There have been quite a few threads recently about intercooler upgrades, the usual "which is best?" questions followed by the usual full spectrum of answers ranging from feasible to implausible and everything in between. It's clear that some people have had success with a particular setup that others haven't, and so the debate will inevitably rumble on.
It got me thinking about a different means of cooling. I've read about water meth a few times on here, usually as part of quite a hefty power-focussed build - k04 or bigger, all the bolt-ons including a bigger intercooler - and it obviously plays a part in hitting big figures. From what I gather installing a kit and maintaining its reliability could be more straightforward, but I expect as time goes on designs will improve and things will get easier for the user. The fact that (I think) BMW are starting to utilise water meth also points to the technology becoming more mainstream.
Considering the pros and cons of a large intercooler (possible lag, boost drop) how effective would a water meth install alongside a standard GTI/Ed30 cooler be? Not necessarily in a situation where you were chasing numbers, but trying to achieve equal or improved cooling compared to the same car fitted with a big intercooler and no water meth. Theoretically if equivalent cooling function is achieved the big advantage would be a better response and spool; charge air wouldn't have to fill the volume of a big intercooler, and this might open some new doors when it comes to mapping.
So, are we there yet? Is water meth a viable alternative to the traditional big intercooler rather than a niche add-on reserved for squeezing out an extra few horses on big power cars?