This modification is being done on a 2006 Audi S4, but it may apply to other models. This modification reduces the size of the rear black plastic plate carrier, cleaning up the rear end the way it should have been.
Tools needed:
This is what we are removing:

Start by removing your license plate and frame. On our car, it was held on by two Phillips head screws up top. With the plate and the frame out of the way, you can focus on the carrier seen below:

Next remove the two torx bolts seen above. The carrier will not come off, it is held onto the trunk with double sided tape. You need to pry it off the trunk by hand or with a flathead screwdriver as seen below. Use some sort of cloth or material to protect the paint if you do it this way. Start in the middle, this should be the highest point and easiest place to get a grasp of the carrier.

Once you get this off, you will see three strips of double sided tape as seen below:

Its now time to cut the carrier down, so get your Dremel out. We tried a hack saw and sawzall, and the dremel is the only way to get it right. You need to cut the carrier right below the lower screw anchors, but make sure you keep them intact. See below:

Cut all the way across to get this:

Sand down the rough edge with the Dremel:

At this point you are almost ready to put everything back together. Before we do that, you need to replace at least one strip of double sided tape in order to make sure the bond is good between the carrier and the trunk. The double sided tape is important to make sure there are no rattles, the torx bolts which you removed earlier hold the carrier securely. We removed the lower most strip and replaced it before putting the carrier back on.



With the new double sided tape in place, reinstalling is reverse of removal. Make sure the frame, plate, and carrier are lined up and level, and you are all set. The finished result is shown below! Good Luck!

