MikeW

Since the RX-8 has projector headlights, how about we get arc discharge [HID] with the 'bi-xenon' function.


For those that do not know, in Europe dynamic leveling is required on HID headlights, so some engineer made a system where the cutoff shield drops down and the headlight (projector) aims up and the light covers a larger area, and also the halogen high beam shoots its light really far down the road.


I think a german guy made it so he could drive 155 mph on the autobahn during a moonless night.:D

Hercules

Yea, the lights are on gyroscopes to keep it level with the car...

Anyhoo, I know we're getting Xenons (least that's the assumption as per the spec sheet at the auto shows!), I'd love to see an auto-leveling feature on them.

Quick_lude

What I'd love to see is a "shine to turn" feature.. I've seen this as a future design.. Basically sensors calculate the angle of turn and "shift" the lights sideways so they illuminate where you are going, not just straight ahead.. Cool feature imo..

Hercules

No, because I turn violently a LOT... I'm afraid I'll break that motor very quickly

Straight ahead is fine for me. The 7 series is getting that feature in Europe

Grimace

Porsche's SUV will be the first production car with those.

mx32mpsrx8

The first production car with pivoting headlights was the Tucker 48 (1948 model). The center mounted headlight moved with the steering. Of course there were only 51 built, but still technically the first.

Sputnik

Have you seen those cars that have lights that will turn on to the left or right when the turn signals are on (to give a similar effect to headlights turning with the vehicle)? There have been times when I've been driving down a street, and a car with that fancy option is heading in the opposite direction, and is waiting to take a left turn with his signal on. As you drive past that car, you get a bright light in your eye as if someone directly in front of you flashed his high-beams. Although much more rare, that has even happened when I'm on a four-lane, and a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction signals as he changes from the slow to the fast lane. These aren't high wattage lamps, but it's surprising the kind of "camera flash" effect you get from it.

When you sit waiting in a left turn lane, how many people have their wheel turned, ready to go? Most of them do, and those "steerable" headlights will be shooting directly into oncoming traffic. Heck, those of us in cars will be even more effected by SUVs with that kind of setup.

I'm not saying that this is going to be a catastrophe, but there is a trade-off. Of course, most people really don't give a rat's *** about other drivers, so it won't stop this kind of option from being added to cars. Especially the luxu-wanna be SUVs.

---jps

Quick_lude

My dad's Mercury Villager has that.. Not sure what it's for.. The side illumination does not help with turning at all..

zoom44

thank you iwas going to post that correction also. originaly tucker was going to have fenders that turned with the wheels and headlights on them so the lights would turn with the car. the problem was those fenders acted like rudders and made turning very dangerous

Grimace

Ok, Ok, I'll qualify my earlier statement: The first production car in the last 55 years that has swivelling lights. :p

Hercules

So long as the RX-8 has autoleveling Xenons... I'll be a happy camper.

irresistibo

i drive around at night alot, and i really dislike lights blinding me all the time. sure its nice to have bright lights but i dont think theres a need for them, suv's with ultra bright lights are real annoying. is there a particular study that shows that bright lights improve safety? If there isnt, then i dont want all these cars coming with lights that blind like high beams.

BlueAdept

Friend of mine has auto-leveling... they look cool when you start them up for the first time as they default to point at the ground and then sweep up to level after they light up... it's a real attention getter..

N1XRR

Indeed your right, the Tucker was the first...

But the first modern car, with the built-in headlight assemly was the Dodge Viper.

Michael

error402

BMW 323 Si's have autoleveling Xenons. Just incase anyone wanted to know.



-Error402

fuz

All euro spec cars with xenons are required to have auto leveling. :p

wakeech

so maybe then there's a good chance that Mazda will make only one headlamp unit for the 8, with the autolevelling feature for every continent??? :D

fuz

Most likely for xenons, but the japanese have been known to make euro/dot spec hybrid lamp units that can be used everywhere. However, the pure euro spec headlamps are superior in lighting quality than the hybrids, and I hope that the only one mazda goes with is euro. I belive it it legal for xenons to have euro spec lights in CA and OR, but not sure in all states. I don't know why they wouldn't be, since the pure euro spec lights have much less light bleed above the cutoff, and therefore less glare to oncoming traffic.

MikeW

The cars with steerable headlights only 'steer' the inner projector, so the illuminated area increases. Plus, to prevent extra glare if (when) people pre-turn their wheels at a traffic light, the cutoff level will drop to prevent glare

Think about bombing on/off ramps
Body roll, meat the turning and leveling headlight


Now if motorcycles could get projectors that had a gimbal that would rotate to compensate for lean angle:D

cueball

I kina wish auto leving xenon light were required here. The temporary blindness from those things suck, but they do look cool.

feelthesweetbea

EXTRA WEIGHT!!!! Do you reallly reallly NEED them? Yes theyre frickin cool and handy But.... First thing im going to do with my rx8 is to find all excess weight(will be really hard to do, be mostly taking out saftey features) an take it out. this means that if my silver little baby comes with swivling lights, ill try an take em out(unless i lease). put "swivling" headlights on a BMW 7Series or Mercedes. Only on luxury/ (luxury/sport) cars plz.

electric motors are relatively heavy for their size. Then figure in engineering cost.... mixem together and we have ..... lights that move+extra weight+extra cost. one unneccesary good thing against 2 bad things that everybody doesnt want. save em for the luxury class.....

P00Man

xenon is a must, auto-leveling is ill, and this is a luxo-sport car. A PURE sports car is an engine, minimal body, and one seat with a 4 or 5 point harness. This thing has 4 doors, 4 seats, nav, sunroof, 6-disc, probably heated mirrors, chromatic mirror(probably) leather, AC, heating, all that good stuff that ppl LIKE.

although with wieght ripped off, this car will be even MORE of a killer
________
FREE GIFT CARDS

Matteo

My new mazda 6 wagon have auto -levelling xenon too. (but not bi-xenon).

When i turn on the lights there is a kind of blue light, than disappear after few seconds when the lights are "warmed", and the light emitted is VERY white.

zoom44

north america doesn't get the 6 hatch or wagon for at least another year. how do you like your wagon?

Matteo

For the Euro standards my 6 wagon have a big trunk, one of the best in its class.

Have also the "Karakuri " System that allow you to fold (is exact?) the rear seats in a while... that's a unique charateristic for a Station Wagon in Europe.

The car itself is sporty and the Latest-gen diesel engine have a lot of torque (30,6 kgm @ 2000 rpm) and push the car to 200 kmh (tested today in a Southern Milan freeway).