Wix 51348 - different center tube

[Virtuoso]

Bought my usual Wix 51348 filter for my Saturn today and noticed the steel tube in the middle of the filter is not the same as I'm used to. It looks like something out of a Fram/Purolator.. It doesn't have the same spiral holes & grooves that I'm used to seeing in a Wix filter. I may cut it open when I'm done with the OCI just for kicks.
Other than that, it looked like business as usual. Oh, this was also the first black Wix filter I've encountered.

 

[gudmund]

this sounds like the "spin flow" model that Napa is selling now. They are made by Wix, but are not the same as the Napa Gold/top of line Wix. The Napa "spin flow" ones are the same as the Napa "Silver"s but with some kind flow direction vanes in them that is suppost to cause a spinning thing when filtering. They are also Black in color with the cheaper black rubber anti-back flow valve instead of the red silcone which the "Gold"s have. The Napa number for theirs starts with a 9 (91348)

 

[Virtuoso]

According to Wix the center tube deviation is temporary due to issues they are having on a production line; FWIW.