Hi Everyone,

I was off the Jag game for some time, having multiple cars in the mean time. Now I'm shopping for a new weekender - S-type and i have a few questions regarding the leaper and S-type.

Was the leaper on s-type special accessory or was it related to some trim level only? I'm bit confused as the Stype is already quite old car and maybe some of them were modified in the process to have leapers instad of badges.

So far i can identify the Arden leapers as they have the round base, but there will be for sure quite few where someone drilled additional hole for the original leaper. How to recognize that and not take the car apart?

Also is there any easy way to replace the OEM leaper with two wholes with some OEM badge only? I was browsing the forums but most of the posts regarding this were already too old and pics were missing.

Lets please not get into some flame war leaper vs. badge.

I just want to know how to spot rebuild badge/leaper and how to eventually change it myself.


Thank you.

 

Note that the X200 had the 'Growler' badge ON the bonnet, meaning that there was a hole in the bonnet if you removed this badge.
Therefore if you wanted the 'Leaper' on your X200 it was very easy to just remove the bonnet badge and replace it with the Leaper.
From the X202 on the Growler badge was incorporated as part of the grille, meaning no factory standard hole in the bonnet. On these later cars if you wanted the Leaper you would have to drill a hole in the bonnet and mount the Leaper.
So if you have one of the later cars and it's got the Leaper, you will have to buy an X200 Growler badge (a few different styles of badge were made) and place it over the hole. So then you will end up with two Growler badges. Or you can have the hole welded up and respray the whole bonnet.
Or you can just leave things the way they are!

Some markets forbade the Leaper, usually due to local rules. I don't think anyone's gone to jail for retrofitting a Leaper on their bonnet...

 

The leaper was an optional extra on the s-type.
The item is spring mounted and part number XR857738. They are still available from Jaguar at £120.19 + shiping.

I do not like them myself and think they look out of place on the S-type. But It is all down to personal choice.
In addition they are often placed wrongly when fitted.
Here is a photo of a 05 face lift car with the leaper from the jaguar accesories catalogue.




Mellow

 

I believe the intended market for the vehicle may have been a factor in the presence of the leaper as a stock item, or not. I don't think I have ever seen a stock U.S. version of the X202 or later S-type with a growler only and omitting the leaper.