It has to be said that when trying to change the look of a MKII XR2 you are somewhat limited.

The best look is its natural shape with the XR2 kit but to combine this with some additional touches to bring it up-to-date.

Starting at the front make it high on your list of priorities to obtain some clear indicators, these change the whole look of the car and definately do wonders at modernising it's some what dated look.

The front can be complemented with clear side repeaters and if you fancy it, clear rear lenses too! This can work really well on its own.

As previously mentioned there is a very limited choice of alternative looks for the fiesta and the ones that are available don't always look good either, for an example of an alternative front end have a look at James's XR2 here

Colourcode the mirrors, door handles and rear boot latch to try and smooth out the XR's lines. Removing the aerial in place of a Beesting stype is a popular mod or you could even try removing the aerial altogether and smoothing the hole where it was depending on whether you listen to your radio or not!

Something that looks very good to a trained eye is filling the bumper inserts, front and rear. This creates a different look and again all help to bring the XR up-to-date in terms of its looks.

The best thing to use if you want to try this is plastic padding. Remove the bumper inserts and clean the surface, drill holes every 2" and insert a screw leaving the head and 1-2mm of the screw itself showing. From here simply apply several coats of plastic padding, sand and spray. Tip - take your time with this as it will look awful if not properly smoothed!

Although mostly for function, lowering the car also gives it a much better look and if combined with some alloys looks the business as well as the aforementioned functionality.

Moving onto the rear of the car there are several different options here...As an alternative to colourcoding the rear boot latch etc. you could fit a solenoid which can be found in various XR2's, Ghia's and some orions which will enable you to release the boot internally allowing you to remove the latch altogether and smooth it.

A must if financially viable or locatable is a clio rear wiper, they smarten the rear end up a great deal, the only drawback being the cost. Dealerships are wise to its flexibility in mounting applications and as such charge unbelievable prices for one. Obtaining one from a breakers yard is also now becoming that much more difficult too.

If you are still unhappy with your arse end and cannot obtain a wiper... take it off and smooth over the hole, you may lose some function but you will gain some style!

For a better look and a cooler engine, why not fit some bonnet vents or a bonnet scoop...Fiesta RS Turbo bonnet vents look good as does the MC Rallying bonnet scoop once again fitted on James's XR2. Remember a cooler engine is a more powerful engine!

Finally, why not try the DTM look, either with a Dimma style fuel cap or a Splitter (not advisable for anyone with a rusty front valance!) you could also try corner splitters, if fitted correctly they look good and change the cars profile in a very beneficial way.

There are lots of other things you could try such as single wiper conversions, different spoilers and sun strips etc. the fun part is trying to discover something new and different yourself!