The greatest facelift?

[mik]

Updated comparison images for picky @Pete_

[Beany]

I'm gonna say it. I prefer the pre-facelift 996.

The headlights on the facelift model look like someone got to within 5 mins of show and tell on a clay buck, after weeks of trying different headlight treatments, and went FUCK IT THAT'LL HAVE TO FUCKING DO and then threw a tarp over it for the execs to pull back.

[Mito Man]

I don’t mind either 996, they should have just stuck round lights on it for the facelift but then what would they have done for the 997.

[integrale_evo]

I’d be happy with an early 996 too tbh.

The facelift was pretty good considering it didn’t need any metalwork changes. However, I find the big chunky rear lights more offensive than the flattened out front ones. I presume they didn’t fancy tooling up for new rear quarters.

[Pete_]

Updated comparison images for picky @Pete_

Thanks Mik!
I can't see much difference other than the wing though

[Explosive Newt]

The early (Ford era) XFs had pretty stupid headlights, and the post Tata facelift cars were substantially nicer from the front end. Really smartened the whole look of the car.

Yep that's a very good one, I hated the headlights on the first XFs.

The facelift brought it closer to the original XF concept car


I can only presume the blobby headlights were to link it more conspicuously to the XJ heritage but I don’t think it did the car any favours.

[Coaster1]

996.1 to 996.2 takes some beating for me (with apologies to any owners of the former, the latter looks massively more cohesive to these eyes)

Unsurprisingly I like both; hard to say which one I prefer aesthetically though. I have mentioned previously but I really wanted a Zanzibar Red 996.1 GT3, that was before I learned about the mechanical improvements made to the 996.2 GT3. Would have been a tough choice had a Zanzibar been available at the time when I bought mine.





My old Carrera