Friend has a '96 I30. There is a intake looking part in the lower part of the grill (driver's side). When i look under the hood, it looks like it ends immediately - pointing towards the transmission. What is that thing and why don't Maxima's have it?

 

95-96 max's have them and I believe just 96 I30's have them,atleast my 98 does not. It is some kind of cooling system that got scratched later on in production,it's probably pretty useless.