I took my trunk badges off, and have lured many an unsuspecting boy racer as a result. However, the best is when they are suspicious that something isn't right, slowly pull forward with my car, look at the brakes and back WAY off.

 

Ha Ha Ha... That's awsome...

Similar thing happens when they pull along side and notice the "hemi" badge on the fender of my car...

Yea I know... 346hp is not as good as 400... but still fun!

 

love it. good call

 

Is the grill frame stainless? If so it may have been changed at the dealer when the car was new. They are notorious for that. There wasn't a luxury pack trim option on the early R cars but you could get different grills out of the gate.

The factory grill on the R has a body color frame..

 

It's weird, I can't really tell if it is stainless or a dark kind of chrome. I need to look a it closer. No, the frame is black like the rest of the car. All the rear trunklid trim is black, all the body color moldings, etc. This is the only thing not body color. Must have been the original owner's choice I suppose. I like it.

 

My brother has a Jeep Wrangler with a chevy 350 out of a 91 Caprice with a few go fast goodies... 4:10 gears in both axles, so it pulls like a freight train on the street until about 65-70.

Of course it has a 2.5 L low output sticker on the back...

You should see the faces on civic drivers when that thing launches LOL...

Take care,

George

 

The picture you attached is a regular R grill for 03. They were body color frame with a chrome mesh. All the other trim should be body color as well except for the window trim, that would be black on all cars.

What I was referring to, is in 06 they came out with a luxury package for the R that put back all the chrome trim from the standard car. Chrome framed grill, window surrounds, bumper trim, ect. When you pull the R badges off of one of those, they really look just like a regular S to the untrained eye..

Here is one...

 

Consider me "edumacated" - thanks Jeff!

 

Which is the reason why I might be painting my chrome trimming being I have a "R luxury package"
Last month a regular s-type (01-04 4.0) raced me and it felt good teasing the poor man. lol

 

Please don't take it the wrong way as this is just the opinion of one guy who likes original cars.... DON'T DO IT......

Actually, while more common than some other odd ball models, yours is a rare car. Keep her original. I actually envy your car since I believe that 07 was the last year that the R was brought here to the US. I have yet to see an 08. They say the 08 was available, but the 08 S Type in general is pretty rare since the XF was already known by then.

If you really must do it.... Get additional trim, and have it painted and installed on the car..saving the original stuff so it can be changed back..

Just my two cents....

Spend the money on some bolt on "go fast" goodies and make your "sleeper" even faster...

 

No I wont take it the wrong way pleease, I say things but but dont really do it lol. My plans are just bolt on engine performance like you mentioned, lowering springs and powder-coat the rims.

 

Yay! I'm going to do rims on my 300 as well... I can't believe the "cheap crap" they put on it from the factory.. The car came standard with what they call "chrome clad" wheels... It is an aluminum wheel with a plastic chrome insert... basically a fancy set of hub caps that you can't take off!