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Another problem with the Ram Air designs of many cars is that the faster you go the less airflow exists over the hood. The bow wave of the car causes a low pressure area above the hood, hence the simple principle of how a car acts like a wing. Downforce becomes necessary.
Anyhow, that's why you notice that in drag cars the intakes are always mounted high up, more like a snorkel. This is such that as they get going fast enough the snorkel is still in the higher pressure region rather than trapped in the low pressure region.
My guess is that the ram air designs are purely marketing tools, but I don't know. They certainly don't look like they're very functional, but I couldn't say. Best bet would be to take the same engine in the same car, and give one a non "ram air" intake system while leaving the other stock, and race the two. Accounting for any difference in pressure drop through an intake tube could be done carefully on a dyno to ensure an even fairer test. I wouldn't be surprised if the two come out equal, or even if the non ram air one wins.
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