Has anyone thought about removing the spoiler from an XK - i think the rear would look better without any spoiler. The lines would be clean and more jaguar like......

i believe it only exists to ensure the brake light is a the eu stipulated height from the ground

i remember clarkson saying at very high speeds the spoiler makes the steering light as it lifts the front of the car.

Any observations? _any reason why i shouldn't do it?

thanks

Richard

 

Give it a try and lets see what it looks like. As for the high speed light steer I think it is more of air getting under the front. The spoiler on the other hand has a tendency to keep the rear down.

 

I've been wondering about this as well; would seemingly make more sense to have the rear brake light in the rear window, on the coupés at least.
Removal instructions

A spoilerless bootlid would require some cosmetic work, though, as seen here.

 

You will find the boot lid has a depression and holes stamped in it that will need to be filled/finished somehow.
I say "to each theri own", but I replaced mine with an XKR-S wing (not the GT wing) which I feel gives it a more balanced look.

 

I wouldn't. They spent a ton of time getting the high speed aerodynamics correct. The tiny spoiler balances the front end. If you remove it you'll need to do something similar to the front for balance and you'll definitely lose a lot of stability at speed. Notice how they added the tiny front lip when they added the taller rear spoiler for higher speed limit.

 

A lot of stability? That's a stretch...

 

At high speeds I can see how the lack spoiler could contribute lot of instability.
Not just the loss of downforce, but the lifting of the rear end with air flowing back under the car in addition to the vacuum that's there.
But hey, I am just speculating and taking an uneducated guess.

 

Removing the spoiler will change the whole handling balance of the car at high speeds. Maybe you should think about another car, that is more pleasing to your eye.

 

Do some research, it's not a stretch at all...

 

Ok all thanks so much for feedback.

I have been told by Jaguar here in Dubai that the spoiler only has any real impact on the cars stability and handling at very high speeds and that if I didn't track the car it would be fine. I have started the job now, not sure whether to progress now.....

 

thanks, fair point - what would you do to the front to compensate?

 

 

OK Then if you insist.
The Spoiler not only contains the center brake light, but also the antennas for the GPS. You might want to check local laws as to wether you can eliminate the light, if the GPS system is important to you, consider moving those antennas too.

 

Sounds like a lot of work to get rid of a spoiler it doesn't look that bad no one would notice the difference between but you

 

Great point! lots of downsides, zero upside.