Hello, everyone, I’m new to the form, but not Jaguar. In thepast I’ve owned a 1999 (dark green) and a 2002 XJ8 VDP (black) and loved themboth. When I was looking to buy a new car in 2006 and I switch to the Audi A8L Quarto as I didn’t care for the new bodychanges Jaguar did in 2004. I owed two A8’s (dark green and black). They arealso a great car. The handling with the all-wheel drive is amazing. This year, it was time once again to get a new(used I never by new) car. I went to look at a 2010 black Audi A8 and sittingnext to it was silver 2011 XJ8L. The love affair with Audi was over. I had notseen the new Jaguar up close and I have to say I was once again hooked on theJaguar, and I don’t even like silver cars. I always felt that a large luxury carin black, that was all polished up was the best looking car on the road, butwith the lines and new look of the jaguar…. well, I’m driving a silver car and inside and out, it’s betterlooking than the black Audi. It was even and less expensive and had a warranty.Now to my question. One of the favoritethings on my pervious jags was the leaper on the hood. With that body style, the leaper was made tobe on the car. I have one on the new car and it seems out of place and I hateto say it because I like the leaper, but it doesn’t add to the car. So, hasanyone replaced it with a growler badge of some kind? I think a flat growler badge would lookbetter.

 

I wasn't aware that the new XJ's came with the hood leaper...maybe the previous owner added it? The new XJ's have an emblem in the grill...which you should have unless it has been removed.

If it is attached with screws and there are holes in the hood you will either have to cover it with something or have the holes filled in...

If the leaper is held on with double sided tape/adhesive you can remove the leaper and clean the area.

 

the new XJ's do not have a leaper.....so it was definitely added by the owner. the leapers are not tape mounted...they're screwed in.

you can either have the body work fixed to cover up the hole....or just cover with a growler

 

thanks for the responses. It was added by the dealer per the first owners request, and it is screwed on. That's why I was wondering if anyone had ever taken it off and replaced it with something that could be bolted into the same holes. Not worth the cost of having it removed, the holes filled and painted.