Only just seen this thread.
I can't believe they've made the engine cover optional ???
On the TDIs, together with the carefully moulded bits of foam round the cylinder head, they are supposed to
help cut engine noise.
I stand by my prediction that one day they'll have cut so many more bits out of the Mk4 each model year, that eventually it won't actually have an engine
Sounds to me like a company desperately trying to save money.