Official Lexus RC thread
Driver
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
From: NJ
^
Agreed if true. Not sure what it is about the crease that makes it difficult for mass production.
Other cars have pronounced creases. What am i missing here?
I guess as long as the character line still exists and not a slab or rounded panel.
Agreed if true. Not sure what it is about the crease that makes it difficult for mass production.
Other cars have pronounced creases. What am i missing here?
I guess as long as the character line still exists and not a slab or rounded panel.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,718
Likes: 0
From: NJ
Hell no! This is only true in low output situations. For high output scenarios like a high performance flashlight or lowbeam headlights, the bulbs are running extremely hot. Their performance becomes limited to the size of the heatsink (passive cooling) and or implementation of active cooling. This is why it has taken so long for manufacturer's to adopt LED technology into lowbeam applications. Do you want to increase complexity, cost and reliability with a noisy fan cooling the headlamps for better performance per watt vs HID and Halogen? You save weight vs HID but lose to the simplicity and weight savings from Halogen. What manufacturer's have been doing is going with passive cooling and that itself is the biggest hurdle with LED technology at this level. What to do with all that HEAT. As LEDs become more and more efficient and we come up with better drivers to run them, things will be better for everyone. Last thing that 's not helping anyone is DOT and their ancient laws. They really need to get with the times . . .
Pole Position
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 240
Likes: 0
From: NSW, Australia
Going by the pictures, the crease on the RC is extremely sharp, especially if you compare it with say the character line on a 4 series. The sharper the crease, the harder the metal is to press. Exotics can get away with it by using more expensive techniques, but on a mass produced car, there are limits, unless they set up brand new metal presses which would undoubted increase the manufacturing cost significantly and therefore translate to a higher sticker price on the showroom.
Pole Position
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 240
Likes: 0
From: NSW, Australia
Like I said, I see the appeal from an industry standpoint going to LED, less power draw allows for more efficient vehicles overall. BUT, if I have two identical cars and one is HID and the other is LED, am I going to get better fuel mileage in the one with LED? No. I'm not debating the benefits in a home application, the benefits there are huge.
As for styling, I certainly can see the differences in the styling within the headlights, but thats just aesthetics. Of course they style the LED clusters to look cooler, they cost more. My question was more...what are you actually getting from a function standpoint...
As for styling, I certainly can see the differences in the styling within the headlights, but thats just aesthetics. Of course they style the LED clusters to look cooler, they cost more. My question was more...what are you actually getting from a function standpoint...
And sooner or later, LEDs output will match HIDs, and even in the current generation, the difference between an HID and a LED equipped car is relatively minor in terms of actual brightness. I recently had 2 3IS models back to back, one with HIDs and one with LEDs, and to be honest, there was little difference between them that I could notice in city driving.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,718
Likes: 0
From: NJ
And sooner or later, LEDs output will match HIDs, and even in the current generation, the difference between an HID and a LED equipped car is relatively minor in terms of actual brightness. I recently had 2 3IS models back to back, one with HIDs and one with LEDs, and to be honest, there was little difference between them that I could notice in city driving.
I'm sorry, I looked at your retrofit thread and failed to see the difference. My LED headlights output the same amount of light, if not more. My cutoff is not is sharp as yours though, but that is because I have the OEM lenses. I wish I could switch to the TSX lenses, but I can't.
ClubLexus Stories
Celebrating Lexus & Toyota from Around the Globe
10 Lexus Bargains That are Cheaper Than a New Toyota RAV4
Joe Kucinski
8 Weirdest Things Lexus Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
10 Lexus Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
8 Tips for Improving Your Hybrid or Plug-in Hybrid's Efficiency!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Best Lexus Models No One Remembers
Joe Kucinski
TRD Off-Road Premium: Best 2026 4Runner, Except This One Thing
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Lexus & Toyotas to Drive Before You Die!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Lexus/Toyotas With The LEAST 5-Year Depreciation
Joe Kucinski
Lexus LC500 Convertible Auction: A Preview of Rising Values?
Brett Foote
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 8,224
Likes: 255
From: New York
Where did u hear/read this???
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,718
Likes: 0
From: NJ
I'm sorry, I looked at your retrofit thread and failed to see the difference. My LED headlights output the same amount of light, if not more. My cutoff is not is sharp as yours though, but that is because I have the OEM lenses. I wish I could switch to the TSX lenses, but I can't.
But back to the topic of the RC, I want one in either F-Sport trim or F. It all depends on where I'm at financially 5 years from now lol
Guest
Posts: n/a
I'm sorry, I looked at your retrofit thread and failed to see the difference. My LED headlights output the same amount of light, if not more. My cutoff is not is sharp as yours though, but that is because I have the OEM lenses. I wish I could switch to the TSX lenses, but I can't.
Years ago I stated LED was the future not just for lighting output but b/c of their size, they allow designers to design more stylish headlights. Lexus clearly took this to another level with the separate LED housing.
The new 4 series also offers base HIDs or an LED light and the difference is noticeable. The headlight goes from a projector to single LED lamps. I do like that Lexus is using the "L" feature to stand out.
Driver
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
You've said it yourself, a lot of the benefit is aesthetic. And it really does allow designers a lot of creativity as to what they can do not just with the headlight cluster but to change the entire front fascia of the car by integrating the lights in different ways. I think as LED takeup increases, we'll continue to see more and more interesting designs. We've pretty much been stuck with the "round circle" motif for the last 50+ years.
And sooner or later, LEDs output will match HIDs, and even in the current generation, the difference between an HID and a LED equipped car is relatively minor in terms of actual brightness. I recently had 2 3IS models back to back, one with HIDs and one with LEDs, and to be honest, there was little difference between them that I could notice in city driving.
And sooner or later, LEDs output will match HIDs, and even in the current generation, the difference between an HID and a LED equipped car is relatively minor in terms of actual brightness. I recently had 2 3IS models back to back, one with HIDs and one with LEDs, and to be honest, there was little difference between them that I could notice in city driving.
Last edited by Mind18; Dec 4, 2013 at 05:09 PM.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,019
Likes: 0
From: NSW
I'm going by the Honda Accord LED headlamp experience ^^.
The lighting was not as bright and did not have the range of a average XENON HID projector headlamp. Also the cutoff line wasn't as sharp.
The only thing LED have in their advantage is the design.
Also if manufactures are running a high current the LEDs need to be cooled somehow or they will melt.
The lighting was not as bright and did not have the range of a average XENON HID projector headlamp. Also the cutoff line wasn't as sharp.
The only thing LED have in their advantage is the design.
Also if manufactures are running a high current the LEDs need to be cooled somehow or they will melt.
