UUC * First ever DOT-compliant LED headlight system - installed.

[nrubenstein]

Rob, you've been around a while and have had some hits and some misses. This one looks like a miss. Those are the ugliest lights I've ever seen for a BMW. Arachnid comes to mind. The lights are smaller diameter with exposed screws? Are you comparing your new lights to 22 year old pitted fluted US Spec DOT ellipsoids? I always thought LED's didn't provide enough light and should never be used for low/high beams. What's different here?

According to the product data sheet, light output is more than adequate for use as a headlight. The ghastly look, on the other hand, is probably unfixable, especially given that the manufacturer is seems to be largely fixated on the commercial market.

All in all, this product rates a "meh" in my book.

Still, I'm sure it will fit right in on some flat black rattle canned monstrosity.

[foofopps]

looks like doodoo butter all over a nice car

[KillaCams]

I think something along those lines for the fogs could be pretty cool

[Fidhle007]

I dig. Am eager to see some updates!

[einstein57]

some reverse lights would be sick. i can't see jack coming out my driveway.

[///M42 sport]

very cool product. I wonder if you can retrofitt the led system to ellipsoids?

[Holland]

I think chrome centers and chrome rings to hide the screws and bring them to E30 size and they would look tasteful.

[StereoInstaller1]

I would kill for a set of those. I think they would look bad ass on my car, and far more importantly, if I can see better without blinding the oncoming, I am all for it.

[e30trooper]

I like it! Looks like the led lights off a 2005 q45. Looks very retro! If the light output is greater than others than that should get one point higher than looks. I'd rock em!

[e304me]

WOW so much hate. They arent that bad. I think they would look better with a lightly smoked stock headlight lens over them

[325ix]

Very interesting idea. I'm not really a fan of the look though, glad you are still making products though!

[briansjacobs]

would love to see pricing, also any "off road" applications for even higher output for night racing events.

[838Kelli]

should make them look similar to the smiley's

[Rob@UUC]

Re-posting from another board, some additional data:

I've wondered why no one has used LEDs in headlights for a while now, you can get some awesome light output out of them and they are durable as hell.

The problem up to now has been the combination of durability, absolute output (lumens), and beam pattern.

High output LEDs generate heat, and heat is the enemy of all electronics. To have sufficient output in a compact package requires some very high-power LEDs, which in turn generate a lot of heat. What JWS had to do to make this system work involves a substantial aluminum case with cooling fins plus an internal cooling fan. While hand-held LED flashlights look like there's a lot of output, it's nothing near what is required for an automotive headlight.

Beam pattern is another issue, the raw output of an LED is no more suitable as a headlight than a bare halogen bulb. Focusing and defining the beam pattern from the LED output is what requires these specific types of unconventional-looking lenses.

For comparison, the only other automotive LED headlights are what has come out over the past year or so in the high-end luxury models:

The look is not to my taste.

I'll leave the answer on that point at "I respect your opinion". Polarization in opinion at the very least means it's not ho-hum. :D

For me, "form following function" is what matters, and the look is a result of the technology.

What I think some people are missing is that these lights are not designed to look like they do just for fun - the design is a result of the different technology. It's not as simple as an LED bulb that would be put behind a standard ellipsoid light... if it were that simple, that would have been done a long time ago.

My personal opinion, I like how they look. I don't care about the visible allen bolts, I think that adds to the very tech-y appearance. It would be possible to make a trim ring cover for that, but I think it looks better the way it is now.

High-output foglights, now that's something I've been interested in doing for years. That's even more of an issue with making look like it fits in, and with output good enough to be worthwhile. Ideally, I'd want a driving lens pattern as a genuine fog pattern is useless. It's like, "Hey, where's the fog? Let me light it up so I'm totally blind. Found the fog. And then the telephone pole." The irregular shape and angled opening makes a clean install of an alternate light difficult.

[Jand3rson]

I think they look amazing. I think most people (not saying all) are just too afraid to step outside of their comfort zone when it comes to looks on these cars, especially on something as visible as the headlights.

In my opinion, these are a 1000-fold better looking alternative than all those cheap-as-shit eBay Depo headlights with fake angel/demon eyes that everyone seems to love so much.