Specifications

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LED headlights

Less energy, more light:

the first Audi S8 with full-LED headlights.

In 2008, the Audi R8 set the standard as the first

sports car with full-LED headlights. Now this

special lighting is available for the Audi S8 too as

standard. Full-LED headlights not only require

less energy than standard lighting systems, but

also provide a brighter light which is perceived to

be much more pleasant. The dipped beam

consists of a distinctive line of ten individual light

modules. This makes the Audi S8 unmistakable,

even at night. Main beam, daytime running lights

and indicators are also produced using LED

technology. The use of the same material for all

functions makes completely new lighting effects

possible. The S8 therefore has the right light for

every situation: it has a motorway light which, at

speeds above 110 km/h, automatically almost

doubles the range of the light cone (from approx.

70 m at dipped beam to 150 m with motorway

light). In addition, the S8 has a combined

daytime running light/indicator light unit and an

all-weather light which makes conventional front

fog lights superfluous. The individual LED

modules are skilfully controlled to redistribute

the light, reducing glare from rain or fog.

Subject: Light

Conventional light bulbs reach temperatures of up to 300 °C. Due to their

sophisticated technology, LED lights are somewhat more sensitive and should not get

hotter than 150 °C. Because of the engine, the temperature of the area around the

headlights is already around 120 °C. In theory, then, LED headlights would need an

additional cooling system to be able to work. However, the Audi engineers did not

want to spoil the good low-energy credentials of the LED headlights, so they

developed a fan which directs heat away from the LED chips. The special feature of

this fan is its additional benefit. The high operating temperature of standard bulbs

means that they can defrost the headlights, which LEDs cannot. The newly developed

fan directs warm air from the LED chips directly to the headlight lens and thus

defrosts them and prevents them from misting up.

<300 °C

Daytime running lights Main beam

Dipped beam Indicator

LED headlights

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