Simples, does it aid performance in anyway? Does it make the car much louder?
It makes the supercharger whine louder and I think it definately improves the throttle response.
I would imagine you’d get a few BHP from it as well, but that’s not really the point of it I’d say. It’s more down to the way it makes the car sound and the way the throttle feels more instant.
It’s a mod I’d certainly recommend! 
Thing is do they filter out as much crap as the standard filter?
Yes filtration medium is the same just much much bigger! So in effect the filter is less restrictive but filters the to the same level as the smaller standard air box.
Also the inlet on the TRD is massive in comparisonto the small round inlet of the standard filter box.
My Toyota Yaris 1.4 Diesel airbox has a very similar construction to the TRD …
Has the same material for the filter too … It also has a much LARGER surface area on the 1.4 D than the Lotus TRD !!!
Explain that ??
Sounds like a worth while upgrade then. Cheers
Get the yaris one … bigger has got to be better … 
lol bigger aint better, suck in too much air and then the fuel mixture changes too much, so the fuel/air ratio is out.
It’s all about MAF placement, if you increase the size of the tube the MAF fits in you change the amount of air the engine is getting versus the actual flow, the MAF is set to give readings the ECU bases those readings on a known position and size of MAF tube, you change it without a remap the ECU reads incorrectly, this is why the TRD is very good as it leaves alone the MAF but uses a greater surface area for the filter and a larger intake, both these reduce restriction therefore more power (maybe) but certainly a better noise, the thing I must add is that I saw no gains on the dyno running a different air intake on my car, so unless you want real noise stick with the TRD and it works on N/A’s as well just to keep JF happy
Have a stage 3 exhaust and so to save my ears maybe i’ll give it a miss for now then.
Just had mine done and bugger me it’s loud 
By the way that’s not an invitation !!!
you had the stage 3 exhaust fitted? Have you gone slightly mad?
Mad - probably 
, TRD Airbox - yes, Stage 3 - no but not sure what’s on the car anyway.
Got the oval pipe and is plenty loud - def not Stage 1
Ah I see you have had the TRD fitted, I would never have said it was that loud, but on the other hand I don’t have conversations with my passengers anyway
I think stage 3 might be a little overkill, it’s quieter than the quicksilver one I had on my NA Exige though.