Illuminated Front Ends Are Coming Back

"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind) 10/19/2015 at 16:45 • Filed to: Future Trends

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I think we are officially far enough away from the late 80s and early 90s that design callbacks will actually be hip and happening. The late 60s and early 70s throwbacks are becoming played out after over a decade of every automaker playing the nostalgia card for the Boomers. I think Gen X deserves some love since Millenials already got all their fake vents and scoops from the late 90s and early 2000s.

With so much focus on lighting as part of branding, and the functional portion of grills getting lower, I think lightbars (illuminated grills) are about to become big. Especially when you consider that headlights are becoming smaller due to better tech, but the housings are still gigantic, being filled with decorative LEDs and indicators and reflectors. Look how tiny the LED foglamps are on the RC. Not even the width of the grill’s chrome trim!

The new Chevy Silverado has no clue what to do with all the space the headlights freed up, so they just painted the space.

Now illuminated emblems are really starting to catch on. I mean people can’t see what brand the car is if it’s dark right? Isn’t the emblem the most important aspect of branding? Better light that shit up!

We still rely on chrome bright work, but that’s starting to clash with all our carbon fiber trimmings. It’s only a matter of years before someone starts replacing chrome with LED strips for the sake of modernity. Nothing says technology like lights. Hell every electronic around me has a damn light to let you know it’s off! Plus think of how every vehicle will have some type of electric motor and be either a hybrid or plug-in. As Tesla will tell you, fake grills just won’t work anymore. Even on ICE cars, most of the cooling happens below the bumper (just like 90s cars).

Just imagine all the chrome replaced with LEDs, you know Mercedes would do it!

Mazda is moving that direction.

Volkswagen is hinting at moving that way.

I say let’s stop teasing this thing and go full Mercury.

And you know what? While we are at it, since divorced headlamps are starting to trend, let’s just go ahead and make the DRLs popups. Thank you!

Ash78, voting early and often > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 16:53

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All these new front ends just look like Serious Cat to me.

Alex B > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 16:56

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Except this time it's done right.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 16:58

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There’s some rich kid at the private school down the road from my house that has illuminated his tri-star. At first it bugged me, but then I realized it is just an advertizement for the kind of douchebag he is for doing it in the first place.

Wobbles the Mind > Alex B 10/19/2015 at 16:58

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Hey, the Sable is a national treasure!

46and2aheadofme > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 17:00

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I hate the trend but I can’t argue with your observations or prediction! I hate being blinded by a Charger rear end in stop and go traffic at night, only a matter of time before the front is pure light also. Is it just me, or do do American cars somehow get away with having much brighter LED tail lights than average?

Wobbles the Mind > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. 10/19/2015 at 17:01

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Mercedes had the illuminated star factory since 2014 MY I think. He should have just bought a new car.

Wobbles the Mind > Ash78, voting early and often 10/19/2015 at 17:02

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I always thought that cat had more of an, “I’m tired of your shit Eugene,” kind of look.

Wobbles the Mind > 46and2aheadofme 10/19/2015 at 17:05

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I’m glad you just said that! It has been unbearable sitting behind new cars at traffic lights. I think Dodge will go full grill in the next two years. That crosshair grill design is the ONLY design characteristic Dodge has (even though Ram is best known for it, which is why the Ram Rebel and 1500 Limited are testing out new grill design reactions).

Alex B > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 17:07

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Haha no.

46and2aheadofme > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 17:16

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I’ll be surprised if they can make that crosshair grill look great on any cars. Looks forced on the dart. I think the challenger and charger are more instantly recognizable from afar because of their lighting, front and rear, and that’s why they went all infinity lumens. Weird to me that Dodge is so great/horrible when it comes to styling. Like they have two head designers and one has coke bottle glasses and follows pep boys frippery sales numbers. See the new RAM tailgate, I’d attach a pic but in mobile and I always get kinja’d if I try to do anything helpful like attach a pic.

Wobbles the Mind > 46and2aheadofme 10/19/2015 at 17:21

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I’m working on a post right now about this!

46and2aheadofme > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 17:21

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I hadn’t noticed that Mazda strip under the grille yet. I think that is really nice. OTOH, I’d prob clip the wire to symbol illumination. I’m paying for a car, not a billboard.

46and2aheadofme > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. 10/19/2015 at 17:28

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Sorry to break it to you, but that’s probably a stock feature. I agree it’s awful dbaggy and that over the line stuff is why I don’t love current Mercedes styling. I love the E63 wagon (the crouched cougar look works on a wagon) and GL (styled a tad more conservatively than the rest of their lineup, just right to me)... and that’s about it. Back to the subject at hand, I think mercedes makes the nicest looking lights in the biz.

C62030 > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 17:41

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I really love illuminated bits of a car. The front of the new Continental in the dark looks awesome.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > 46and2aheadofme 10/19/2015 at 17:58

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I’m pretty sure his isn’t. One of the lines in the stay is kind of jacked up and wonky.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 18:14

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I’ll take a pic of it next time I see him, if I remember.

46and2aheadofme > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. 10/19/2015 at 18:30

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I believe you. I don’t need to see it, I just ate lunch :)

Amoore100 > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 18:47

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Don’t they have an option for all of this to light up?

Wobbles the Mind > Amoore100 10/19/2015 at 18:49

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I thought it was just the emblem as an option?

Amoore100 > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 19:00

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Not sure. I [thankfully] don’t own one.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 20:16

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The Ford Edge already replaced the silly chrome trim around the fog lights, in favor of some LED DRLs in the shape of some silly chrome trim.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Amoore100 10/19/2015 at 20:21

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I think that’s just on their concepts.

AddMustard > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 20:32

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The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 20:38

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Oh man I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen one of those Sables at night... I will be on the lookout now for sure.

Wobbles the Mind > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 10/19/2015 at 20:52

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That moment when you realize the Evos Concept influenced the Edge Sport more than the Mustang.

Amoore100 > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. 10/19/2015 at 21:14

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Probably so, although likely for the best...

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Wobbles the Mind 10/19/2015 at 21:53

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I’m pretty sure that concept affected the whole Ford lineup. from Flex/Taurus too Fiesta.

Raymond > Wobbles the Mind 10/27/2016 at 13:26

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Hi, I get interest on the Lexus emblem. I am driving 2014 Lexus is 250, and could you help me to find the Lexus emblem like above which fits my vehicle ?

My email to reply is rennykimvuong@gmail.com

Wobbles the Mind > Raymond 11/09/2016 at 09:57

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Sorry with the late response to this. I think it you look up “5D LED” with Lexus badges you’ll find that style.