"off road" bulbs come in a number of different "heats". Standard bulbs are rated at 5500k and are very yellow. The higher the heat rating (up to 9500k), the bluer the light. But as the rating goes up, the actual light output decreases (due to the rediced light spectrum).The 451 has a typical Halogen bulb (H7 IIRC). It is probably a 55 watt job..... The car will have the "projector" lense/reflector style
I am sure many folks will swap out for higher wattage bulbs.... I am personally againts that habit but to each his own....
It has been my experiance that many who go "bigger" usually go too big thinking the if 85W is good ,then 100W must be better.... and it is to a point...
That point being; where you annoy all other oncoming drivers and you compromise your own safety by adding too many amps load to wireing that is not designed to carry that load.....
I bet a small number of Smart owners will swap out the factory bulbs for the new HID effect blue bulbs..... even if they are just for show only and not DOT approved for highway use
Had an E34 with elipsoids it was totaled sp replaced with an E93 with HID lights but they have a leveler. does the upgrade for the E34 have this?I have a 94 BMW 5 series and they have "elipsoids" or pretty much projector beams and just installed HID not too long ago. The prices for retrofit kits have come down ALOT, they used to be around $300 to $400, but this seller has gotten alot of great reviews and sells a whole kit for less than $100. Everything is plug and play and the difference is amazing. Its so much safer and easier to drive at night now, I dont see how in the future these things arent standard. The light they produce, in color temp is more akin to daylight and for the same amount of power used MUCH brighter.
They are all ready available for the smart 451 now sold overseas.... but check this out before dropping the money for them. They are dangerous...I'm sure there will be a ton of aftermarket items become available once these cars are released.
They are only dangerous if misused. Same could be said for Halogen as well. The Renault had regular style reflector headlamps that were designed for the light output of halogen. In cars like that, yes it is dangerous. But like I stated before, in cars that have projector style lights, like the incoming smart and my BMW, they are safe and useable. Just like any headlight though they need to be properly aimed.They are all ready available for the smart 451 now sold overseas.... but check this out before dropping the money for them. They are dangerous...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVuSSdZNsZw
Installation instructions...
http://www.evilution.co.uk/index.php?page=modpage&id=109&men=Electrical
I have that cutoff on my S-2000. Because of the relatively stiff suspension on that car, when I am following someone, as the car headlights react to road ups and downs, that *edge* flashes into and out of the car's rear views ahead of me and the driver thinks you're flashing your brights on him and in some cases they pull right over and let you by, thinking that you are in a hurry. I've had the headlight alignment checked and they are fine.I have had the sharp cut off on both xenon and halogen lights. In my 95 model the halogen lights were called ellipsoid and it was a matter of the reflector rather than the bulb and the cut off was there regardless of what type of bulb was used . I suspect the xenon may be the same