After yesterday’s article on all my failed LED headlight attempted, my admiration for the Panamera Turbo and Cayenne Turbo’s quad-point LED setup is very clear.
Sidebar: Posting so many of my hideous DIY failures is really mortifying. But at least a break from the 600-or-so Amelia Island photos I am still sitting on?!
Here is a 360-degree spin from one of the beach-walk decks in front of the Ritz-Carlton. This is a point of view panarama — versus a subject-focused turntable like many of my fly-arounds that center on an automobile.
It was grey, overcast and raining that day, which is typical for this never-ending winter hellscape that is sweeping the 2014 global. This is as sunny as I can make the photos (without the presence of actual sunshine!)
But the quad-points theme carries strong into 2014 in a revised way on the new 911 models featuring the optional PDLS.
It is also a prominent part of the new 919 Hybrid’s nose for the LMP1 racing class.
The new quad-point setup on the 911 Carrera S shown demonstrates the latest iteration of the look — wider, broader and yet still a quad setup.
The new appearance is now embedded within the headlight rim itself, versus forming a box around the projector beam HIDs themselves.
PDLS: Above (911 Turbo S shown)
Standard: Below
The Targa4 does not wear PDLS; instead, the standard LED/Bi-Xenon HID lighting concept for all 911 models for 2014.
PDLS has a variety of other fascinating functions to justify its option pricing, but overall: the stacked projector beams and quad-points in the headlight rim are the most observable from afar. It is also a quick way to bring much of the 911 Turbo’s new hotness to a Carrera 2.
To these eyes, the C2S is such a smooth and lovely form — it is hard to justify the other big body kit upgrades or the previously–de-rigeur C4S body with its wider rear fenders.
There are sixteen 911 variants for 2014, with details and custom configurators for all at Porsche.com/USA
http://www.porsche.com/usa/
Official details below from Porsche.
911 Carrera
Lights
The 911 Carrera models are equipped as standard with Bi-Xenon headlights including a headlight cleaning system and dynamic range control. With dipped or main beam, the road ahead is illuminated more uniformly.
The LED front light units incorporate direction indicators, daytime running lights and position lights.
Automatic headlight activation is also included as standard. The moment it gets dark, the daytime running lights switch off and the dipped beam headlights switch on automatically.
Cutting edge LED technology is also used for the taillights, the high-level third brake light, the licence plate illumination, the rear direction indicators, the rear fog light and – on all-wheel-drive models – the rear light strip. LEDs provide better illumination and respond more quickly to driver input. In the event of sudden braking, the adaptive LED brake lights begin to pulsate. If the vehicle is braked to a halt, the hazard warning lights will switch on automatically, alerting following traffic more quickly to a critical situation.
The lighting system features an automatic switch-off and the ‘Welcome Home’ function. It’s good to know what’s around the next corner or on the way to your front door.
Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS)
The Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS) is available as an option.
Its dynamic cornering light function swivels the headlights towards the inside of a bend, based on steering angle and road speed, in order to illuminate more of the road at tight bends and turns. Put simply, the road ahead is illuminated the moment you enter a bend.
The system also offers speed-sensitive headlight range control. With adaptive light systems, it is possible for the maximum range of the dipped beams to be increased as a function of the speed of the vehicle. PDLS takes care of this automatically in two stages. Stage 1 is the basic position for driving in city traffic, for example. Stage 2 is designed for driving at faster speeds, such as on the motorway. Above 130 km/h, the range is adapted again.
Another feature of PDLS is the adverse weather function, activated whenever the rear fog light is switched on. It reduces the effect of reflection phenomena in poor visibility conditions to avoid the risk of the driver being dazzled.
Tom Burkart is the founder and managing editor of Car-Revs-Daily.com, an innovative and rapidly-expanding automotive news magazine.
He holds a Journalism JBA degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Tom currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his two amazing dogs, Drake and Tank.
Mr. Burkart is available for all questions and concerns by email Tom(at)car-revs-daily.com.