I just picked up a 2011 Jaguar XF, probably my favorite car in any practical sense of affordability, of all time. I do love the refresh that came in 2012 also, but there is something special in the look at certain angles and from the side of this car due to the dynamism, the rippledness in the look.
The 2012 look is definitely more corporate meeting looking (though some would praise it as concept car like) and has nothing quirky whatsoever about it and it just maybe is a little too smoothed out and makes the design a little boring from the front.
I know I am being totally ridiculous in trying to do something about this, but I would like to see a solution to the awkwardness and sort of buggy look to the headlights though, without actually requiring them to look anything like the refresh for MY12.
Somehow, there is a slapped on look to this headlight and it definitely looks too large from a mostly front oriented angle.
I have thought about a carbon fibre wrap or tape on the chrome surrounding part of light which could be body colored. In my case, I have the winter gold or cashmere color. I wonder if some tinting inside the headlight would help a little. Why can't the bottom of the headlight be cut and reshaped to
contain a semicircle shaped piece instead of the headlight washer which could then be painted body color? The headlights could also be curved to recess more along the side part of the car. Nevermind,... there is no hope I guess. Without someone doing a custom hood, bumper and light for
you for a fortune, nothing can be done I guess!
Nobody has any thoughts about it I guess.

 

i mean, there are things you can do. Tint them, do an eyebrow, paint the inside of the housings. All these things can be done by you if your competent or by a shop for relatively inexpensive. It is entirely up to you what you want to do with your car.

 

Adamesh sell 'eyebrows' for the earlier XF style. They go on the top part of the headlight to reduce what some refer to as the bug eye look
See link
https://www.adamesh.co.uk/jaguar-xf-...ers-2315-p.asp

Is that what you had in mind?

 

This Jaguar in my garage has the same "bug eye" look, but somehow people managed to get used to it, and some people even like it.

 

i liked the bugeye when it came out, but then i saw the facelift and liked that more haha.

dont get the eyelids, its a crappy hack and doesnt make it look that much better

 

So, I agree mostly with you guys that the buggy eyed look is not exactly what is bad here. In fact, there will eventually be more appreciation of it probably, but when you see pictures especially, the aesthetic flaws of this look stand out. Primarily when you have a closer photo which might<br />magnify the problem. It's also a situation where the CHEAPNESS and bubbled out appearance of the light stands out whether in photos or real life. So what is the solution? I am not enough of an artist, but I doubt that it can be solved very well without the whole thing being<br />redone on the assembly line. The eyelid thing just doesn't really work, but perhaps there could be a superior eyelid made, who knows. Tinting can help some, probably slightly.<br />I wish there was some way to fabricate some things and glue them onto the fender and hood. :-)

I'm going to come up with some 'artist's conception' and upload it soon.

 

lotusespritse, I love your car! You make an excellent point. I think you did find a correct influence in the the design lineage of the XF. Yes, they were onto a little something with that E type thingie!

carzaddict, yeah, the followup to the x250 was definitely very svelte and I liked it for a long time before I ever decided to finally buy an XF two months ago. And I bought the bug-eyed one, so I guess it's like the supermodel with the mole on her face.....