A vehicle trunk lid assembly, comprising: an inner trunk panel having a generally horizontal portion and an upright portion, the upright portion extending downward from the horizontal portion with the trunk lid assembly in a closed orientation; and an outer trunk panel that includes: an upper outer trunk panel having a main section that extends horizontally and a contoured section that extends downwardly from a rearward area of the main section, the main section being attached to the horizontal portion of the inner trunk panel; and a lower outer trunk panel being attached to at least a lower section of the upright portion of the inner trunk panel, a lower edge of the upper outer trunk panel and a lower edge of the inner truck panel, a lower edge of the upper outer trunk panel being attached to the lower outer trunk panel via one of the following: a mastic, an adhesive, mechanical fasteners or welding, wherein a lower end of the contoured section of the upper outer trunk panel includes a horizontal flange that extends in a vehicle forward direction from the lower end to the inner trunk panel, and the lower end of the contoured section of the upper outer trunk panel and the lower outer trunk panel define a pair of taillamp receiving pockets (46,48), a first one of the taillamp receiving pockets being defined at a first outboard side of the horizontal flange and a second of the taillamp receiving pockets being defined at a second outboard side of the horizontal flange, characterized in that the first one of the taillamp receiving pockets is further defined by a first reinforcement bracket fixed to the lower end of the contoured section of the upper outer trunk panel and the upright portion of the inner trunk panel thereby defining an upper wall of the first one of the taillamp receiving pockets, and the second one of the taillamp receiving pockets is further defined by a second reinforcement bracket fixed to the lower end of the contoured section of the upper outer trunk panel and the upright portion of the inner trunk panel thereby defining an upper wall of the second one of the taillamp receiving pockets. an inner trunk panel having a generally horizontal portion and an upright portion, the upright portion extending downward from the horizontal portion with the trunk lid assembly in a closed orientation; and an outer trunk panel that includes: an upper outer trunk panel having a main section that extends horizontally and a contoured section that extends downwardly from a rearward area of the main section, the main section being attached to the horizontal portion of the inner trunk panel; and a lower outer trunk panel being attached to at least a lower section of the upright portion of the inner trunk panel, a lower edge of the upper outer trunk panel and a lower edge of the inner truck panel, a lower edge of the upper outer trunk panel being attached to the lower outer trunk panel via one of the following: a mastic, an adhesive, mechanical fasteners or welding, wherein an upper outer trunk panel having a main section that extends horizontally and a contoured section that extends downwardly from a rearward area of the main section, the main section being attached to the horizontal portion of the inner trunk panel; and a lower outer trunk panel being attached to at least a lower section of the upright portion of the inner trunk panel, a lower edge of the upper outer trunk panel and a lower edge of the inner truck panel, a lower edge of the upper outer trunk panel being attached to the lower outer trunk panel via one of the following: a mastic, an adhesive, mechanical fasteners or welding, wherein a lower end of the contoured section of the upper outer trunk panel includes a horizontal flange that extends in a vehicle forward direction from the lower end to the inner trunk panel, and the lower end of the contoured section of the upper outer trunk panel and the lower outer trunk panel define a pair of taillamp receiving pockets (46,48), a first one of the taillamp receiving pockets being defined at a first outboard side of the horizontal flange and a second of the taillamp receiving pockets being defined at a second outboard side of the horizontal flange, the first one of the taillamp receiving pockets is further defined by a first reinforcement bracket fixed to the lower end of the contoured section of the upper outer trunk panel and the upright portion of the inner trunk panel thereby defining an upper wall of the first one of the taillamp receiving pockets, and the second one of the taillamp receiving pockets is further defined by a second reinforcement bracket fixed to the lower end of the contoured section of the upper outer trunk panel and the upright portion of the inner trunk panel thereby defining an upper wall of the second one of the taillamp receiving pockets.