In this car, the stock latch has been deleted, it is removed from the car, and a carbon fiber duct panel was created without a latch hole, only holes for the pins.
Before the 2002 update, when I was using a Marga Hills hood, I used both systems, the latch and hood pins; the latch operated fine, and the pins were a safety measure, there was enough give to 'pop' the hood while still being pinned, then the pins were removed, and the hood could be raised. To close the hood, it was lowered until it latched, and the pins would 'self-latch' (they're spring loaded).
While having a sudden impact on your windshield, combined with going from full to zero visibility, and the sudden rush of air and or glass from your hood latch failure will not guaranty a crash, its not an experience any of us wants to go through, and will make a safe slow down of the car nearly impossible at freeway speeds - how will you know its safe not to slow down? Perhaps you will spear into a stopped car at freeway speed while 'safely' negotiating a lane change to the shoulder. Perhaps you won't see the car that has just changed lanes into your area of the freeway post failure?
The point is, a hood pin system is safer than any latch on aftermarket composite hoods, and is a smart thing to do; if you would rather 'look cleaner' than be safe, its your decision to make; my reality has not been changed by spending 100 bucks on hood pins, I do not sell them, but I do use them.
