Future special M and BMW OLED Tail lights, Laser light headlights ...2016 M7?

[BimmerBreaker]

At the CES this year BMW unveiled their "Iconic Lighting" concept; essentially an M4 with some beautiful and very technologically advanced lights. To me the lights are one of the more important aspects of the car, dictating both the overall proportions of the car and the design language while also having a huge influence on the appearance of the "face" of the car by functioning as the "eyes" of the car. One of my attractions to BMW many years ago was the E39 CELIS tails. We have seen that CELIS light bar technology evolve and be copied by other manufacturers, but now it looks like the next evolution is here. Tail lights evolved from the light bars to the three dimensional OLEDs and the headlights have evoled as well; from incandescent to halogen to xenon to LED and now to lasers. Its worth noting we won't be getting the laser lights in the US at least for the foreseeable future, but there is no reasons the OLED (Organic LED) tail lights can not be sold here.

















OLED tails and laser headlights will be used on a 2016 M model to celebrate BMW's 100th year as a car company. I imagine this will be a pretty important car. I'm hoping its going to be an S63 or similar in the i8 chassis, or - and I fear this is more likely - an M7. I think it may be an M7 based on a few factors: the next 7 series is slated to start production as a 2016 model , BMW's unveiling of a 7 series concept last year featuring OLED tail lights and BMW M announced they are interested in producing an M7 (notably the last paragraph of that article from 2012: "Proper M cars take roughly five years to bring to market, and with the next 7-series still about three years away, don’t expect to see an M7 until 2016 at the earliest."). The 7 series concepts from last year show OLED technology and to my knowledge this is the first time they showed the technology.

It may trickle down into other models in the future, but I think the current M lineup may have missed the boat. The F30 is looking at a 2015 facelift (applying in all likelihood to the M3/M4 as well) making that chassis too early for the 2016 reveal of the OLED lights; the M6 will also see a facelift in 2015 with the M5 having already been facelifted this past year in 2014.

That excludes virtually all of their current M lineup from featuring the OLED tails. My only thoughts other than some sort of special one-off extremely limited production run of cars (a modern M1 type car, possibly related to the i8 maybe sharing the chassis) and the M7 is maybe we will see these on an M2, but it would be extremely uncommon for a "halo technology" like these to premier on the entry level M car. To me, all signs are pointing at a 2016 M7.

Cliffnotes:
OLED technology allows for much more freedom of design in tail lights
Laser lighting is a huge leap forward - beyond just light output advantages, it has the ability to look "around" cars, giving you the best view of your surroundings without being detrimental to others on the road
BMW will reveal the OLED technology on a 2016 M model
During the last 7's production BMW M said the next 7 may have an M7 variant, and the next 7's production is slated to start 2016

What do you think? I love the look of the lights and can't wait to enjoy them for 5-10 years before every other manufacturer copies them and BMW moves onto something else.

[Kevlar]

there is a video of it on www.bimmerforums.com

[BimmerBreaker]

there is a video of it on www.bimmerforums.com

Awesome, I looked but didn't see it posted here (didn't check main page, admittedly) so wasn't sure if there was info about it on here. I embedded the video since it explains a lot about the actual technology of the lights. I also really like the new take on the classic angel eyes, I've been waiting to see how BMW evolved the angel eyes since other manufacturers have copied them. I didn't think simply squaring them off was enough and it seems neither did BMW.

Looks like the press release here also includes more pictures, very cool: http://www.bimmerforums.com/2015/01/...iconic-lights/

[pizzaman09]

I like the rear turn signals and the new front headlights are pretty sharp too. I am not too sure about the rear brake/running lights, the overlapping red looks kind of odd.

[Kevlar]

I cant wait to see how much it's going to cost to upgrade existing equipment... those laser headlights have gotta cost quite a bit with all the technology embedded in them.

[e30jrosso]

Laser headlights? They look really sharp. I foresee these sending my radar/laser detector into an annoying fit.

[Critter7r]

All this about how the new headlights and tail lights look. How about how well they allow drivers to see, and be seen without blinding other drivers.

Everyone just expects that manufacturers will get it right .. but every Ford Focus, Taurus or Flex with factory HIDs blinds me on the road. Ford did not design and/or aim their HIDs properly.

[BimmerBreaker]

All this about how the new headlights and tail lights look. How about how well they allow drivers to see, and be seen without blinding other drivers.

Everyone just expects that manufacturers will get it right .. but every Ford Focus, Taurus or Flex with factory HIDs blinds me on the road. Ford did not design and/or aim their HIDs properly.

Check out the video. The laser headlights are pretty amazing in their ability to split their beam pattern around nearby traffic.

And yeah, I imagine the laser lights are going to be like a $3,000 option. But they won't be available in the US at least not right off the bat. Bummer but, what can you do. Wonder who will be the first to order em from Europe and get em installed.

I'm pretty confident we will see an M7 in 2016, any opinions on that? TBH I'm not even sure what I think. An M7 seems sort of like a car designed for Dubai

[Critter7r]

We sort-of already have an M7 with the Alpina.

And I haven't watched the video yet, cause I was at work. I was just commenting on the comments about looks, as opposed to function. Will check out the video though.

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Ok, the splitting of the beam is friggin sweet.

[auaq]

Damn! They look super goooood!

[Mannyf540]

How long till Umnitza tries to sell the BMW market a set of these.

[bubbafett]

How long till Umnitza tries to sell the BMW market a set of these.

First they will need to find a Chinese company that can make what they need cheap, so they can sell us $900 lights. XD