LEDs under main headlight structures

[Tarek]

BMW's already 2 steps ahead of you....

So is all the cheap after market white and blue ones seen on civics and chinese cars..

 

[Zafiro]

LEDS look awful on Audi A4, fits the A5 much better. I think its becuase the LED stripes are longer and placed lower down.
New E-class and S-class looks like Christmas tree. Too many LED for its own good, overdone.

Adding LED is an easy and cheap way for the carmakers to improve the looks, if its done properly t.i.


BTW I was under the impression that BMW using LED in the front on facelifted E90, 6-series and new 7-series ?

 

[m-power]

The A6 is IMO the least successful - looks like it's crying

 

[m-power]

LEDS look awful on Audi A4, fits the A5 much better. I think its becuase the LED stripes are longer and placed lower down.
New E-class and S-class looks like Christmas tree. Too many LED for its own good, overdone.

Adding LED is an easy and cheap way for the carmakers to improve the looks, if its done properly t.i.


BTW I was under the impression that BMW using LED in the front on facelifted E90, 6-series and new 7-series ?

Actually BMW is not using LED on the latest models' angel eyes, but white halogen bulbs that are much more powerful that the original AE on earlier models.

Some aftermarket companies change the weak halogen light source in the older BMWs to a LED lightsource, which has a white or a blish look :

 

[Tarek]

^And those white or blue angel eyes are standard on every riced Honda and Toyota out there.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

BTW I was under the impression that BMW using LED in the front on facelifted E90, 6-series and new 7-series ?

The new 7er as well as the facelifted 3er and 6er do use LEDs in the headlight cluster, but this only for the turn signals/indicators.

But thankfully they haven't gone down the road of 'let's add a row of LEDs because.... ummm... not sure, but let's just do it anyway'.

---

Some aftermarket companies change the weak halogen light source in the older BMWs to a LED lightsource, which has a white or a blish look

Agreed, but it seems like BMW has taken steps to make the next generation of their Angel Rings brighter and a more white-ish colour rather than the current yellow-tinge. The unveiling of the 5er GT showcased the new brighter Rings (though this could just be a concept-exclusive thing)...but one of the latest spy-pics of the 5er Touring shows that brighter Angel Rings are on the way to production vehicles.

 

[Tarek]

I hope those new white or blue ones doesn't make it to production,looks sooo cheap and after market.

 

[jack]

LEDs can be a nice design feature ...
...but currently some companies just overload their cars with those little dots.

i'm really looking forward to OLEDs, where whole surfaces can be lit, that technology should finally put an end to these christmas rods.

 

[EnI]

i'm really looking forward to OLEDs, where whole surfaces can be lit, that technology should finally put an end to these christmas rods.

Yes ... EDAG's LightCar OpenSource Concept with OLED lighting tech was shown in Geneva ... Very interesting solutions all over.




Regarding LEDs ... at least for guide lights, turn signals & brake lights - perhaps even for DtRL - inverse LEDs can be used instead of those exposed LED (dots): LEDs face the cluster background (or otherr inner part within the cluster) made of reflective materials. Latest such solution can be find on FL Q7 - for braking lights. Such solution is much cleaner design wise, and also less flashy. And available already today - not like OLED solution which is still years away.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

What sort of lighting technology was used for the rear of the BMW G.I.N.A concept? Was it just the normal 'dot' LEDs with the stretched fabric giving it that 'flamey' look?

 

[EnI]

Was it just the normal 'dot' LEDs with the stretched fabric giving it that 'flamey' look?

Positive.

 

[klier]

Positive.

Of course, I don't think OLED even existed when they created the GINA years ago...OLED is absolutely fantastic for flatscreen TVs too, btw Contrast ratios out of the roof

I hope those new white or blue ones doesn't make it to production,looks sooo cheap and after market.

They will, and I'm glad. Look at that F10 5er spy pic above and say you don't like seeing LED Angel Eyes again So pretty and bright now, unresistable!

It will become a standard feature from the 5er GT on on all Bimmers probably. 7er and Z4 were the last ones without LED corona lights...

 

[Tarek]

They will, and I'm glad. Look at that F10 5er spy pic above and say you don't like seeing LED Angel Eyes again So pretty and bright now, unresistable!

It will become a standard feature from the 5er GT on on all Bimmers probably. 7er and Z4 were the last ones without LED corona lights...

I'm fine with how bright they are but totally against the color,come on we all have seen those super bright and cheap white and blue angel eyes on all riced cars out there.

I Much prefer F01 and E89 ones than those "new" white units.

 

[jack]

not like OLED solution which is still years away.

well yes, edags solution is alittle over the top
OLEDs are on the market since several years now, samsung used them in very small formats and so did sony(http://www.chip.de/ii/53696581_a076a7e360.jpg 2005)
but 2009 seems to be the year of OLED, at least in handset format(samsung omnia, sony walkman X1)
and have a look at this www.lumiblade.com (or Shop)

 

[MikeJ]

Adding a line of LEDs under the headlight projectors seems to be a very popular design feature nowadays. Audi has used them in many models, VW Phaeton got them with the facelift, Lancia is using them in Delta and now the latest manufacturer who adds them is MB with the S-Class facelift. So do you like this feature?

Yes. I think they look good on most cars. Of course there's aftermarket crap that looks like - well, crap, out there, but that's true of many other things on cars as well. I think the ones on Audis look good on the road and in a country like Finland where you have to have headlights or DRLs on all the time having LEDs means that the headlight bulbs don't wear as quickly.

 

[klier]

I'm fine with how bright they are but totally against the color,come on we all have seen those super bright and cheap white and blue angel eyes on all riced cars out there.

I understand your POV, but if you honestly think the new LED corona lights will look 'cheap' or 'riced', you might have to check yourself
They look cheap as aftermarket products on E36s and Hondas maybe, but that's the end of it. Don't say it will look cheap on a BMW because those cheap aftermarket lights look like this.

 

[Tarek]

I understand your POV, but if you honestly think the new LED corona lights will look 'cheap' or 'riced', you might have to check yourself
They look cheap as aftermarket products on E36s and Hondas maybe, but that's the end of it. Don't say it will look cheap on a BMW because those cheap aftermarket lights look like this.

Well it's simple,if they turned out white or blue or anything other than what we have now on the new 7er and Z4 it will look like after market coz no matter how good BMW will try to make it only after market ones are white or bluish white.

 

[EnI]

well yes, edags solution is alittle over the top
OLEDs are on the market since several years now, samsung used them in very small formats and so did sony(http://www.chip.de/ii/53696581_a076a7e360.jpg 2005)
but 2009 seems to be the year of OLED, at least in handset format(samsung omnia, sony walkman X1)
and have a look at this www.lumiblade.com (or Shop)

I meant the use of OLED as a source for external lighting in automotive industry.



I know OLED is already used in electronics industry.