“Leapers” bolted to modern Jags ?

[J4CKO]

Saw one and was wondering, what is the legal/insurance position on this as I am guessing they are metal, bolted through the bonnet ?

As such they would constitute a modification, one that could potentially cause some quite nasty injuries to a pedestrian who happened to be hit by one, worse than being hit by the same car with a smooth bonnet ?

[Byker28i]

Do you mean the jaguar bonnet mascot?

Arden claim there's is ok
Thanks to the sophisticated security fixture, which enables lateral and horizontal rotation of the frame, Arden guarantees maximum pedestrian impact protection.
https://www.arden.de/en/refinement/jaguar/jaguar-l...

[TheDrownedApe]

I initially pictured some poor dark ages sod with peeling skin ratcheted to the bonnet to deter thieves.

I was then slightly disappointed that it wasn't

[J4CKO]

Yeah those, see a few of them and guessing some may be reproduction, some may be an original but even so, wonder if you hit someone and had one attached and a minor injury from a low speed roll onto the bonnet ends up with a metal cat sculpture imbedded in your leg ?

Would imagine the insurance company wouldnt be too happy paying damages.

That and it looks a bit cheesy on X Types

[DaveH23]

I love them on Jaguars older stuff, they look timeless and classy, On their newer cars they just look tacky.

[plasticpig]

J4CKO said:

Yeah those, see a few of them and guessing some may be reproduction, some may be an original but even so, wonder if you hit someone and had one attached and a minor injury from a low speed roll onto the bonnet ends up with a metal cat sculpture imbedded in your leg ?

Would imagine the insurance company wouldnt be too happy paying damages.

That and it looks a bit cheesy on X Types

Jaguar kept the leaper in the US market until the mid 2000's. They were pedestrian safe versions. I used to have an XJ6 SIII with a leaper on (which it shouldn't have had) and was going to take it off until I looked at the paperwork and found it was fitted by the dealer when new. Apparently quite common in the 70's and 80's as a dealer fit option.

[Cliftonite]

An interesting use of the word "classy"

When fitted, they have the look, from a little distance, of a tiny, almost erect penis? (My friend reckons).

[Cliftonite]

DaveH23 said:

I love them on Jaguars older stuff, they look timeless and classy, On their newer cars they just look tacky.

This. Exactly!

[Lee2246]

Looks like someones stuck a phallus looking object on their bonnet / bumper.

[dukeboy749r]

DaveH23 said:

I love them on Jaguars older stuff, they look timeless and classy, On their newer cars they just look tacky.

Agreed - funny how we were once used to seeing Jags with such adornments and then they weren't and now, sticking one on a new one, looks ste (imho).

[MoggieMinor]

DaveH23 said:

I love them on Jaguars older stuff, they look timeless and classy, On their newer cars they just look tacky.

Indeed they do look tacky on cars that didn't have them from new, just like those cheap pressed back and silver plates on cars that originally had built up plates, in a size to fit the car, Rover P5s and P6s for example. The cheap tin plates would have been on A35s, Moggies etc.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

J4CKO said:

As such they would constitute a modification, one that could potentially cause some quite nasty injuries to a pedestrian who happened to be hit by one, worse than being hit by the same car with a smooth bonnet ?

Isn't that why mascots are not now legal? (Presume the spirit of ecstasy is retractable or something)

[Jarcy]

The star on my 2012 E-class was spring loaded.
Used for aiming at Prius's and Honda Jazz's
I don't miss it on my 2020 E-class.

No leaper on my 2014 Jag either, and it would look sooo tacky on anything but a Mk2 or XK120

[stablemate]

Looking at the Arden link I see they've fitted one to an F-Type. Looks bloody horrendous!

[Haltamer]

Cliftonite said:

DaveH23 said:

I love them on Jaguars older stuff, they look timeless and classy, On their newer cars they just look tacky.

This. Exactly!

I'll join this bandwagon:- I think it is due to the additional curvature of the bonnet (Probably for pedestrian protection funnily enough!), that whilst the item itself looks nice, once it is stuck on it looks extremely gauche.

I'd say the 2009 XJ is about the last one that can get away with it; It looks comical on the F type.

[4rephill]

stablemate said:

Looking at the Arden link I see they've fitted one to an F-Type. Looks bloody horrendous!

I had to take a look - "Horrendous" doesn't really cover it!:



Does it come with the registration BE11 END?


There's a massive clue as to how crap it looks - Back in the 60's & 70's, when such things were deemed acceptable, Jaguar realised it would look seriously sh!t on the E Type, and so didn't fit them!

[ddom]

It’s awful. But common. This, along with chrome trims and gammon faced retirees driving ropey XJR’s are what kills the Jaguar image.

[WJNB]

Bit sad isn't it?
Rather like owners of modern-day Mercedes who retro-fit the bonnet mascot to constantly remind them & their passengers they are in a Mercedes. And that is a quote from a snobby business colleagues wife who once in conversation admitted she liked being driven in her husbands Mercedes & seeing the mascot ahead. The joke was the Mercedes were always second or third hand & he was a sales agent/rep. for a pet food company not a multinational CEO.

[anonymous-user]

4rephill said:

Does it come with the registration BE11 END?

That, or N088ER.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Breadvan72 said:

That, or N088ER.

with a silent K