Hidden headlamp

A Mazda 323F

Hidden headlamps, also commonly known as pop-up headlamps, pop-up headlights, flip-eye headlamps, hideaway headlights, are a form of automotive lighting and an automotive styling feature that conceals an automobile's headlamps when they are not in use.

Depending on the design, the headlights may be mounted in a housing that rotates so as to sit flush with the front end as on the Lamborghini Miura or Porsche 928, may retract into the hood and/or fenders as on the 1963–2004 Chevrolet Corvette, or may be concealed behind retractable or rotating grille panels as on the Dodge Charger, Mercury Cyclone, or the 1960s Buick Riviera, which pioneered the feature.

History[]

Hidden headlamps first appeared simultaneously on the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900A Ferrari Berlinetta, car displayed at the Musée National de l'Automobile in Mulhouse, and on the Cord 810 in 1936. Each unit had a crank on its side of the dashboard, which was turned by hand to bring out the headlamps when needed. Electric powered hidden headlamps were pioneered in GM's concept car in 1938, the Buick Y-Job, and first appeared in a production car on Chrysler Corporation's 1942 DeSoto.

The feature's popularity has waxed and waned over time. Hidden headlamps regained popularity in the mid-to-late 1960s, in Europe but particularly in the US where aerodynamic headlamps were not permitted. A relatively large variety of cars incorporated hidden headlamps in the 1970s, 1980s, and up to the early 1990s. Subsequent legislation led to hidden headlamps falling increasingly out of favor.

For a long time manufacturers used hidden headlamps to get around headlight height regulations 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.

Discontinuation[]

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. Development of both projector beam headlamps — like those on the 1990 Nissan Z — and more efficient, bright LED headlamps of small size will most likely eliminate the need for concealed headlamps altogether, though composite headlamps containing small halogen bulbs offering enough freedom of styling have already replaced them in the mainstream.

List of cars with hidden or pop-up headlights[]

Production cars[]

AC 3000ME, 1979–1984
Ares Panther, 2018 (redesign of Lamborghini Huracán)
Adams Brothers Probe 15, 1969
Adams Brothers Probe 16, 1969–1970
Adams Brothers Probe 2001, 1970–1972
Alfa Romeo 8C2900A Pininfarina Berlinetta, 1936
Alfa Romeo Montreal, 1970–1977
Alpine A610, 1991–1995
Alpine GTA, 1987 (U.S. spec)
Aston Martin Lagonda, 1976–1989
Aston Martin Vantage Zagato Volante, 1986–1989
Asüna Sunfire, 1993
Avante 1982-1986
Bitter CD & SC, 1973–1979
Bricklin SV-1, 1974–1976
BMW 8 Series (E31), 1989–1999
BMW M1, 1978–1981
Buick Reatta, 1988–1991
Buick Riviera, 1965–1969
Buick SkyHawk, 1986–1989
1981-1982
Cadillac Eldorado, 1967–1968
Chevrolet Camaro, 1967–1969 (optional - usually with the Rally Sport model or the RS/SS package)
Chevrolet Caprice, 1968–1969 (optional and very rare)
Chevrolet Corvette, 1963–2004
Chrysler 300, 1968–1971
Chrysler Imperial, 1969–1993
Chrysler LeBaron, 1987–1992 (coupe & convertible only)
Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue, 1990–1993
Chrysler New Yorker, 1976–1981 and 1988–1993
Cizeta-Moroder V16T, 1991–2003
1984-1988
Continental Mark series, 1968–1983
Cord 810, 1936–1937

  Covini B24, 1981

DeSoto, 1942
De Tomaso Mangusta, 1970–1971 (US-spec)
De Tomaso Pantera, 1971–1974
De Tomaso Guarà, 1993–2004
Dodge Charger, 1966–1970, (optional in 1971 & 1972)
Dodge Charger Daytona, 1969–1970
Dodge Daytona, 1987–1991
Dodge Magnum, 1978–1979 (clear covers)
Dodge Monaco, 1972–1973
Dodge Royal Monaco, 1976–1978
Dodge Stealth, 1991–1993
Dodge St. Regis, 1979–1981 (clear covers)
Eagle Talon, 1990–1991

  Evante Sports 1600 mk2 1985-1994

Ferrari/Dino 208/308 GT4, 1974–1980
Ferrari 288 GTO, 1984–1985
Ferrari 308 GTB, 1975–1984
Ferrari 328, 1985–1989
Ferrari 348, 1989–1995
Ferrari 365 California Spyder, 1966–1967
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 & GTS/4 "Daytona", 365 GTC/4, 365 GT4 2+2, 1970–1976
Ferrari 400/412, 1976–1989
Ferrari 456/456M, 1992–2003
Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer, 1973–1984
Ferrari F355, 1994–1999
Ferrari F40, 1987–1992
Ferrari Mondial, 1980–1995
Ferrari Testarossa, 512TR, 1984–1994
Fiat 125 Samantha, 1967 (a two-door coupé version of Fiat 125 built by Vignale and designed by Virginio Vairo)
Fiat X1/9, 1973–1988 (also called Bertone X1/9 in the USA)
Ford/Mercury Capri, 1991–1994
Ford Galaxie 500 XL, 1968–1970
Ford LTD (Americas), 1968–1970; Landau, 1975–1978 (including Ford Country Squire wagon)
Ford LTD (Australia), 1973–1976
Ford Landau, 1973–1976
Ford Probe, 1989–1997
Ford Ranchero GT, 1970–1971
Ford Thunderbird, 1967–1969, 1977–1982
Ford Torino Brougham, Cobra, GT 1970–1971
Geo Storm, 1990–1991
Ginetta Dare DZ, 1998
Ginetta G4 Series IV (some models), 1981–1986
Ginetta G23/24, 1981
Ginetta G26/31, 1984–1986
Ginetta G27 (updated version of G4 Series IV), 1986-1990
Ginetta G32, 1989–1992
Ginetta G33, 1991

  Grinnal TR8, 1990

Hawk HF3000, 1988

   Hofstetter turbo, 1986-1991

Honda Accord, 1986–1989
Honda Ballade, 1984–1987
Honda/Acura Integra/Rover 416, 1986–1989
Honda/Acura NSX, 1990–2001
Honda Prelude, 1983–1991
Honda Vigor, 1986–1989
Imperial, 1969–1975 and 1981–1983
“Irish” Clan 1982
Isdera Imperator 108i, 1991–1993 (facelift model)
Iso Lele, 1969–1974
Iso Grifo, 1965–1974
Isuzu Piazza, 1981–1987 (also Isuzu Impulse, Holden Piazza)
Jaguar XJ220, 1992–1994
Kia Elan, 1989–1995 (also sold as Lotus Elan)
Lamborghini Countach, 1974–1990
Lamborghini Diablo, 1990–1998
Lamborghini Islero, 1968–1969
Lamborghini Jalpa, 1981–1988
Lamborghini Jarama, 1970–1976
Lamborghini Urraco, 1973–1979
Lamborghini Miura, 1966–1973
Lamborghini Silhouette, 1976–1979
Lancia Montecarlo, 1975–1979 (for Scorpion, North-American version)
Lancia Stratos, 1972–1973
Lincoln Continental, 1970–1979
Lister Storm, 1993–1999
Lombardi Grand Prix, 1968–1972
Lotus Eclat, 1974–1982
Lotus Elan, 1962–1973 +2 model, 1967–1975
Lotus Elan M100 1989–1995 (also sold as Kia Elan)
Lotus Elite, 1974–1982
Lotus Esprit, 1976–2004
Lotus Excel, 1982–1992
Manta Mirage, 1974–1986
Maserati Bora, 1971–1980
Maserati Ghibli, 1966–1973
Maserati Indy, 1969–1974
Maserati Khamsin, 1974–1982
Maserati Merak, 1972–1982
Matra 530, 1967–1973
Matra Bagheera, 1973–1980
Matra Murena, 1980–1983
Mazda 626 (dealer optional with Mazda Cosmo HB front-end for Indonesian market), 1987
Mazda Cosmo/929 HB coupé, 1981–1989
Mazda Familia Astina, marketed in Europe as the original 323F, 1989–1994
Mazda MX-5/Miata NA, 1989–1997
Mazda RX-7, 1978–2002
Mercedes-Benz C111, 1969–1970 (experimental car)
Mercury Capri, 1991-1994
Mercury Cougar, 1967–1970
Mercury Cyclone 1970–1971
Mercury Marauder, 1969–1970
Mercury Marquis, 1969–1978
Mercury Montego MX, 1970–1971
Mitsubishi GTO/3000GT, 1991–1993
Mitsubishi Eclipse, 1990–1991
Mitsubishi Starion, 1982–1990 (also Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Conquest, captive imports)
Monica 560, 1973–1974
Monteverdi Hai 450 1970-1973
Nissan Silvia/200SX S12, 1983–1989
Nissan 180SX/200SX/240SX S13, 1989–1998
Nissan 300ZX Z31, 1984–1989
Nissan EXA, 1983–1990
Oldsmobile Toronado, 1966–1969 and 1986–1992
Opel GT, 1968–1973
Pangra, 1972–1973 (based on Ford Pinto)
Panther Solo, 1989–1990

  Panther 6, 1976-1977

Plymouth Fury, 1970–1971 (Gran Coupe & Sport Fury, Sport Suburban wagon for 1971)
Plymouth Fury III, 1972 (optional), Gran Coupe & Sport Fury
Plymouth Laser, 1990–1991
Plymouth Superbird, 1970
Pontiac Fiero, 1984–1988
Pontiac Firebird (including the Trans Am and Formula), 1982–2002
Pontiac Grand Prix, 1967–1968
Pontiac GTO, 1968–1969
Pontiac Sunbird SE/GT 1986–1993
Porsche 911 Turbo SE 'Slantnose', 1985–1989, 964 Turbo S 'Flatnose', 1994
Porsche 914, 1969–1976
Porsche 924, 1976–1988
Porsche 928, 1978–1995
Porsche 944, 1982–1991
Porsche 968, 1991–1994
Quantum Sports Cars 2+2, 1993
Reliant Scimitar SS1/SST/Sabre, 1984–1995
Saab Sonett III, 1970–1974
Saturn SC2, 1991–1996
Subaru XT, 1985–1991
Siata 208 CS, 1952-1954 (also known as 200 CS)
Siva S160 Spyder, 1971-1973