Xenon HID headlamp
Xenon HID headlamps are the bright automobile headlights that use xenon short-arc lamps to produce the light rather than ordinary incandescent light bulbs (including quartz halogen lamps). (HID refers to High-Intensity Discharge, the technical term for the electric arc that produces the light.) The light from xenon lamps has a distinct bluish tint when compared with incandescent light.
Because the light source can be smaller than with incandescent lamps, HID headlamps can focus the light more precisely or, conversely, use smaller reflectors and lenses to achieve the same accuracy of focus as larger reflectors and lenses used with incandescent systems. In addition, the bluer light more closely simulates daylight and the ultraviolet components emitted by the lamps can cause some highway road signs to fluoresce, leading to improved sign readibility with less visible light to cause glare to other drivers.
The following is a list of some of the cars that come with factory installed Xenon HID headlamp systems as of 2004:
- Acura 3.2TL ('99)
- Acura 3.5RL ('99)
- Audi A6
- Audi A8
- BMW 323i ('99)
- BMW 328i ('99)
- BMW 5-Series
- BMW 7-Series
- Ford Focus SVT ('02-'04)
- GMC Envoy ('99)
- Honda EVPlus
- Infiniti Q45 ('99)
- Infiniti I30 ('00) Lexus GS300
- Lexus GS400
- Lexus LS400
- Lincoln Mark VIII
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class ('99)
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class
- Mercedes-Benz S-Class
- Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
- Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
- Porsche 911
See also
Categories: Automobile stubs | Lighting