Discussion About Interior Ambient Lighting

[Mr. M]

I had a ride in my uncle's E500 at night and I noticed that the car had lounge-like lighting from in between the vanity mirrors on the ceiling, as well as at the front passenger lights. It was beautiful to say the least and inspired me to create a thread about interior lighting.

I think it's something that most car fans overlook. Many manufacturers have claimed to have made their car to perfection but they fail to notice one important aspect: how the interior looks at night. Research has shown that a brighter interior would also made a driver more alert. Perhaps this is the reason why German cars are at the forefront of interior lighting. Just look at the S-Class's interior with the warm orange glow from under the wood trim, or the A8's futuristic white neon lights from underneath the doors. For some reason, I just don't see the same level of detail in other brands. Lexus for instance - the LS doesn't have a particularly inviting interior at night, in fact I do not remember any interior ambient lighting at all (correct me if I'm wrong). As for Maserati - the QP does have some green LEDs around, but it shines too brightly and focuses only in a specific area, and it doesn't give a lounge feeling.

This is where I think German cars excel and I think we should applaud for their attention to details such as this. I'd post some pictures but I'm having a problem finding them at the moment...

 

[Mr. M]

An example (best I could find ):

Post up any pictures you have of interiors at night!

One car's interior lighting which I don't like is the Phaeton's - it's all striking red, very glaring, distracting and in-your-face. There's no mood lighting either.

 

[ree]

I love the Ambient light in our E-Class! It's a warm illumination, that doesn't distract you from driving the car. It is also nice for the passengers, because they don't sit in the dark. I've never seen the S-Class Ambient light at night - but I could imagine that it is great to.
In my opinion the german car manufacture also have great instrument lightning. I like the white illumination you can get in Audis and also Mercedes Benz has a pleasant instrument light.
Especially compared to our 1998 Renault, night driving with the Mercedes is just more comfortable, more pleasant and not so stressful.

Nevertheless, I don't like to much lightning inside the car! A navigation modul, for example, would stress and distract me.

 

[ree]

Here are some interior shots of the E-Class:

 

[Mr. M]

Instrumentation is key in presenting interior ambience as a whole... And here again the Germans nailed it.

Now compare those with other manufacturers:

 

[Yaz]

James, how could you forget Nevada Jack's S550 interior shot?



I've been in love with this ambient lighting ever since I seen it in an S-Class. Now I always try to peek into an S-class everytime I spot one parked at night or if it makes a turn in front of me while standing on a corner waiting to cross the street.

Any idea who came up with it first?

 

[klier]

^^^ As far as I know, BMW, with the E38 7-series and E39 5-series ('waterfall' orange light on the complete console) and on a grander scale in the E65 7-series

 

[Monster]

I had a ride in my uncle's E500 at night and I noticed that the car had lounge-like lighting from in between the vanity mirrors on the ceiling, as well as at the front passenger lights. It was beautiful to say the least and inspired me to create a thread about interior lighting.

I think it's something that most car fans overlook. Many manufacturers have claimed to have made their car to perfection but they fail to notice one important aspect: how the interior looks at night. Research has shown that a brighter interior would also made a driver more alert. Perhaps this is the reason why German cars are at the forefront of interior lighting. Just look at the S-Class's interior with the warm orange glow from under the wood trim, or the A8's futuristic white neon lights from underneath the doors. For some reason, I just don't see the same level of detail in other brands. Lexus for instance - the LS doesn't have a particularly inviting interior at night, in fact I do not remember any interior ambient lighting at all (correct me if I'm wrong). As for Maserati - the QP does have some green LEDs around, but it shines too brightly and focuses only in a specific area, and it doesn't give a lounge feeling.

This is where I think German cars excel and I think we should applaud for their attention to details such as this. I'd post some pictures but I'm having a problem finding them at the moment...

Nice thread, I have been thinking of starting a similar thread before, but have forgotten about it. Did you notice the ambient lighting above each door handle and one on the bottom of the rear view mirror?

Ambient lighting is starting to become popular in luxury and medium priced cars. Some cars have 2 or 4 LED lights positioned on the roof with the light clusters, just like those in the BMW 5-series. The X5 has those pluse 1 red LED behind each door handle. The Honda Legend only has blue ambient lighting above each door handle. I know the Audi A8 has ambient lighting but I have no idea where they are located, if you can take some photos for us James, that will be great.

 

[Mr. M]

James, how could you forget Nevada Jack's S550 interior shot?



I've been in love with this ambient lighting ever since I seen it in an S-Class. Now I always try to peek into an S-class everytime I spot one parked at night or if it makes a turn in front of me while standing on a corner waiting to cross the street.

Any idea who came up with it first?

I was trying to find the thread he posted that in but I failed... There are too many of his photos to look through! But thanks for posting that up, that's exactly what I wanted to show.

I'll take a picture of the A8's interior at night later. It's more subdued than the S-Class's light show though.

 

[Mr. M]

Nice thread, I have been thinking of starting a similar thread before, but have forgotten about it. Did you notice the ambient lighting above each door handle and one on the bottom of the rear view mirror?

Ambient lighting is starting to become popular in luxury and medium priced cars. Some cars have 2 or 4 LED lights positioned on the roof with the light clusters, just like those in the BMW 5-series. The X5 has those pluse 1 red LED behind each door handle. The Honda Legend only has blue ambient lighting above each door handle. I know the Audi A8 has ambient lighting but I have no idea where they are located, if you can take some photos for us James, that will be great.

Yes I did notice those lights... A great detail about the A8 is that all of these ambient lighting are in white, including the door handle lights as well as the rear view mirror bottom light. It gives it a very futuristic feel. I also like the Phaeton's very cosy dimming lights which don't turn off immediately, giving a more gentle feel... Haven't really scrutinised the lights of other cars though. One detail I like about the Lexus is that its number plate lights are all white.

The BMW ones sound nice, don't think I've noticed them before... Would be great to have some photos by some Beemer owners here.

 

[Monster]

http://imageshack.us
http://imageshack.us
http://imageshack.us

Some photo of the A8.
http://imageshack.us
http://imageshack.us
http://imageshack.us
http://imageshack.us

 

[Monster]

One detail I like about the Lexus is that its number plate lights are all white.

That is one detail that I really don't like about the Lexus. I admit the white lighting is cool but I seriously don't want the police or anyone else to get a good view of my number plate at night time.

The BMW ones sound nice, don't think I've noticed them before... Would be great to have some photos by some Beemer owners here.

The BMW ones are very discreet. I discovered them by chance in my friend's X5. They are well hidden but they are not as well designed as those in MB.

 

[ree]

I've never known, that the A8 has such great lightning at night! Thanks for sharing the pictures and can't wait to see some night shots of Mr. M A8!!

 

[Mr. M]

That is one detail that I really don't like about the Lexus. I admit the white lighting is cool but I seriously don't want the police or anyone else to get a good view of my number plate at night time.

The BMW ones are very discreet. I discovered them by chance in my friend's X5. They are well hidden but they are not as well designed as those in MB.

Great pictures you found monster. I tried Google and I just couldn't get stuff like that.

Heh well I guess you're right about those Lexus lights. But Lexus drivers don't speed, they follow the speed limit.

 

[Monster]

Great pictures you found monster. I tried Google and I just couldn't get stuff like that.

Heh well I guess you're right about those Lexus lights. But Lexus drivers don't speed, they follow the speed limit.

I saved these photos ages ago, I think it is from this forum, or the one before, can't remember what it was called.

As for Lexus drivers, sometimes I wish they follow the speed limit instead of going 10km/h to 15km/h slower than the limit.

 

[Amo]

Nice thread. Interior ambient lighting is something I never overlook. When my Dad bought his 320i E46, it was the first 'bigger' sort of car we ever had (our previous car was a Peugeot 106!). That is what made me obsessed wih interior lighting. Although it is nothin fancy, it was fancy for us - my Dad used to say it was like driving with a Christmas tree around you - the illuminations on the steering wheel, the lit up centre console, the bright orange dial illuminations, the 2 'ambient led lights' above the gear stick. And then there was the normal interior lights when you open the door. The whole car interior lit up - for a 9 year old boy, this was the height of coolness!

Nowadays, you get much better interior illumination, Mercedes providing the best in my opinion. True, the Germans are great at this, but other car manufacturers are catching on with different plays with light in the car. Even my Corolla now with the 'Optitron' dials originally from Lexus that stay on all the time. Honda and other manufacturers have similar effects with their dial illuminations.

 

[coolraoul]

Does the S-Class has, like the E-Class has (and was the first to offer a real night-friendly drive), softly illuminated roof-light whereas the drive? Or is it only the lights on the doorpanels and center console?

I like it so much, that the light softly comes from the roof, it makes the entire car looks warm.

 

[Mr. M]

Nice thread. Interior ambient lighting is something I never overlook. When my Dad bought his 320i E46, it was the first 'bigger' sort of car we ever had (our previous car was a Peugeot 106!). That is what made me obsessed wih interior lighting. Although it is nothin fancy, it was fancy for us - my Dad used to say it was like driving with a Christmas tree around you - the illuminations on the steering wheel, the lit up centre console, the bright orange dial illuminations, the 2 'ambient led lights' above the gear stick. And then there was the normal interior lights when you open the door. The whole car interior lit up - for a 9 year old boy, this was the height of coolness!

Nowadays, you get much better interior illumination, Mercedes providing the best in my opinion. True, the Germans are great at this, but other car manufacturers are catching on with different plays with light in the car. Even my Corolla now with the 'Optitron' dials originally from Lexus that stay on all the time. Honda and other manufacturers have similar effects with their dial illuminations.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My sis had a E46 320i as well, the buttons are all very well illuminated, warm and yet not glaring orange. Yes you are right about the Japanese catching up, my sis's Jazz even has orange ambient lighting from under the rear-view mirror. I was pleasantly surprised to see that. I've also always liked those Optitron dials, it was a personal irritation to me when the Phaeton didn't have daylight illumination of its dials. Now it's all good with the A8.

Sorry for taking so long to take those interior lighting pictures, been pretty busy.

Does the S-Class has, like the E-Class has (and was the first to offer a real night-friendly drive), softly illuminated roof-light whereas the drive? Or is it only the lights on the doorpanels and center console?

I like it so much, that the light softly comes from the roof, it makes the entire car looks warm.

If I remember correctly the S-Class doesn't have those roof lights, somebody has to confirm it though.

 

[ree]

After seeing all these great ambient lights, I like to present a different concept.
Since a longer time, Saab offers the "Night Panel" in all cars of the 9-5 range! In my opinion, it is great idea. Instead of bringing more light into the interior, they installed a button - and with this you can turn all lights of (except for the speedometer)! I've never had the possibilty to test it, but I can imagine, that it is comfortable, when a lot of lights are around you (especially on the Autobahn).

 

[coolraoul]

I can understand that, with such a speedo and such a night "design", you want to turn it off...

This function is called the Night Panel.

Don't think it is good, what if you want to turn something on or off, like the radio or anything?

And alone in the dark, driving a dark car...Brrr, no thanks. I prefer having some warm lights than a cold night with just the speedo flashing...