Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Consumer's Eye

Firms play with looks of taillights

A Toyota concept features bulging lights as a Ford SUV aims for sophistication.

By Anita Lienert / Special to The Detroit News

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Automakers are tinkering with taillights on new production models and concept vehicles with some intriguing results.

The 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser concept SUV that was recently unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show has "taillight extensions."

The red lights bulge out from the sides of the vehicle, a design treatment that should make the FJ Cruiser stand out in traffic.

Ernest Bastien, vice president of operations for Toyota Motor Co.p.'s U.S. sales unit, said the taillights are a "styling execution that may end up" on the production version of the FJ Cruiser.

The taillights on the 2006 Mercury Mountaineer SUV aim for a more sophisticated and subtle look.

Ed Golden, design director for Ford and Lincoln brand trucks, points out that these taillights "don't have a speck of red or amber in them," unlike the taillights on other production vehicles.

In truth, if you look really hard you can see a tiny bit of yellow. It's only when you step on the brake that the hidden LEDs light up in red. The taillights are trimmed in new chrome accents, which make the Mountaineer look more expensive.

The taillights on previous versions of the Mountaineer were trimmed in plastic -- a cheap and unattractive treatment that was widely criticized by reviewers.

Golden said the idea is for the new taillights to look clean and high-tech, taking a page out of the playbook of young buyers who like to customize import cars. It's a coldly beautiful look and it's bound to be copied widely.

But the best taillight treatment of the year thus far has to be the practical approach adopted by BMW on the 2006 3 Series sedan.

The 3 Series features two-stage adaptive brake lights that increase in intensity in hard braking or whenever the antilock brakes are activated.

The two-stage brake lights are designed to warn drivers behind you that things are coming to a halt very quickly. It seems like a fantastic safety idea, especially in a world of distracted drivers.

You can reach Anita Lienert at ConsEye@aol.com.