About taillamps (colours)

Apr 15, 2005 4 Replies

Hi...



Was just wondering something. For the longest while, all European cars that I know of have had low wattage red running lights, higher wattage red brake lights that came on overtop of the running lights, or in a separate part of the cluster, a spot for a foglight or two *unless North American special spec, clear reverse... but here is where they would differenciate from North America - always a separate clear or amber coloured cluster, and an amber or yellow bulb for turn signals....



BUT NOW.... I am seeing red turn signals and almost American style combination running/stopping/turning signal clusters, almost American car style... Did Europe never have a law saying you HAVE to have amber turn signals - and the manufacturers are just now making red signals... or are we getting North American style lights here only... Look at the Jetta wagon, Porsche 911's I have seen with red lights, new Jetta, some newer Audi's.



Peronsally I think amber signal lights are far more readily visible in all weather/conditions, I like plain, straightforward segmented lighting like you see on something like a Golf, or a Volvo.


AFAIK europe still requires amber but on export vehicles (US and Canada) they seem to occasionally like to explicitly change to red signals. Note that they're only required to shine amber on Euro spec cars and many have mastered the technique of making lamp clusters that look red when off but the signal still emits amber light.

And in the case of the Jetta wagon for the US and Canada, not only is it a red signal lamp, but they actually moved the signal lamp to where the rear fog would normally reside and the place where the euro signal would be is left unused (and tinted red on the cluster). Why move it I don't know.

I agree.

And I agree again there.

here's a thread that contains some info on stuff I personally was wondering about WRT euro to US taillight rearrangement.

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*+nagel+stern+taillamp#dc02ffb87b239434 nate

Whole ring is "on" w/the brakes on.

Same on the Jetta when brakes are on but when signal is activated the outer

1/2 of the ring flashes on-off and the inner half stays on.

Not yet.

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