Hidden headlamps, also commonly known as pop-up headlamps, pop-up headlights, flip-eye headlamps, or hideaway headlights, are a form of

automotive lighting The lighting system of a motor vehicle consists of lighting and signalling devices mounted to or integrated into the front, rear, sides, and in some cases the top of a motor vehicle. They illuminate the road ahead for the driver and increase th ...

and an automotive styling feature that conceals an

automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded ...

headlamp A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for ...

s when they are not in use. Depending on the design, the headlamps may be mounted in a housing that rotates so as to sit flush with the front end as on the

Lamborghini Miura The Lamborghini Miura is a sports car produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 1966 and 1973. The car was the first supercar with a rear mid-engined two-seat layout, although the concept was first seen in a production road car with Re ...

Porsche 928 The Porsche 928 is a luxury grand tourer produced by Porsche AG of Germany from 1978 until 1995. Originally intended to replace the company's iconic 911, the 928 combined the power, poise, and handling of a sports car with the refinement, comfo ...

, may retract into the hood and/or fenders as on the 1963–2004

Chevrolet Corvette The Chevrolet Corvette is a two-door, two-passenger luxury sports car manufactured and marketed by Chevrolet since 1953. With eight design generations, noted sequentially from C1 to C8, the Corvette is noted for its performance and distinctiv ...

, or may be concealed behind retractable or rotating grille panels as on the 1966-1970

Dodge Charger The Dodge Charger is a model of automobile marketed by Dodge in various forms over seven generations since 1966. The first Charger was a show car in 1964. A 1965 Charger II concept car resembled the 1966 production version. The Charger has ...

, 1970-1971 Mercury Cyclone, or the 1965 Buick Riviera.

History

Hidden headlamps first appeared on the

Cord 810 The Cord 810, and later Cord 812, was a luxury automobile produced by the Cord Automobile division of the Auburn Automobile Company in 1936 and 1937. It was the first American-designed and built front wheel drive car with independent front suspen ...

in November 1935 at the New York Auto Show and shortly after on a custom example of the

Alfa Romeo 8C The Alfa Romeo 8C was originally a range of Alfa Romeo road, race and sports cars of the 1930s. In 2004 Alfa Romeo revived the 8C name for a V8-engined concept car which made it into production for 2007, the 8C Competizione. The 8C designates ...

in 1936. In the Cord, a pair of cranks on either side of the dashboard could be turned by hand to bring out the headlamps when needed. Powered hidden headlamps first appeared on GM's

concept car A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle, show vehicle or prototype) is a car made to showcase new styling and/or new technology. They are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or ...

in 1938, the

Buick Y-Job The Buick Y-Job, produced by Buick in 1938, was the auto industry's first concept car (a model intended to show new technology or designs but not be mass-produced for sale to consumers). Designed by Harley J. Earl, the car had power-operated hi ...

, and appeared on concept cars for several years after, including the 1951 General Motors Le Sabre. However, power hidden headlamps would not appear on a production vehicle until 1962 with the

Lotus Elan Lotus Elan is the name of two separate ranges of automobiles produced by Lotus Cars. The first series of cars was produced between 1962 and 1975 as a rear-wheel drive vehicle. The second series was produced between 1989 and 1995 as a front-wheel ...

. The popularity of this feature has waxed and waned over time. Hidden headlamps regained popularity in the mid-to-late 1960s, first 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, 1990s, and up to the early 2000s. Subsequent legislation led to hidden headlamps falling increasingly out of favor. In the past, manufacturers often used hidden headlamps to circumvent headlight height regulations in the United States. For instance, in 1983,

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

exported their retractable headlight version of the

AE86 The AE86 series of the Toyota Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno are small, front-engine/rear-wheel-drive models within the front-engine/front-wheel-drive fifth generation Corolla (E80) range—marketed by Toyota from 1983 to 1987 in cou ...

(known domestically as the Sprinter Trueno) instead of the Corolla Levin, as the former had a higher headlamp height, enough to satisfy US regulations. This prevents them from raising the body height of the car, which would have 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 The Lotus Esprit is a British sports car that was built by Lotus Cars at their Hethel factory in England between 1976 and 2004. It was among the first of designer Giorgetto Giugiaro's polygonal "folded paper" designs. Background In 1970 Tony ...

and

Chevrolet Corvette (C5) The Chevrolet Corvette (C5) is the fifth generation of the Chevrolet Corvette sports car, produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1997 through 2004 model years. Production variants include the high performance Z06. Racing ...

ended production. Development of both projector beam headlamps such as those on the 1990 Nissan 300ZX (Z32), and more efficient, bright LED

headlamps A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for ...

has in practice, eliminated the need for hidden headlamps altogether. Despite new cars no longer offering hidden headlamps since 2004, hidden headlamps are not outright banned, and as such, they can be still be installed on vehicles today such as the Ares Design Project1.

List of cars with hidden headlamps

Production cars

* AC 3000ME, 1979–1984 * Ares Design Project1, 2018 (redesign of the

Lamborghini Huracán The Lamborghini Huracán (Spanish for "hurricane"; ) is a sports car manufactured by Italian automotive manufacturer Lamborghini replacing the previous V10 offering, the Gallardo. The Huracán was revealed online in December 2013, making its w ...

, also known as the Ares Panther; inspired by the De Tomaso Pantera) * Adams Brothers Probe 15, 1969 * Adams Brothers Probe 16, 1969–1970 * Adams Brothers Probe 2001, 1970–1972 *

2900A

Pininfarina Pininfarina S.p.A. (short for Carrozzeria Pininfarina) is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder, with headquarters in Cambiano, Turin, Italy. The company was founded by Battista "Pinin" Farina in 1930. On 14 December 2015, the Indian ...

Berlinetta, 1936 *

Alfa Romeo Montreal The Alfa Romeo Montreal is a 2+2 coupé sports car produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1970 to 1977. Concept car The Alfa Romeo Montreal was introduced as a concept car in 1967 at Expo 67, held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Ori ...

, 1970–1977 *

Alpine A610 The Renault Alpine GTA and the succeeding A610 is a sports coupe automobile produced by the Renault-owned French manufacturer Alpine between late 1984 and 1995. It replaced the slow-selling Alpine A310, with which it shared many features, includi ...

, 1991–1995 * Alpine GTA, 1987 (U.S. spec) *

Aston Martin Lagonda The Aston Martin Lagonda is a full-size luxury four-door saloon manufactured by British manufacturer Aston Martin between 1974 and 1990. A total of 645 were produced. The name was derived from the Lagonda marque that Aston Martin had purchas ...

, 1976–1989 * Aston Martin Vantage Zagato Volante, 1986–1989 * Asüna Sunfire, 1993 * Bitter CD & SC, 1973–1979 *

Bricklin SV-1 The Bricklin SV-1 is a two-seat sports car built from 1974 until late 1975. The car was noteworthy for its gull-wing doors and composite bodywork of color-impregnated acrylic resin bonded to fiberglass. Assembly took place in Saint John, New Bruns ...

, 1974–1976 * BMW 8 Series (E31), 1989–1999 *

BMW M1 The BMW M1 (model code E26) is a mid-engined sports car produced by German automotive manufacturer BMW from 1978 until 1981. In the late 1970s, Italian automobile manufacturer Lamborghini entered into an agreement with BMW to build a producti ...

, 1978–1981 * Buick Reatta, 1988–1991 * Buick Riviera, 1965–1969 * Buick SkyHawk, 1986–1989 * Burlington Centurion 1981-1982 *

Cadillac Eldorado The Cadillac Eldorado is a luxury car manufactured and marketed by Cadillac from 1952 until 2002 over twelve generations. The Eldorado was at or near the top of the Cadillac line. The original 1953 Eldorado convertible and the Eldorado Brougham ...

, 1967–1968 *

Chevrolet Camaro The Chevrolet Camaro is a mid-size American automobile manufactured by Chevrolet, classified as a pony car. It first went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed to compete with the Ford Mustang. The Camaro ...

, 1967–1969 (optional - usually with the Rally Sport model or the RS/SS package) *

Chevrolet Caprice The Chevrolet Caprice is a full-sized automobile produced by Chevrolet in North America for the 1965 to 1996 model years. Full-size Chevrolet sales peaked in 1965 with over a million sold. It was the most popular car in the U.S. in the 1960s ...

, 1968–1969 (optional and very rare) *

, 1963–2004 *

Chevrolet Kingswood Estate The Chevrolet Kingswood was a 4-door station wagon produced by Chevrolet in 1959 and 1960, and again from 1969 to 1972 built on the GM B Body platform. 1959-1960 The Kingswood was deliberately made to be unique: the headlights were placed as l ...

, 1969 (optional and very rare) *

Chrysler 300 The Chrysler 300 is a full-size luxury car manufactured and marketed by Stellantis North America (and its predecessor companies) as a four-door sedan and station wagon in its first generation (model years 2005–2010) and solely as a four-d ...

, 1968–1971 *

Chrysler Imperial The Chrysler Imperial, introduced in 1926, was Chrysler (division), Chrysler's top-of-the-line vehicle for much of its history. Models were produced with the Chrysler name until 1954, after which it became Imperial (automobile), a standalone bra ...

, 1969–1993 *

Chrysler LeBaron The Chrysler LeBaron, also known as the Imperial LeBaron, is a line of automobiles built by Chrysler from 1931-1941 and from 1955-1995. The model was introduced in 1931, with a body manufactured by LeBaron, and competed with other luxury cars o ...

, 1987–1992 (coupe & convertible only) *

Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue The Chrysler Fifth Avenue was a trim level/option package or model name used by Chrysler for its larger sedans from 1979 to 1993. The Fifth Avenue name was no longer used after 1993 when Chrysler introduced its new LH-platform New Yorker and simil ...

, 1990–1993 *

Chrysler New Yorker The Chrysler New Yorker is an automobile model that was produced by Chrysler from 1940 until 1996, serving for several decades as the brand's flagship model, or as a junior sedan to the Chrysler Imperial luxury brand. A trim level named the "New ...

, 1976–1981 and 1988–1993 *

Cizeta-Moroder V16T The Cizeta-Moroder V16T, now known as just the Cizeta V16T, is an Italian sports car (built from 1991 to 1995) developed by automotive engineer Claudio Zampolli in a joint venture with music composer Giorgio Moroder and designed by Marcello Gandin ...

, 1991–2003 * Clan Clover 1984-1988 * Continental Mark series, 1968–1983 * Cord 810/812, 1936–1937 * Covini B24, 1981 *''

DARE Dare may refer to: Places * Dare, East Timor, a city * Darè, Italy, a commune * Dare County, North Carolina, United States * Dare, Virginia, United States, an unincorporated community Name * Dare (name), a list of people and fictional c ...

'' DZ, 1998-1999 * DeSoto, 1942 * De Tomaso Mangusta, 1970–1971 (US-spec) *

De Tomaso Pantera The De Tomaso Pantera is a mid-engine sports car produced by Italian automobile manufacturer De Tomaso from 1971 to 1992. Italian for "Panther", the Pantera was the automaker's most popular model, with over 7,000 manufactured over its twenty-ye ...

, 1971–1974 *

De Tomaso Guarà The De Tomaso Guarà is a sports car and the last project the founder and owner Alejandro de Tomaso put into the market. Presented at the 1993 Geneva Motor Show, the Guarà was initially available in coupé body-style. Later a roadster and an open ...

, 1993–2004 *

, 1966–1970, (optional in 1971 & 1972) * Dodge Charger Daytona, 1969–1970 * Dodge Daytona, 1987–1991 *

Dodge Magnum The Dodge Magnum is a nameplate used by several Dodge vehicles, at different times and on various markets. The name was first applied to a large Chrysler B platform-based 2-door coupe marketed from 1978 to 1979 sold in the United States and Canad ...

, 1978–1979 (clear covers) * Dodge Monaco, 1972–1973 * Dodge Royal Monaco, 1976–1978 *

Dodge Stealth Dodge is an American brand of automobiles and a division of Stellantis, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Dodge vehicles have historically included performance cars, and for much of its existence Dodge was Chrysler's mid-priced brand above Ply ...

, 1991–1993 *

Dodge St. Regis The Dodge St. Regis is an automobile that was marketed by Dodge from the 1979 to 1981 model years. Replacing the Monaco, the St. Regis was the largest Dodge sedan, slotted above the mid-size Diplomat and Aspen. In contrast to both the Monaco a ...

, 1979–1981 (clear covers) * Eagle Talon, 1990–1991 * Evante Sports 1600 Mk.2 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 The Ferrari 348 (Type F119) is a mid-engine V8-powered 2-seat sports car produced by Italian automaker Ferrari, replacing the 328 in 1989 and remaining in production until 1995. It was the final V8 model developed under the direction of Enzo F ...

, 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 Daytona SP3, 2022 * Ferrari 400/412, 1976–1989 * Ferrari 456/456M, 1992–2003 * Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer, 1973–1984 * Ferrari F355, 1994–1999 *

Ferrari F40 The Ferrari F40 (''tipo'' F120) is a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car engineered by Nicola Materazzi with styling by Pininfarina. It was built from 1987 until 1992, with the LM and GTE race car versions continuing production until 199 ...

, 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 Vignale is the luxury car sub-brand of Ford Motor Company used in automobiles sold in Europe.Virginio Vairo) * Fiat/Bertone X1/9, 1972–1989 * Ford/Mercury Capri, 1989–1994 * Ford Galaxie 500 XL, 1968–1970 *

Ford LTD (Americas) The Ford LTD (pronounced ) is a range of automobiles manufactured by Ford Motor Company for the 1965 to 1986 model years. Introduced as the highest trim level of the full-size Ford model range, then the Galaxie, the LTD offered options and featu ...

, 1968–1970; Landau, 1975–1978 (including Ford Country Squire wagon) *

Ford LTD (Australia) Ford commonly refers to: * Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford * Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river Ford may also refer to: Ford Motor Company * Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company * Ford ...

, 1973–1976 * Ford Landau, 1973–1976 * Ford Probe, 1989–1997 *

Ford Ranchero The Ford Ranchero is a coupe utility that was produced by Ford between 1957 and 1979. Unlike a standard pickup truck, the Ranchero was adapted from a two-door station wagon platform that integrated the cab and cargo bed into the body. A total o ...

GT, 1970–1971 *

Ford Thunderbird The Ford Thunderbird (colloquially called the T-Bird) is a personal luxury car produced by Ford from model years 1955 until 1997 and 2002 until 2005 across 11 distinct generations. Introduced as a two-seat convertible, the Thunderbird was pr ...

, 1967–1969, 1977–1982 *

Ford Torino The Ford Torino is an automobile that was produced by Ford for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. It was a competitor in the intermediate market segment. The car was named after the city of Turin (''Torino'', in Italian), conside ...

Brougham, Cobra, GT 1970–1971 * Geo Storm, 1990–1991 * 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 The Hawk HF3000 is a kit car based on the Lancia Stratos. It was built by the British automobile company Hawk Cars Ltd. This type of car can also be referred to as a continuation car or replica A 1:1 replica is an exact copy of an object, ma ...

, 1988 *

Hofstetter Turbo The Hofstetter Turbo is a Brazilian car created in the 1980s by Mario Richard Hofstetter. In 1980 Hofstetter pulled out his drawing paper and started to draw a prototype of the car. Mario Hofstetter made this car at this time because the Brazilian ...

, 1986-1991 *

Honda Accord The , also known as the in Japan and China for certain generations, is a series of cars manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. ...

, 1986–1989 *

Honda Ballade The Honda Ballade is a subcompact automobile built by Honda of Japan. It began as a four-door higher equipment content version of the Civic in 1980. The Ballade was developed at the same time the Honda Vigor appeared, which was a higher content ...

, 1984–1987 * Honda/Acura Integra/Rover 416, 1986–1989 * Honda/Acura NSX, 1990–2001 *

Honda Prelude The Honda Prelude is a car produced by Japanese car manufacturer Honda from 1978 until 2001. The two-door coupe was loosely derived from the Honda Accord, and spanned five generations. The Prelude was used by Honda to introduce the Japanese Honda r ...

, 1983–1991 * Honda Vigor, 1986–1989 *

Imperial Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * Imperial, Texas ...

, 1969–1975 and 1981–1983 * “Irish” Clan 1982 *

Isdera Imperator 108i The Isdera Imperator 108i was a low-volume German sports car produced from 1984 to 1993. The Imperator 108i was born out of the Mercedes-Benz CW311 concept car from 1978, which Eberhard Schulz, who at the time worked as a design engineer for Pors ...

, 1991–1993 (facelift model) *

Iso Lele The Iso Lele (or Iso Rivolta Lele) is a grand tourer that was produced by the Italian automobile manufacturer Iso Automoveicoli S.p.A. between 1969 and 1974. The Lele, being a 2+2-seater, filled the gap between the Grifo and the Fidia while sh ...

, 1969–1974 *

Iso Grifo ISO is the most common abbreviation for the International Organization for Standardization. ISO or Iso may also refer to: Business and finance * Iso (supermarket), a chain of Danish supermarkets incorporated into the SuperBest chain in 2007 * Iso ...

, 1965–1974 * Isuzu Piazza, 1981–1987 (also Isuzu Impulse, Holden Piazza) *

Jaguar XJ220 The Jaguar XJ220 is a two-seat sports car produced by British luxury car manufacturer Jaguar from 1992 until 1994, in collaboration with the specialist automotive and race engineering company Tom Walkinshaw Racing. The XJ220 recorded a top ...

, 1992–1994 * Kia Elan, 1989–1995 (also sold as Lotus Elan) * Lamborghini Countach, 1974–1990 * Lamborghini Diablo, 1990–1998 *

Lamborghini Islero The Lamborghini Islero (, ) is a grand tourer produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 1968 and 1969. It was the replacement for the 400 GT and featured the Lamborghini V12 engine. The car debuted at the 1968 Geneva Auto Show. History ...

, 1968–1969 * Lamborghini Jalpa, 1981–1988 *

Lamborghini Jarama The Lamborghini Jarama () is a 2+2 grand tourer manufactured and marketed by Italian car manufacturer Lamborghini between 1970 and 1976. It was styled by Bertone designer Marcello Gandini. Ferruccio Lamborghini intended the name to recall the fi ...

, 1970–1976 * Lamborghini Urraco, 1973–1979 *

, 1966–1973 * Lamborghini Silhouette, 1976–1979 *

Lancia Montecarlo The Lancia Montecarlo (Type 137) is a Pininfarina-designed mid-engined sports car produced by Lancia in Italy from 1975 to 1981. Cars from the first series, which were produced from 1975 to 1978, were known as Lancia Beta Montecarlos and those ...

, 1975–1979 (for Scorpion, North American version) * Lancia Stratos, 1972–1973 *, 1981-1987 *

Lincoln Continental The Lincoln Continental is a series of mid-sized and full-sized luxury cars produced by Lincoln, a division of the American automaker Ford Motor Company. The model line was introduced following the construction of a personal vehicle for Ed ...

, 1970–1979 *

Lister Storm The Lister Storm was a homologated GT racing car manufactured by British low volume automobile manufacturer Lister Cars with production beginning in 1993. The Storm used the largest V12 engine fitted to a production road car since World War ...

, 1993–1999 *

Lombardi Grand Prix The Lombardi Grand Prix is a small, rear-engined sports car on Fiat 850 underpinnings. It was developed by the Carrozzeria Francis Lombardi with an in-house design by Giuseppe Rinaldi. The car was built from 1968 until 1972 and was also marketed a ...

, 1968–1972 * Lotus Eclat, 1974–1982 *

, 1962–1973 +2 model, 1967–1975 *

Lotus Elan M100 Lotus Elan is the name of two separate ranges of automobiles produced by Lotus Cars. The first series of cars was produced between 1962 and 1975 as a rear-wheel drive vehicle. The second series was produced between 1989 and 1995 as a front-wheel ...

1989–1995 (also sold as Kia Elan) * Lotus Elite, 1974–1982 *

, 1976–2004 *

Lotus Excel The Lotus Excel (Type 89) is a sports car designed and built by British automobile manufacturer Lotus Cars from 1982 to 1992. It is based on the design of the earlier Lotus Eclat, which itself was based on the earlier Lotus Type 75 Elite. ...

, 1982–1992 * Manta Mirage, 1974–1986 *

Maserati Bora The Maserati Bora (Tipo AM117) is a mid-engine two-seat coupe manufactured by Maserati from 1971 to 1978. In common with other Maserati cars of the era, it is named after a wind, Bora being the wind of Trieste. The Bora ended Maserati's repu ...

, 1971–1980 * Maserati Ghibli, 1966–1973 * Maserati Indy, 1969–1974 * Maserati Khamsin, 1974–1982 *

Maserati Merak The Maserati Merak (''Tipo AM122'') is a mid-engined 2+2 sports car produced by Maserati between 1972 and 1983. The Merak was closely related to the Maserati Bora, sharing part of its structure and body panels, but was powered by a 3.0 L V6 in p ...

, 1972–1982 * Matra 530, 1967–1973 *

Matra Bagheera The Matra Bagheera is a sports car built by the automotive division of the French engineering group Matra in cooperation with automaker Simca. It was marketed as the Matra-Simca Bagheera until its final year of production, when its designation wa ...

, 1973–1980 *

Matra Murena The Matra Murena is a mid-engined, rear wheel drive sports car that was produced from 1980 through 1983 by the French engineering group Matra. The factory was located in the commune of Romorantin-Lanthenay in the department of Loir-et-Cher in ce ...

, 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 The Mazda RX-7 is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, rotary engine-powered sports car that was manufactured and marketed by Mazda from 1978 until 2002 across three generations, all of which made use of a compact, lightweight Wankel rotary engine. ...

, 1978–2002 * Mercury Capri, 1991-1994 *

Mercury Cougar Mercury Cougar is a nameplate applied to a diverse series of automobiles sold by the Mercury division of Ford from 1967 to 1997 and from 1999 to 2002. While the nameplate is most commonly associated with two-door coupes, at various times durin ...

, 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 The Mitsubishi Starion is a two-door, turbocharged four-cylinder rear-wheel drive four-seat hatchback sports car manufactured and marketed by Mitsubishi from 1982-1989 — with badge engineered variants marketed in North America as the Conque ...

, 1982–1990 (also Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Conquest,

captive import Captive import is a marketing term and a strategy for a vehicle that is foreign-built and sold under the name of an importer or by a domestic automaker through its own dealer distribution system. The foreign vehicle may be produced by a subsidia ...

s) * Monica 560, 1973–1974 *

Monteverdi Hai 450 The Monteverdi Hai 450 SS was a mid-engined prototype, an attempt to create a full sports car complementing the company's High Speed line. It was intended to be a direct competitor to the top of the list super sports cars of Lamborghini, Ferrari ...

1970-1973 * Nissan 180SX/ 200SX/

240SX The Nissan 240SX is a sports compact car that was introduced to the North American market by Nissan in 1989 for the 1990 model year. It replaced the outgoing 200SX (S12) model. Most of the 240SXs were equipped with the 2.4-liter inline 4 eng ...

, 1989–1998 * Nissan 300ZX Z31, 1984–1989 *

Nissan EXA The Nissan Pulsar EXA and Nissan EXA are automobiles manufactured and marketed by Nissan Motor Company from 1983 to 1986 and from 1986 to 1990 respectively. The first generation model was internally designated as the N12 series and was marketed i ...

, 1983–1990 *

Oldsmobile Toronado The Oldsmobile Toronado is a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors from 1966 to 1992 over four generations. The Toronado was noted for its transaxle version of GM's Turbo-Hydramatic transmiss ...

, 1966–1969 and 1986–1992 * Opel GT, 1968–1973 *

Pangra The Pangra is an American kit car based on the Ford Pinto and produced from 1972–1973. The Pangra is the brainchild of Jack Stratton, then general sales manager at Huntington Ford in Arcadia, California. Production estimates vary but somewhere ...

, 1972–1973 (based on Ford Pinto) * Panther Solo, 1989–1990 * Panther 6, 1976-1977 *

Plymouth Fury The Plymouth Fury is a model of automobile that was produced by Plymouth from 1955 until 1989. It was introduced for the 1956 model year as a sub-series of the Plymouth Belvedere, becoming a separate series one level above the contemporary Belved ...

, 1970–1971 (Gran Coupe & Sport Fury, Sport Suburban wagon for 1971) * Plymouth Fury III, 1972 (optional), Gran Coupe & Sport Fury *

Plymouth Laser The Plymouth Laser is a two-door 2+2 sports coupe sold by Plymouth from 1989 until 1994. The Laser and its siblings, the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Eagle Talon, were the first vehicles produced under the newly formed Diamond-Star Motors, a joint-vent ...

, 1990–1991 *

Plymouth Superbird The Plymouth Superbird is a highly modified, short-lived version of the Plymouth Road Runner with applied graphic images as well as a distinctive horn sound both referencing the popular ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon character the Road Runner. It was ...

, 1970 *

Pontiac Fiero The Pontiac Fiero is a mid-engine sports car manufactured and marketed by Pontiac for model years 1984-1988. Designed by George Milidrag and Hulki Aldikacti as a sports car, it was the first two-seater Pontiac since the 1926 to 1938 coupes, an ...

, 1984–1988 *

Pontiac Firebird The Pontiac Firebird is an American automobile that was built and produced by Pontiac from the 1967 to 2002 model years. Designed as a pony car to compete with the Ford Mustang, it was introduced on February 23, 1967, five months after GM's ...

(including the Trans Am and Formula), 1982–2002 *

Pontiac Grand Prix The Grand Prix is a line of automobiles produced by the Pontiac Division of General Motors from 1962 until 2002 for coupes and 1989–2008 for sedans. First introduced as a full-size performance coupe for the 1962 model year, the model varie ...

, 1967–1968 * Pontiac GTO, 1968–1969 * Pontiac Sunbird SE/GT 1986–1993 * Pontiac Tojan 1985-1991 *

Porsche 911 The Porsche 911 (pronounced ''Nine Eleven'' or in german: Neunelfer) is a two-door 2+2 high performance rear-engined sports car introduced in September 1964 by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a rear-mounted flat-six engine and ori ...

Turbo SE 'Slantnose', 1985–1989, 964 Turbo S 'Flatnose', 1994 *

Porsche 914 The Porsche 914 or VW-Porsche 914 is a mid-engined sports car designed, manufactured and marketed collaboratively by Volkswagen and Porsche from 1969 until 1976. It was only available as a targa-topped two-seat roadster powered by either a f ...

, 1969–1976 * Porsche 924, 1976–1988 *

, 1978–1995 * Porsche 944, 1982–1991 *

Porsche 968 The Porsche 968 is a sports car manufactured by German automobile manufacturer Porsche AG from 1991 until 1995. It was the final evolution of a series of water-cooled front-engine rear wheel drive models begun almost 20 years earlier with the ...

, 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 The Siata 208 CS is an Italian sports car produced by Siata. Introduced in 1952, it is the coupé counterpart to the Siata 208S released that same year. History Introduced in 1952 at that year's Turin Auto Show, the 208 series was the succes ...

, 1952-1954 (also known as 200 CS) *

Siva S160 Spyder The Siva S160 Spyder is an automobile which was produced during the 1970s in Great Britain by Siva Engineering.Mike Lawrence, A-Z of Sports Cars : 1945 to 1993, page 284 Conceived as a Hillman Imp-engined GT car for British sports car m ...

, 1971-1973 * Spectre R42, 1995-1998 * Škoda 1100 GT, 1970 * Škoda 110 Super Sport, 1971 * Tatra MTX V8, 1991 * Toyota 2000GT, 1967–1970 *

Toyota Celica The is an automobile produced by Toyota from 1970 until 2006. The Celica name derives from the Latin word '' coelica'' meaning 'heavenly' or 'celestial'. In Japan, the Celica was exclusive to the '' Toyota Corolla Store'' dealer chain. Pro ...

, 1984–1993 * Toyota MR2, 1984–1999 * Toyota Sprinter Trueno/Corolla coupé, 1983–1991 *

Toyota Supra is a sports car and grand tourer manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation beginning in 1978. The name " supra" is derived from the Latin prefix, meaning "above", "to surpass" or "go beyond". The initial four generations of the Supra were ...

, 1982–1992 * Toyota Tercel/Corolla II/Corsa SR/SV/SX/GP Turbo, 1986–1990 *

Triumph TR7 The Triumph TR7 is a sports car manufactured in the United Kingdom from September 1974 to October 1981 by British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC), which changed its name to British Leyland (BL) in 1975. The car was launched in the United Stat ...

/ TR8, 1975–1982 * TVR 350i, 350SX, 1983–1989 * TVR 350SE, 1990–1991 * TVR 390SE, 420SE, 1984–1989 * TVR 400SE, 400SX, 430SE, 450SE, 1988–1991 * TVR 420 SEAC, 1986–1988 * TVR 450 SEAC, 1988–1989 * TVR Tasmin, 280i, Tasmin 200, 1980–1988 * Venturi 400 GT 1994–1997 *

Venturi Atlantique The Venturi Atlantique was a mid-engined, fiberglass-bodied French sports car produced by Venturi Automobiles from 1991 to 2000. Atlantique 260 The original 260 was a revised version of the Venturi APC 260, carrying over the 2.8-litre turbochar ...

, 1987–1999 * Venturi Coupé series/Transcup, 1987–1996 *

Volvo 480 The Volvo 480 is a sporty compact car that was produced in Born, Netherlands, by Volvo from 1986 to 1995. It was the first front-wheel drive car made by Volvo and the only Volvo featuring pop-up headlights. The 480 was available in only one body ...

, 1986–1995 *

Vector M12 The Vector M12 is a sports car manufactured by Vector Aeromotive under parent company Megatech, and was the first car produced after the hostile takeover of the company from Jerry Wiegert by the Indonesian company Megatech. The model was produ ...

, 1995–1999 * Vector W8, 1989–1993 * Yulon Arex, 1993–1995 * Zimmer Quicksilver, 1986–1990

Concept cars

* Alfa Romeo Caimano, 1971 * Alfa Romeo Carabo, 1968 *

Alfa Romeo Delfino The Delfino is a concept car built by Alfa Romeo in 1983. The car was a 2-door coupé designed by Bertone, and was based on the Alfa Romeo Alfa 6 platform. It was presented at the Geneva Motor Show The Geneva International Motor Show is an an ...

, 1983 * Alfa Romeo Iguana, 1969 * AMC AMX/3, 1970 *

Aston Martin Bulldog The Aston Martin Bulldog, styled by William Towns, is a British, one-off concept vehicle produced by Aston Martin in 1979. The code name for the project was DP K901. Initially, a production run of 15–25 cars was planned, but the project was ...

, 1980 * Autozam AZ-550 Type A, 1989 * Avion 1984 * BMW 830i/850i Cabrio/M8 (E31) * BMW GINA, 2008 *

, 1938 * Chevrolet Aerovette, 1969-1976 * Chevrolet CERVIII, 1990 * Chevrolet Corvair Monza GT, 1962 * Chevrolet Mako Shark, 1962 * Covini B24 * Dome Zero, 1976–1986 * Ferrari 408 4RM, 1987-1988 *Ferrari Rainbow, 1976 *Ford Cobra 230 M.E., 1986 *Ford Probe I, 1979 * Ford Maya, 1984 * General Motors Le Sabre, 1951 * General Motors XP-819 * Ginetta G25, 1983 *

Holden Hurricane The Holden Hurricane is a two-seat concept car built by Holden in 1969. The Hurricane was one of the most advanced vehicles of its time, with Holden describing it as a research vehicle, allowing them "to study design trends, propulsion systems an ...

, 1969 *Jaguar XJ Spider Pininfarina, 1978 *Karmann Cheetah, 1971 * Lamborghini Athon, 1980 *

Lamborghini Bravo The Lamborghini Bravo is a concept car designed by Marcello Gandini at Bertone for Lamborghini. It was first presented in 1974 at the Turin Auto Show The Turin Motor Show ( it, Salone dell'Automobile di Torino) was an auto show held annually i ...

, 1974 * Lamborghini Marco Polo, 1982 * Lamborghini P140, 1987 * Lancia Medusa, 1980 *Lancia Mizar, 1974 * Lancia Sibilo, 1978 *Lincoln Quicksilver Ghia concept, 1983 * Lotus Etna, 1984 * Lotus M90, 1984 *

Mako Shark ''Isurus'' is a genus of mackerel sharks in the family Lamnidae, commonly known as the mako sharks. Description The two living species are the common shortfin mako shark (''I. oxyrinchus'') and the rare longfin mako shark (''I. paucus''). The ...

Maserati Boomerang The Maserati Boomerang is a concept car designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and produced by Italdesign. It was first revealed at the Turin Motor Show in 1971 as a non-functional epowood model, but by the time of the 1972 Geneva Auto Show it was base ...

, 1972 * MVS Ventury, 1984–1986 * Mazda Miata M Coupe/Roadster, 1997 * Mazda MX-5 (NA) Electric car, 1993 * Mazda P729, 1986 * Mazda V705, 1985 *Mazda MX-81 Aria, 1981 *

Concept Model (FD), 1993 * Mercedes-Benz C111, 1969–1970 *MG Boxer, 1978 *

MG EX-E The MG EX-E is a concept car that was produced by MG and presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1985. The EX-E was a mid-engined sports car inspired by the Ferrari 308 and designed by Roy Axe and Gerry McGovern. The car's drivetrain and ch ...

, 1985 * Nissan 126X, 1970 *

Nissan MID4 The MID4 was an experimental sports car produced by Nissan. History First unveiled at the 1985 International Motor Show Germany, the MID4 was a concept car designed by Nissan to originally go on sale in the mid-late 1980s. Nissan had aimed the MID ...

, 1985–1987 *

Toyota FXV is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

, 1985 * Toyota SA-X, 1981 * Toyota SV-2, 1981 * Toyota SV-3, 1983 *Tracer TXC, 1985 *

Vauxhall XVR The Vauxhall XVR is a concept car built in 1966 by Vauxhall. The name stands for ''eXperimental Vauxhall Research''. It debuted at the March 1966 Geneva Motor Show receiving favourable reviews from press, but never went into production. Prod ...

, 1966 * Vector WX-3, 1993 * Volvo Tundra, 1979 *Zender Vision 1S, 1983 *Zender Vision 2, 1985 *Zender Vision 3, 1987 *Zender Vision 3C, 1986 *Dacia MD87, 1988 * Dacia MD87 Evo, 1990

Race cars

Rover-BRM The Rover-BRM was a prototype gas turbine-powered racing car, jointly developed in the early 1960s by the British companies Rover and British Racing Motors (BRM). The car is part of the collection at the British Motor Museum. Rover had alread ...

Other vehicles with hidden headlamps

;

Motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: Long-distance ...

s *

Honda is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a producti ...

Spacy 125 Striker, 1983–1986 *

Suzuki is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal co ...

GSX750S (

Katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge ...

), 1984–1985 ;

Train In rail transport, a train (from Old French , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track and transport people or freight. Trains are typically pulled or pushed by locomotives (often ...

s * Keisei Electric Railway AE100 (

Skyliner The is an airport limited express train service between Tokyo and Narita Airport in Japan. It is operated by Keisei Electric Railway and runs on the Narita Sky Access route. This article also covers the and services. Service The ''Skyli ...

), 1990–2016

Gallery

File:Cord Front Drive Model 812 (1937).jpg, 1937 Cord 812 File:Buick Y.jpg, 1938

File:1942 DeSoto Custom (4148147080).jpg, 1942 DeSoto convertible File:1967 Green Ford Thunderbird Fordor.jpg, 1967

File:'68 Chevrolet (Auto classique A&W Châteauguay '12).JPG, 1968

sedan File:Dodge Charger RT 1968.Front.jpg, 1968

RT File:Skoda1100gt.jpg, 1970 Škoda 1100 GT File:Opel GT 2012-09-01 14-23-06.JPG, 1972 Opel GT File:Sonett-popups.jpg, 1973 SAAB Sonett III File:BMWM-M1.jpg, 1978

File:1986 Toyota MR2 1.6 Twin Cam 16V.jpg, 1986 Toyota MR2 File:Mazda 323 F BG GT 1989.jpg, 1989

Mazda 323F The , also marketed prominently as the Mazda 323, Mazda Protegé and Mazda Allegro, is a small family car that was manufactured by Mazda between 1963 and 2003. The Familia line was replaced by the Mazda3/Axela for 2004. It was marketed as the '' ...

File:1990 Plymouth Laser RS Turbo headlights.jpg, 1990

File:Tatra MTX front.JPG, 1991 Tatra MTX V8 File:Volvo480 TwoTone.JPG, 1992

File:Chevrolet Corvette C5 5.7 '04 (14275476700).jpg, 2004

References

External links

* {{Artificial light sources Auto parts Automotive lamps Automotive styling features