I agree with you that the crossflow design is bad. And the pressure drop was horrible. And I can tell you that the GTZ-R nose gave it ample space for equal cooling. I loved the looks. But what I *REALLY* hated was the fact that it completely blocked direct air to the radiator. It was fine during the Winter months. But sucked on hot humid days. Water temp would start to rise. It became a headache that can be avoided.
So now my position on this is that Nissan got right the first time. Put them on the sides. It really is the best design.
