a) Thanks for the reply. I know the filter housing is cast into the back of the block. But I'm sure someone could make an adaptor to replace the filter cover to plumb the oil to an external oil filter housing and subsequently to an oil cooler (heat exchanger) and back into the adaptor to oil the engine.
They could also make one where a regular spin-on filter could be screwed on top of the adaptor (sandwich) upside down -would be a mess to change though.
b) My car was built in April of 2006 and the engine has no oil cooler.