Hidden Headlamps
Hidden headlamps are an automotive styling feature that conceals an automobile's headlamps when they are not in use
. Depending on the design, the headlamps may be mounted in a housing that rotates so as to sit flush with the front end as on the Porsche 928, may retract into the hood and/or fenders as on the 19682004 Chevrolet Corvette, or may be concealed behind retractable or rotating grille panels as on the 1966 Dodge Charger.
Hidden headlamps first appeared on the Cord 810 in 1936. Each unit had a crank on its side of the dashboard, which was turned by hand when the headlamps were needed.
Powered hidden headlamps were pioneered in GM's Buick Y-Job concept car of 1938 and were used briefly on Chrysler Corporation's 1942 production DeSoto. The feature's popularity has waxed and waned over time. Hidden headlamps regained popularity in the late 1960s, particularly in the US market where aerodynamic headlamps were not permitted. A relatively large variety of cars incorporated hidden headlamps in the 1970s, '80s, and early 1990s. Currently, hidden headlamps are out of favour.
Numerous car manufacturers used hidden headlamps to get around the headlight height regulation in the United States, for instance Toyota exported their retractable headlight version of the AE86, known domestically as the Sprinter Trueno in favour of their Corolla Levin as the former had higher headlamp height, enough to satisfy US regulations rather than raise body height which affected handling.
US laws now permit aerodynamic headlamps, relative to which hidden headlamps represent added cost, weight, and complexity as well as reliability concerns as cars age. Internationalized ECE auto safety regulations have also recently incorporated pedestrian-protection provisions restricting protuberances from car bodies, making it more difficult and expensive to design compliant pop-up headlamps.
The last time pop-up headlamps appeared on a volume-production car was in 2004 when both the Lotus Esprit and C5 Corvette ended production.
A 1937 Cord 812
A 1938 Buick Y-Job
A 1967 Ford Thunderbird
A 1973 SAAB Sonett III
A Mazda 323F
Opel GT
Dodge Charger
Volvo 480
List of cars with hidden or pop-up headlights
Acura/Honda Integra, 19861989
Acura/Honda NSX, 19902002
Alfa Romeo Montreal, 19701977
Aston Martin Lagonda, 19761989
Aston Martin Vantage Zagato Volante, 19861989
Aston Martin Bulldog, 1980 (concept car)
Asna Sunfire, 1993
Bitter CD, 1973
Bitter SC, 1979
Bricklin SV-1, 19741976
BMW 8 Series, 19891999
BMW GINA, 2008 (concept car)
BMW M1, 19781981
Buick Reatta, 19881991
Buick Riviera, 19651969
Buick SkyHawk, 19821988
Buick Y-Job, 1938 (concept car)
Cadillac Eldorado, 19671968
Chevrolet Camaro, 19671969 (optional)
Chevrolet Caprice, 19681969 (optional and very rare)
Chevrolet Corvette, 19632004
Chrysler 300, 19681971
Chrysler Imperial, 19901993
Chrysler LeBaron, 19871992 (coupe & convertible only)
Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue, 19901993
Chrysler New Yorker, 19761981 and 19881993
DeSoto, 1942
De Tomaso Mangusta, 19701971 (US-spec)
De Tomaso Pantera, 19711974
De Tomaso Guar, 19932004
Dodge Charger, 19661970, (optional in 1971 & 1972)
Dodge Charger Daytona, 19691970
Dodge Daytona, 19871991
Dodge Magnum, 19781979 (clear covers)
Dodge Monaco, 19721973
Dodge Royal Monaco, 19761978
Dodge Stealth, 19911993
Dodge St. Regis, 19791981 (clear covers)
Eagle Talon, 19901991
Ferrari 288 GTO, 19841985
Ferrari 308 GTB, 19751984
Ferrari 328, 19851989
Ferrari 348, 19891995
Ferrari 365 California Spyder, 19661967
Ferrari F355, 19941999
Ferrari 400/412, 19761989
Ferrari 456/456M, 19922003
Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer, 19731984
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 & GTS/4 "Daytona", 365 GTC/4, 365 GT4 2+2, 19701976
Ferrari GT4, 19741980
Ferrari Mondial, 19801995
Ferrari Testarossa, 512TR, 19841994
Fiat X1/9, 19731988 (also called Bertone X1/9 in the USA)
Ford Galaxie 500 XL, 19681970
Ford LTD, 19681970 (including Country Squire wagon)
Ford LTD Landau, 19751978 (including Country Squire wagon)
Ford Probe, 19891997
Ford Ranchero, 1970 (GT only)
Ford Thunderbird, 19671969 and 19771982
Ford Torino Brougham, 1970
Geo Storm, 1991
Honda Accord, 19861989
Honda Integra, 19861989
Honda NSX; 19902001
Honda Prelude, 19831991
Imperial, 19691975 and 19811983
Isuzu Piazza, 19811987 (also Isuzu Impulse, Holden Piazza)
Jaguar XJ220, 19921994
Lamborghini Athon, 1980 (concept car)
Lamborghini Bravo, 1974 (concept car)
Lamborghini Countach, 19741990
Lamborghini Diablo, 19901998
Lamborghini Islero, 19681969
Lamborghini Jalpa, 19811988
Lamborghini Jarama, 19701976
Lamborghini Urraco, 19731979
Lamborghini Marco Polo, 1982 (concept car)
Lamborghini Miura, 19661973
Lamborghini Silhouette, 19761979
Lamborghini Urraco, 19701979
Lancia Montecarlo, 19751979 (for Scorpion, North-American version)
Lancia Stratos, 19721973
Lincoln Continental, 19701981
Lincoln Mark series, 19681983
Lister Storm, 19931999
Lotus Eclat, 19741982
Lotus Elan, 19621973, Lotus Elan +2 19671975,
Lotus Elan M100 19891995
Lotus Elite, 19741982
Lotus Esprit, 19762004
Lotus Excel, 19821992
Manta Mirage, 19741986
Maserati Bora, 19711980
Maserati Ghibli, 19661973
Maserati Indy, 19691974
Maserati Khamsin, 19741982
Maserati Merak, 19721982
Mazda 929 (some models)
Mazda AZ-550 Sports Type A, 1989 (concept version)
Mazda Familia Astina, 19891994
Mazda MX-5 Miata, 19891997
Mazda RX-7, 19782002
Mercury Cougar, 19671970
Mercury Capri, 19911994 (Third Generation)
Mercury Marquis, 19691978
Mercury Montego, 1970 (some models)
Mitsubishi 3000GT, 19911993
Mitsubishi Eclipse, 19901991
Mitsubishi Starion, 19821990 (also Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Conquest, captive imports)
Nissan Silvia/Nissan 200SX(S12), 19831989
Nissan 180SX/Nissan 200SX/Nissan 240SX(S13), 19891994 [also 19961998 (Kouki) 180SX]
Nissan 300ZX, (Z31), 19841989
Nissan Pulsar/N12 NX/N13 NX/N13 EXA, 19831990
Oldsmobile Toronado, 19661969 and 19861992
Opel GT, 19681973
Plymouth Fury, 19701971 (Gran Coupe & Sport Fury, Sport Suburban wagon for 1971)
Plymouth Fury III, 1972 (optional)
Plymouth Laser, 19901991
Plymouth Superbird, 1970
Pontiac Fiero, 19841988
Pontiac Firebird, 19822002
Pontiac Grand Prix, 19671968
Pontiac GTO, 19681969
Pontiac Sunbird SE/GT 19861993
Porsche 911 'Slantnose', 19851989, 'Flatnose', 1994 (also called 930S)
Porsche 914, 19691976
Porsche 924, 19761988
Porsche 928, 19781995
Porsche 944, 19821991
Porsche 968, 19911994
Quantum Sports Cars 2+2, 1993
Saab Sonett III, 19701974
Saturn SC2, 19911996
Subaru XT 19851991
Toyota 2000GT, 19671970
Toyota Celica, 19821993
Toyota Corolla, 19831991 (GT-S and SR-5 Sport only)
Toyota MR2, 19841999
Toyota Sprinter Trueno, 19831992
Toyota Supra, 19821992
Triumph TR7/TR8, 19751982
TVR Tasmin/280i/450 SEAC, 19811989
Venturi Atlantique 300, 19871999
Volvo 480, 19861995
Vector M12, 19951999
Vector W8, 19891993
Zimmer Quicksilver, 19861989
Other vehicles with pop-up headlights
Keisei AE-100 Skyliner
Motorcycles
Honda Spacy 125 Striker, 19831986
Suzuki GSX750S (Katana), 19841985
Trains
Keisei Electric Railway AE100 (Skyliner), 1990
Bicycles
Bridgestone Young Way Monte Carlo, 1979
See also
Automotive lighting
Daytime Running Lamp
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Hidden headlamps
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Hidden Headlamps
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