we can provide pricing specifically for that scenario. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any pricing questions or concerns. Please email us at sales@bulletproofautomotive.com with any inquiries.

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COBB Tuning Black FMIC Core for VB Subaru WRX [746550-Black-Core]

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COBB Tuning Black FMIC Core for VB Subaru WRX

Core Design

Features

Specifications

Applications

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

About COBB Tuning

Reviews