Dad got his body kit on the XKR and it looks tough

 

Very nice, I'm sure that he is thrilled! I have not seen that one before. Do you know who made it?
Thanks,
Brian

 

looks good, any back shots

 

Are those functional brake cooling ducts?

 

Not sure who makes the body kit. He searched for about 3 months to find what he wanted and then it took another 2 months to get here.
The ducts are functional BUT have no duct work in them to direct the air flow directly to the brakes.

The bad news is, he got to drive it 5 times since the body kit was put on and yesterday someone rear ended him and my mother in it and crunched the front end..... It's now on it's way to the body shop. It buckled the hood, cruncted the fiberflex bumpers and broke the head lights. It also ripped the radiator support.

Dad is sick.... He wa so sad....
I happen to be driving home and pass them right after it happened and followed them most of the way home. He was able to drive it home.

Bad day for his baby,

 

Sorry that's the only shot he has but it looks like a Viper from the rear.

 

Poor guy, what lousy ^$^$()%(!!!! luck!
I hope thta he recovers someday.
Brian

 

Sorry to hear glad no one got hurt. Is he going to put a twin screw on to back up that fierce look.

 

This kit is sold by a company out of the UK called "Design XKR"

http://www.designxkr.co.uk/Styling_prod06.htm

support@designxkr.co.uk

 

Thanks, that's an interesting look. Did all the body repair work turn out OK?
Brian

 

When it comes to body kits for all cars I have seen, and especially in the case of higher-end vehicles, I have found that there is a very fine line between tasteful and cheesy.

The most bewildering trend in my local area (Los Angeles) are some of the over-the-top kits I am seeing more and more on otherwise nice looking Mercedes sedans. Some of these end up looking like some 1970s-vintage American muscle cars--just ends up looking very incongruous.

Doug

 

@Doug :

I agree.

I personally do not like the look of this kit and don't believe that it adds to the elegance of this vehicle. Definitely not the "timeless" look...

FYI: I think this kit retails under the "Veilside" brand.

 

My humble opionion is that a design this beautiful cannot be improved with kits.. Only thing that might improve the looks of the car is some nice wheels suiting the general shape of the car, and perhaps minor lowering. Apart from that I think it is a shame mounting kits.

On my Maserati, everything I've done to it bodywise are parts bought from
Maserati, beeing fitted to later cars. Like on the jag, perhaps chrome surrounds on the rear lights, white\clear blinkers and perhaps the updated rear lights.

My 2cents...

Cheers, Jarle

 

Would you add makeup to the Mona Lisa? Personally, I think that the Jag XK8 and XKR have a classic beauty, as designed. I don't have a problem with people doing what they want to to with their own property if it pleases them, but for me, I like it just the way that it is.

 

I really liked the front 3/4 view of your car with the kit. The back 3/4 view is too too much for me. It just shouts look at me, I'm a boy racer. No offence entended.

 

I suppose design perfection is a bit absolute, but I have to say that of all the cars I have owned, and I have been fortunate to own some very nice rides, the XKR wins hands down on unsolicited compliments. I have been haled a traffic lights and approached in parking lots by the ladies, men and kids of varying age and socioeconomic status who ooze with compliments! The car just tests very well with everyone. And...I still find myself glancing back for just another look as I walk away and I probably always will. How do you improve on a design that pleases so many?

Tim V.
2005 XKR. Xercon Blue Coupe
Red Brembos and Handling Upgrade

 

My 2005 XKR is still new to me (had it just over a year now) but I do enjoy looking back at it as I walk away. The only other car I have owned where I was excited looking at it 14 years after the day I bought it was my 95 Corvette which I just sold. Seeing it in the morning or walking to the car after work always put a smile on my face. I hope the XKR does the same after a number of years of ownership.

Doug

 

I have to agree with everyone in that the factory look of my XK8 is very appealing. From the rear "haunches" to the elegant front-end.. these aspects really define it as a timeless wonder. I am confident that as the years pass, our XKs will become more and more valuable... as long as they are not torn apart to fit short-trended body modifications.

I've had the urge, admittedly, to find a kit to make my ride "stand out" and look more aggressive on the race track, yet retain its elegance... The only kit that I found which satisfies these goals (in my opinion) is the Zeemax ZKR kit... see below. Although I will probably not purchase the kit because I love the timelessness of my ride, every once in a while I have to fight off the urges... I'm really not into the chrome surrounds, carbon fiber, wood over-kill, nor the mesh grill... but of course, "good looks" are in the eye of the beholder and are purely a personal preference and I respect the choice of others to build their dreamcars the way they like.

Have a look at my dream kit... priced at about $4,000 shipping out of the UK.

 

The rear spoiler looks like it melted in the hot sun!

 

Like many others I have owned many cars and have always had the opinion the original design was always the most beautiful and I take great pains to keep my cars stock. Aside from the aesthetics, its much easier to sell a stock vehicle than one all "made-up".

The Datsun 240Z is a great example of "owners gone wild" and the unfortunate result. You are hard-pressed to find an un-molested early vintage Z. So many of them were modified to such a degree that they lost all of their appeal...IMHO. Such a shame as its design is as timeless as our XK8s.

That all said...to each his own.