hi, the exact same motor, except one has a turbo under the apron tinware, the other has it inside the engine compartment.

in the engine bay would be hotter and too hot for our conditions

Yea, having such a heat generator in the cool air side of the tinware is a very bad idea.

yea i see the logic in under the apron. i wonder how/why so many street turbos in usa, in places hotter than here have them in the engine bay with a closed bootlid. some without even standoffs.

Most of them aren't driven enough for heat to even be an issue plus VW shops are everywhere in the US and parts so cheap over there that many don't care, if it blows up just get another.

Agreed with all of the above (especially Joel)!

It's also done thru laziness and budget as trying to make a manifold to sit below the tinware and not have the turbo sit too far below the sump line or too near the engine and rear valance takes much more time and effort to contort the pipework in such a fashion.

Above the tinware is much easier as you just feed 4 long pipes up into the engine bay with far less curves n bends involved.

In saying that tho a custom manifold is far cheaper to have made in USA and UK compred to here cos the labour rates are so much lower.