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Julian Rendell October 25, 2007 2:16 PM

I know what Rory means - they make a huge statement about the car they're attached too. There is a techy/green point, though. LED running lights usse a lot less power than conventional bulbs. If the EU makes running lights a regulatory requirement, which I suggest is very likely, LEDs will likely be the technology chosen. So we'd better get used to them.....

Vicky Parrott October 25, 2007 5:43 PM

I'm of completely the opposite opinion. Call me vain (you wouldn't be the first) but I think the LED running lights look great, and make you more visible day or night.

I hate it when people drive with their fog lights on because it can blind drivers on the opposite side of the road, and it shows that the driver is either ignorant of their own car's controls, or that they're generally trying to draw attention to themselves.

The LED lights are one of the best design features of the A5 and R8, both of which are cars you buy because you want to look good. And hey, we all want that.

nh October 30, 2007 10:21 AM

Well, I seriously agree with Rory.

But it's not limited to Audi I'm afraid. I believe BMW has started this fashion with it's current 7 and 5-series: nowadays a car's design is apparently not good if it's not "bold" or "sexy" (whatever that may be for any healthy man or woman).

Personally I find the new and heavily criticised Laguna far better looking then the actually dreadfully ugly Mondeo. To me discretion and subtility are positive qualities; not faults.

And a Mondeo or those LED-lights are everything but discrete. I therefore largely prefer a Passat, Accord or Laguna or even a Sonata or Magentis to that ugly, very fuzzy, clamorous and also oversized Mondeo, or to a 3-series (although the latter has a good size).

Classy people have the typical quality of being disrete instead of clamorous.

Nowadays we see many people who apparently earn enough money to spend it on expensive cars. Many of them seem to lack both the class and good taste, to appreciate clean and sober styling.

To me it's not a problem, altough I don't like how all these ugly 3-series spoil my view on the road. But judging from the first idea's we get from the fortcoming new 7-series, BMW will return to more classy styling. Let's hope so. Then those people who love to have their neighbours and so called friends admire them for their car's badge can again start driving a nice looking car (like the former 5-series for instance was).

Joff November 12, 2007 1:35 PM

I prefer to think of the lights as being "distinctive" rather than vulgar and maybe it's their roll out onto lesser models in the Audi range that has diluted their impact and changed opinion.

On the flagship R8 and RS models, the LED side lights give a fantastic imposing look to the front of the car.

team hethel November 13, 2007 2:33 PM

Just got a 3 series and it has daylight running lights front and rear, the dipped and mains are xenons, the "angel eyes" dont seem to be LEDs on this but will check further.  As an aside it seems that the default seems to be off for the fogs, so I assume that all the BMW's I see on clear days and nights with sides and fogs are making a concious decision to use these lights illegally.

minwow November 17, 2007 8:24 PM

If you look back in the Frankfurt motor show, the LED lights are one of the car design trends! Cars such as the Cactus, Kee, A4, and the Reventon etc.. has running LED lights.

Also i would like to highlight Audi are putting theses lights to give a distinctive  identity to the models. I believe this is a first for car design and could be a move for many other car manufactures.

SuperXepa November 29, 2007 5:06 PM

No tienes ni puñetera idea chaval!

Joff December 8, 2007 4:29 PM

Further to this, someone's already modified their Corsa with a set of the LED driving lights ala Audi R8 blog.jofftastic.co.uk/.../audi-led-driving-lights-on-a-corsa-sort-of

Glennan January 4, 2008 12:22 PM

When I see these LEDs all I can think is 1970's snake lights...

Or is it just me?

rssh February 17, 2008 8:58 AM

@Glennan I agree with you.

julianphillips February 25, 2008 1:13 PM

I seem to remember that the side lights on Volvo's used to be permanently switched on as a safety feature, is this still true?  If so, then Volvo would have an argument to switch to LEDs because they would save energy.

Lotus Man February 27, 2008 10:41 AM

Audi were not the first to have these sort of led string of pearls lights - No it was KITT ( in Knight Rider ) although 'his' were a lot cooler as it moved from side to side.  The trend was then followed by the "I think I'm really cool by putting KITT lights on my Celica or Trans Am" set......Hmmmm really stylish - I rest my case ( against them )  

Schwenck March 15, 2008 1:17 PM

They look ridiculous.  It'll be interesting to see how devalued the idea will seem when every Corsa and C2 over five years old has them.  A bit light Lexus rear lights...

Peter Cavellini March 27, 2008 12:41 PM

What's next at Audi then are they going to make the Audi TT KITT!. I mean is it going to have strobing lights , talk to you, insult your driving!. No i just think they are  gimmick,expensive to fix,and as most people already know when you fill in surveys they know which area of the market are easily convinced they ned this car or latest gimmick.  

ordinary bloke May 2, 2008 12:55 AM

A bit gimmicky really, but a little bit of me thinks they look quite cool. The problem is that as soon as every car has them (as the EU seems to want) not only will there be lots of models with all sorts of ugly arrangements but the supposed "safety feature" of the lights being on all the time will just be lost as everyone will have them. We only really notice them now more than the other vehicles on the road because there are so few of them. So why bother with them ? Just another ill-thought out idea from the EU, making up rules just for the sake of it.

230SL May 10, 2008 9:57 AM

Ordinary bloke, I don't think they are there to make them stand out from other vehicles, are they not there to catch your eye on a dull morning when that dark coloured car might not have been noticed, I think they are a good idea, Audis LED patterns they are designer creating a job for himself.

230SL May 10, 2008 9:58 AM

Sorry about my poor punctuation in the above post, it is disgraceful.

DeweyWins May 20, 2008 3:53 PM

I emailed Audi about those awful lights a few weeks ago. This was their response:

Thank you for your e mail dated 24 April 2008, regarding the LED lights on various Audi models. Please accept my apologies for the delay in replying.

I am sorry to hear that you dislike the LED lights on Audi vehicles. As they are very popular with Audi customers there are no plans to discontinue including these lights as part of the specification of certain models.

Translation: If our customers like them, we couldn't care less if our entirely pointless 'look at me' lights cause irritation to other road users.

Outcome: If that's your attitude, you can stick your Audis, VWs, Seats and Skodas where the sun doesn't shine (maybe your LED lights will come in handy there), and I'll stick to my Subaru Legacy.

S1mon May 21, 2008 12:29 PM

The style issue aside (which in my opinion makes the car look sad) is this just like most other safety features. Hazards are reflective, fluoresent or illuminated. What next

As everything will eventually be made more visible they will eventually become the background and merge back into it losing the reason why they were made so in the first place . . .

There are now so many things that flash, are lit up together with the increase in roadside furniture, plethora of markings on the road which either lead to information overload and in the long run no real benefit!

Sorry to sidetrack the discussion.

Blackfender May 26, 2008 1:22 PM

If as you say Rory,  deep within Audi's MMI system there's an option to switch the lights off, why couldn't they allow the owner to turn individual LEDs on or off ?. That way they could attract as much attention to themselves as their egos could wish for. Volvos of the eighties had 'day notice' lights and many American cars have amber running lights, so it's nothing new and motorcycles use their main light all in the interest of safety.

Peter Cavellini June 3, 2008 11:37 AM

Lets be honest about this- its not the L.E.D'S - its the fact that Audi wants to be up market so you get what you pay for.Wrong! search round the other car makers and what you find standard on most is a cost opion on the Audi. L.E.D's just window dressing and expensive at that.  

AB17790 June 24, 2008 10:52 PM

At the end of the day Audi have triedanother way into saying they are one of the top dogs by creating these vulgar car lights (led daytime lights) i hate them come on audio just face it BMW are better and always will be M5 Rock On

MartinAston June 25, 2008 7:06 PM

It it possible to switch them Off? I can't stand them!

nom de plum June 25, 2008 8:45 PM

Audi drivers are the new BMW drivers. Crass, flash and utterly tasteless.

I despise them and their cars.

Damn them all.

papagomp June 26, 2008 1:28 PM

What is the fixation with having to shout just to make yourself look good. When did design become about excess, and details that reflect only someones insecurity. The problem is that I think the Audi lights generally have real interest in an otherwise staid looking car (cant believe how ordinary and over bloated the new A4 is). On the otherhand the A5 in black and larger alloys looks fantastic. But I would not buy one to look good, or get my neighbours to go  oooohhhhh and arrrrrrrrrrr. How insecure does that make me?!!!

For goodness sake buy a car because you like the way it looks not because you want others to like the way you look. Most of those who buy a car for the latter get my pity not my admiration.

Look at some great examples of cars that have real design flourish, the interior of the first series DB9 and V8  Vantage, or the subtle surfacing on the Muciarlgo (never know how to spell it, but you know.....the big Lamborghini), the IQ concept by Toyota, and stance and proportion of the new Fiesta. Then also look at samples of good design that are more hidden and subtle. Richard Wolleys Rover 75 has a maturity and mini Bently feel, that is distinctive, much more so than the new Bentleys funnily enough. Indeed now MGR no longer exsists, you see less 75's than Bentleys. Others include the forms on the 156 Alfa, which has been replaced by the much more vulgar characture of the 159, and neatness of the VW up.

My point (in a rather long winded manner) is enjoy car design for what it is, and delight in the details whether its Daytime running lights or not, but do not be shallow and insecure to the point of using a car to reflect what you how others think about you.  How sad is that.

Peter Cavellini June 27, 2008 6:21 PM

Hay guess what in this weeks copy of AUTO EXPRESS there are after market ?retro fit L.E.D lights.Did'nt take that long to happen,and guess which car its shown fitted too,yep! you guessed it a.....BMW!

Richard H July 6, 2008 8:39 AM

I think they are awful and chavvy.

They have been refered to as fairy lights, and I agree.

If you want more distinctive styling, buy an Alfa 159...

justi July 13, 2008 5:01 PM

Me me me look at me me me ME ME

I have to say, whenever I see someone in an A5 with these blazing away, I shout out an involuntarily "TOSSER".

As bad as the angel eyes beemer people who go aroudn with those on all day, I preseume to show that Audi has not got one on them. Sh1th3ads.

Clarkson was behind the curve in consigning all Audis into deeply uncool, but I would think these LE-Me-Me-Me lights must have clinched it.

drivenfromtherearplease August 7, 2008 10:11 PM

Hmm yes it has been funny as I have found a marked arrogance developing amongst VAG drivers over the last few years. Great! Please leave us alone to enjoy our cars for what they were intended - driving! They are not a pair of shoes or a handbag, Rolex or i-Phone.

As far as I am concerned the quicker the badge snobbery disappears the better for all of us and the complete anchors who used to be in other vehicles are now inhabiting those owned by Wolfsburg. A pity, but now you’re there please stay.

Oh me?  BM 3dr 120d M-Sport Manual. Angel eyes? Well yes actually. You see back in May 2007 when I ticked the box marked “Visibility Pack” it meant I was able to gain my Xenons (with corner tilt) a few hundred quid cheaper.

Why the Xenons?  Well when was the last time you got in your car at 2am and drove for the sheer fun of it in the country?  Mmm VAG owners may well be perplexed….but you need a good set of lights for this.

The Audi lights smack of diamante bling as they are headlamp only, the BM’s also have led rears on too, possibly so the understearing VAG’s can see where we are when they finally get to the straight…..