X-Type bonnet ornament... cool or not???

All X-Types, S-Types & XJ's delivered to the US came with a leaper on the bonnet (um...hood).
Have a look around for US cars, maybe the online autotrader or the US forum, make your own mind up.
Personally, I wouldn't....I think the last Jag that could get away with a leaper was the Series III XJ from...1982?
The yanks have even put leapers on the XF and new XJ, oh dear....

Its just is not right on an X - I wouldn't put one on mine, nor would I buy an X with one on. - So not cool!

its all down to personal preference, personally i like the leaper on the bonnet, bought one myself but havent put it on yet and not sure if i will( dont want it ripping out of the bonnet). the only people who make the comment about its a posh mondeo and looks like a rover are only jealous. there is a leaper for the bonnet that can be removed but costs £260 approx, mine is the us spec one with a teardrop base but is still sprung loaded. there is a lot of comments on threads about leapers both for and against but each to their own really.

I don't think it looks right on any Jag since the Mk2.

I think it even spoils this
JAGUAR XJ 4.2 COUPE ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES IN THE UK TODAY | eBay

Wow. That coupe is very gorgeous.

Back to the topic though, no. Leapers on X-types look silly and makes the front of the car too 'busy'. It's already got the old XJ front on top of the XK open mouth. How many 'nods to the past' can you fit on the front of a car?! IMHO.

I have an original leaper from a long time ago, not sure which model it is from. It is highly polished and is mounted on a wooden block, which stands on my mantlepiece. I think it looks best there.

Not really to my liking on the X-type! I wonder if the leaper is the reason for the 2 star NCAP pedestrian rating??
Regards,
Dave

Thought long and hard about this. Decided that mine's not a leaper, it's a growler.

dmcsweeney said:

Not really to my liking on the X-type! I wonder if the leaper is the reason for the 2 star NCAP pedestrian rating??
Regards,
Dave

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Well you could use it as a foresight when aiming at a pedestrian I suppose!!! lol

LOL!

Get a crosshair on there instead!!

dmcsweeney said:

Not really to my liking on the X-type! I wonder if the leaper is the reason for the 2 star NCAP pedestrian rating??
Regards,
Dave

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How can it possibly be when it's only fitted to US models, thought the NCAP was Euro only?

It has wrong written all over it. Cars proportions don't suit it IMHO you will also devalue your car, introduce another rust source and if they think it looks like a rover then a shiny cat ornament on the bonnet isn't going to help and I would suggest a visit to the opticians instead.

my first x type had a leaper and it looked good...but this one i have now doesnt and to be honest
i prefer without the leaper

Mine has, but it's coming off as soon as I can be bothered to arrange for a respray of the bonnet. It was a great condition 3.0 Sport Premium and the only drawback was that some muppet had fitted a leaper.

Don't do it - they look rubbish!

Cambo351 said:

All X-Types, S-Types & XJ's delivered to the US came with a leaper on the bonnet (um...hood).
Have a look around for US cars, maybe the online autotrader or the US forum, make your own mind up.
Personally, I wouldn't....I think the last Jag that could get away with a leaper was the Series III XJ from...1982?
The yanks have even put leapers on the XF and new XJ, oh dear....

Click to expand...

Just back from the US didn't see that many Jags but saw a few X Type's all with the leaper on - not my taste at all - I don't think the car is the right proportions and it just looks naff. The X Type is quite an understated car and that is part of its appeal - less is more

I don't like the look of them on the X Type at all.......no leaper !

Recently bought first Jag x type estate and it has a leaper fitted by the original owner have to say it looks ok and is the first thing people remark on and to date all positive I won't be removing as bonnet is obviously now drilled

I am with the "no" club, as above just returned from the States and have to say don't like the leader on X-Types, like Goudy I think the MK II was the last car it really suited

All a matter of taste I suppose. I've got a Canadian car that came from the factory with a leaper and I like it. It's a smaller leaper than was on the XJ's, so I think it is size appropriate. My X is a replacement for an X300 that was written off in a hail storm and it also had the factory leaper.

I was recently in the UK and I thought the X's there looked "naked" without the leaper, like a finishing touch was missing. It's all a matter of what you are used to.

I could understand them being popular in North America. Over here most people just think they're tacky. Then again, Las Vegas is tacky in the extreme but that didn't put people off building the place.

Class is quite difficult to grasp for many folk, who try to add class by copying something which has class. Donald Trump, for example, is offended that his Scottish Golf Course building architectural drawings have been vomitted all over by most people in Scotland. He thought it looked classy, like a copy of genuine old buildings found in St Andrews, but he's American. Everyone here just thought it looked like an attempt to build a brand new historic building, which is a cack idea.

I think leapers are a desperate attempt to add a classic touch to a modern car. There's nothing wrong with leapers on classic Jags, but a modern Jag is modern. Modern cars look their best sparkling clean and uncluttered.