CRAZY Carbon Project: RS3 Saloon Carbon Hood with Engine Bay Window

Hey guys,

I'm looking for the adventurous ones of you for this one! So please consider this really creative and be honest with your opinions, I want to hear your thoughts please

I'm thinking of a project that I dont think has been done before but i feel may look quite cool

Looking for your opinions and expertise to see if it could work (be feasable too of course)

We all know we have an awesome 5cylinder 2.5L turbo, is there a way to carbon it up and show it off in a subtle way?

My plan (please punch holes in it (pardon the pun) as you see it please)

1. Mark on new Carbon hood the exact shape, size and positioning of the engine bay window opening I want (It will be like a mirror image shape of the classic Audi front grill hexagon - see pic)
2. Make a smaller than desired cutout from the centre of the new Carbon hood to allow for fine tune sanding the inner edges
3. Take the old hood and make a slightly oversized flat cut out of the window bay I want from a sheet of clear polycarbonate of a good thickness (maybe 6mm)
4. Oven heat the flat polycarbonate sitting on top of the curved old hood until the polycarbonate becomes flexible, curves and assumes the curvature shape of the hood over the area where it would go,
5. Allow them both to cool/harden.
6. Trim/sand down the excess curved edges and polish off the polycarbonate
7. Now support the new Carbon hood as it will be significantly "floppier" than the old one (maybe glue some excess carbon around the inner ring of the hood to reinforce and glueing them from underneath.
8. Place whatever level of dark gloss tint to the polycarbonate now (to match the black stealth look of the rest of gloss black car, with a hint of the 5 red engine cylinders and the carbon internal parts)
9. Attaching to the hood, place the curved polycarbonate piece in the engine bay cut-out on the new hood, have an inner lip glued running around the edge of the opening for this polycarbonate piece to sit on and glue onto
10. Let the glue set and place clear plastic protective wrap over top of new Carbon engine bay hood to form a seal over the whole hood as a unit and it also protects from scratches to the tinted polycarbonate and the carbon at the same time (I have Aliath clear front hood wrap to put over it)

Issues to overcome:

• Don't know if a Single sided Carbon hood central portion can be cut out say with a circular saw, who would do it and who would have a car part-oven and be able to tint the polycarbonate piece, glue an inner lip for the polycarbonate piece to sit/glue onto and then apply the clear hood wrap over it all and fit the hood to the car?
• Buying a Single sided Carbon hood cost about £1,000
• Dont know what type of perspex, plexi glass or acrylic or whatever type of lightweight, non discolouring easy to cut and sand/polish plastic that will bend to shape in an oven - ***your advice or help with this please

Please let me know if this is do able according to the steps above,
I want it to look as subtle stealthy black/carbon whilst also displaying subtle signs of the masterpiece of this engine in such a tiny form factor that is a family carrier saloon! - to be proud of our choice of car

(when cash reserves build back up, would look to get engine bay carbon trim and a Carbon Eventuri intake - all being on display through the finely gloss black tinted window on the carbon hood

I have no chrome anywhere on or in the car except the RS3 badges and the circular part of the inside airvents so the red of the 5cylinder engine cover would nicely match the red RS3 on the engine and the one at the front grill, may get Red painted brake callipers (have stock black right now) for subtle touches of red around the car

(Externally I have carbon wing mirrors, carbon front canards, carbon side skirts, carbon look audi rings, carbon door handle covers, carbon rear roof spoiler, carbon rear spoiler, carbon rear diffusor and getting front and rear XL carbon mudguards (as the spacers mean the tyres kick up a lot of dirt onto the side door panel - dirty, I have 19" spaced new RS5 katana blade alloys)

Internally I have Audi OEM Carbon internal trim, extra carbon on air vents, carbon headunit MMI cover Red carbon paddle shifters matching my Red Carbon Keyfob case, carbon gear knob, carbon centre console)

Maybe get Carbon rear oval tailpipes, carbon wrap the roof and front splitter to match the real carbon hood, with dark red alcantara dash and Carbon steering wheel trim)

Whatcha guys think?

I was on Pinterest and saw an awesome RS6 engine bay window carbon hood and thought what would that look like on an RS3 lol

Haha yes, quite the wallet killing obsession yes this is quite far out there but isn’t really just a lot of DIYing with a hood, Perspex, tint and glue?

Curious if others think exposing the engine bay may look cool?

Yes, definitely torn between the unique effect of a tinted engine bay window with all the engine carbon and whether like you said it's more suited to other cars (which is where my gut was siding towards but thought why not see what people think), plus the engine alignment if off centre in the the RS3 and not symmetrical like in higher end RS'

It's highly unlikely I'm going to attempt such a crazy project as a newbie and on the fence with the look but thought I'd put it out there, Lol did say it was quite a creative idea hehe, just considered it from that RS6 pic i saw

can't wait to climb the RS pecking order. (Dream car: R8 ABT 2017 in ABT Red) - or any ABT car tbh

Thanks guys

Haha just a mad hatter me, got the crazy idea from this darwin rs6 hood which looked cool the rest of the Darwin looks over the top but yes the RS3 engine doesn’t look anyway near as good at that nor is it positioned symmetrically plus the small bonnet size so in all.... yup it’s a flop idea

Loved the 2F2F supra reference lol

The less mad part of me was leaning more towards a simple single vented carbon hood by Revozport and then a toned down LMS style wrap but with less “look at me” bright colours (dark yellow gold with gold painted callipers, more like this Black Ronin look on Youtube:

From that crazy window bay idea it's turned out, some Motorsport team in the Far East did just that and made a carbon hood with a glass window for the FL RS3. Gotta admit now looking back at it all now in retrospect, it's all a bit ott lol but if someone out there in the far east does get it and pairs it with an Eventuri red carbon engine cover and intake system, that may be the only thing worth showcasing through this window cover