[bcoz]

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Here's a visual collage of the LCI headlight options.

1. Halogen Headlights: Daytime running lights >> Low-beam light >> High-beam light






2. LED Headlights: Daytime running lights >> Low-beam light >> High-beam light






3. Adaptive LED Headlights: Daytime running lights >> Low-beam light >> High-beam light






Source: http://www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicle...om/design.html

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by bcoz

Here's a visual collage of the LCI headlight options.

Thank you for posting that, bcoz. Very informative.

Looking at these pictures it appears that the adaptive LED headlight cluster does have slight differences hardware-wise from the base non-adaptive version. Is this correct?

If so, this would seem to be a difference from the LED headlights available for the 4 Series and M3/M4. In that case, there is just one version of the headlight assembly available which is adaptive. In the U.S., the adaptive features are disabled from the factory, but can be re-enabled via aftermarket coding.

[bcoz]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Looking at these pictures it appears that the adaptive LED headlight cluster does have slight differences hardware-wise from the base non-adaptive version. Is this correct?

Yeah, the LED clusters are different.
Each light in the base LED Headlights has 1 cluster/set of light emitters, whereas each light in the Adaptive LED Headlight is split into 2 clusters/sets of light emitters (top half ON for Low-beam, both halves ON for High-beam).

If you go to the link below and scroll down to LIGHT OPTIONS, you can see the differences more clearly by clicking on the interactive graphic:

http://www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicle...om/design.html

[chun2546x]

LED looks sexy

[aacabriolet]

Love it how they make the halogens look white like xenons

[Pauleebe]

So we now have LED's which are replacing Adaptive Xenon? I may have missed it, but where is the pricing info for the lightning package? Odd there is LED and Adaptive LED.

[Thumper333]

Originally Posted by aacabriolet

Love it how they make the halogens look white like xenons

There are some bulbs that can get 'close', or at least are whiter than traditional dull yellow ones.


Those LEDs are damn sexy though......

[aacabriolet]

Originally Posted by Thumper333

There are some bulbs that can get 'close', or at least are whiter than traditional dull yellow ones.


Those LEDs are damn sexy though......

I know all too well. Had halogens in my 1er with these "whiter" bulbs. But in those press pics they made them Xenon white haha

[mike@x-ph.com]

Very nice post, thank you

[ATL0501]

That should be great for people with halogens currently to replace DRL bulb and headlight. However the headlight will probably be slightly yellowish. But finally some nice DRLs. And loving those LEDs

[ji99lypuff]

finally some led drl for the halogens! Well i think the inprovements are all great and am jealous of those adaptive led lights. So sexy!

[the_phew]

Can't believe they stuck with reflector halogens; projector halogens have become the standard with other auto manufacturers. I don't know if they illuminate any better, but the lens looks much nicer than the reflectors.

It looks like the options will be LED headlights for $900, and adaptive LED headlights for ~$1900. I would gladly take the old Lighting Package (Adaptive Xenons) for $900 over either. Oh well.

[Pauleebe]

Originally Posted by the_phew

Can't believe they stuck with reflector halogens; projector halogens have become the standard with other auto manufacturers. I don't know if they illuminate any better, but the lens looks much nicer than the reflectors.

It looks like the options will be LED headlights for $900, and adaptive LED headlights for ~$1900. I would gladly take the old Lighting Package (Adaptive Xenons) for $900 over either. Oh well.

You raise an interesting point. LED's may be brighter, but don't have as clean a cutoff in my opinion, and also aren't adaptive for the same price as the outgoing adaptive Xenon's.

So now I essentially have to pay $1,900 for the adaptive feature I could have for $1,000 on the pre-LCI model? Hmm.

[justinnum1]

Originally Posted by dwalls90

You raise an interesting point. LED's may be brighter, but don't have as clean a cutoff in my opinion, and also aren't adaptive for the same price as the outgoing adaptive Xenon's.

So now I essentially have to pay $1,900 for the adaptive feature I could have for $1,000 on the pre-LCI model? Hmm.

the adaptive function is barely noticeable imo. only time i notice it is when i am in my garage and i turn the wheel.

[stormlv]

Originally Posted by justinnum1

the adaptive function is barely noticeable imo. only time i notice it is when i am in my garage and i turn the wheel.

The adaptive function doesn't refer to just swiveling headlights.
It refers to the adaptive high beams tunnel function.

[justinnum1]

Originally Posted by stormlv

The adaptive function doesn't refer to just swiveling headlights.
It refers to the adaptive high beams tunnel function.

i dont have that feature, where it turns the brights on automatically

[E90Fleet]

This is full adaptive BMW LED.
USA does not get this function thanks to DOT.
Rest of the world does.

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by justinnum1

i dont have that feature, where it turns the brights on automatically

Thats High beam assist, not the beam tunnels the other poster referred to ,
See the video I posted above for the tunnels.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

This is full adaptive BMW LED.
USA does not get this function thanks to DOT.
Rest of the world does.

Thanks Fleet.

Question: Are there any features of the adaptive light that are DOT legal and compelling enough vs. the base light that BMW NA might still be able to justify offering them? Or will the Adaptive LED simply be omitted from the US option list entirely?

The situation is unfortunate. And it is confounding (at least to me) in that we have what BMW calls an Adaptive Xenon light option for the 4 Series and M3/M4 (and I suppose for the outgoing, pre-LCI 3 Series too). I can conclude that the way in which the Xenon light is adaptive differs from the way in which the LED light is adaptive in such a sway that former is legal while the latter is not. But the whole thing is really quite a mess, which is nothing new when government regulatory forces are at play.

Then we add in the further confusion that the one-and-only 4 Series (and M3/M4) LED light is both adaptive and sold in the US, but the adaptive features are largely (or completely - I can't remember which) disabled. So essentially, 4 Series and M3/M4 owners in the US are made to pay $1900 for a lighting setup which has features built into it that they are not even able to take advantage of. And to add to the insult, BMW now offers a version of the light which removes the hardware to support those adaptive features to 340i owners as standard equipment.

(A consolation to US 4/M3/M4 owners - they can add in the adaptive features via coding - technically running an illegal setup I suppose, but more power to them I say - whereas, if BMW fails to offer that setup at all for the 340i, the only way to get the adaptive features would be an expensive retrofit).

My point here is not to complain about the state of things, but merely highlight how ridiculous the situation is. I suspect there will be a new non-adaptive LED headlight offered for the 4 Series at the time of its LCI. Whether the M3/M4 are given that option (in the past they've not gotten updates headlights) or if they stick with the Xenon, we'll have to see.

[dnjc]

thanks for the pics! it looks like the overall light housing is identical to the pre-LCI so I'm sure some of us will be looking to retrofit our existing lights

[Thumper333]

Originally Posted by the_phew

Can't believe they stuck with reflector halogens; projector halogens have become the standard with other auto manufacturers. I don't know if they illuminate any better, but the lens looks much nicer than the reflectors.

I swapped the reflectors in my 2012 Jetta TDi with aftermarket factory replica projectors (with LED DRLs). I planned to install a HID kit but never got to it. I did use those Sylvania Xtra or Xtreme bulbs though. Other than one of them burning out every 10-11 months LOL the light on the road was a huge improvement. The bulbs when looking at them were still yellowish, but the light on the road was just a step under a true xenon (compared them side by side with my '12 GTI with Xenons).

Projectors are definitely the way to go, reflectors should be ditched simply because HID/Xenons in a reflector housing is stupid, at least factory projector halogens would let people upgrade to HIDs themselves.

[PARTS@STBMW]

Looking good! Thanks for sharing!