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Audi R8 now available with full-LED headlights

 
4 3,460 views May 31, 2008

Audi R8 now available with full-LED headlights

Audi R8 now available with full-LED headlights

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Audi is now offering full-LED headlamps for its R8 super-sports car as a €3,590 option. While currently the R8 gets LED daytime running lights, which use 54 LEDs per headlamp, the new option will get you LEDs for the turn signals, low-beam, and high-beam headlights.

While the option may be expensive, Audi argues that the prominent advantages are lower energy consumption and a color that more closely resembles daylight, providing greater contrast and is easier on the human eye. LEDs have an incredibly long lifespan compared to regular bulbs, meaning you'll likely never have to drive around with a non-functioning headlamp as the LEDs are designed to operate for the entire life of the car.

Just a decade ago full-LED headlamps was the stuff of concept cars and fantasy, but nowadays will be used more and more thanks to the falling price of LEDs and the fact that they allow greater design freedom in creating innovative headlamp shapes.



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Comments (4)

  1. By Raptor Posted: 5/31/2008 8:10am PDT

    Seriously cool. I wonder what LED headlights will cost in five years time. Hope they become as cheap as standard halogen lights.
     
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  2. By CarFanaticsUnleashed Posted: 5/31/2008 10:05am PDT

    They really accent the whole design of the car...
    I agree with Raptor, it would be great to have them standard in a few years.
     
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  3. By Gus Posted: 5/31/2008 11:04am PDT

    What I've found interesting is Mercedes on the new C class.
    LED tail lights have the advantage of being extra bright and attention getting, as well as turning fully bright much faster than conventional bulbs.
    So it makes sense to have them as brake lights in particular, which many cars do, and use a conventional bulb for the turn signals.
    But for some odd reason, on thenew C class, the turn signals are LED's, and the brake lamps conventional. Wierd.

    But I do look forward to seeing what LED headlights look like compared to HID lights.
     
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  4. By chris Posted: 5/31/2008 1:21pm PDT

    gus you nailed it on the head. if you think the difference in start time between LEDs and other sources of light isn't very important.. pay attention the next time you're at a stop light that has a normal green and an added on LED green turn signal.. when they both go on at the "same time".. you'll notice a really large delay. brake lights should me mandated as LEDs soon enough.

    Because LEDs are solid state electronics, expect the prices to halve every 18 months. this same option in jan 2010 should cost 1500 euros. expect it to not take too long to show up in other more "ordinary" vehicles. I know the mazda 3 comes with an LED rear lighting scheme.
     
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