Seeing Red.. or maybe it should be amber

[Soterik]

Deleted, thanks.

[Arne]

Eric, I remember reading similar studies on this topic years ago. Same conclusion. Irks me that recently many German cars have gone back to red for the US market, including the Audi that is my daily driver. Would cost close to a grand for me to get euro rear lights that have the amber signals. Probably not going to happen.

But I did go amber on my 72T. With amber signals and Spokeworks LED brake lights I'm hoping that my car is a touch less likely to get rear-ended. Maybe...

[Bullethead]

Like Arne, I remember reading similar studies too. When installing Euro rear lights on my 356, I swapped the wiring so the brakes were red, but really because amber for brakes didn't seem safe here.

Amber or clear has always been standard for front signals, why wouldn't they be so for rears? EDIT: Just realized our BMW E9s and the VW T34 have amber rears... the bus and 280SL are red

[stout]

Have always wondered why some US cars have amber rear signals and so many don't (seems like it was manufacturer's choice here but not in other markets such as Europe), but the RoW 993 RWD and AWD models are an interesting data point. IIRC, the RoW RWD 993 has amber outer lenses, where the RoW AWD cars have red outer lenses but still flash amber when the indicator is used.

I've just about always preferred a bit of amber in a car's rear lighting. Just looks cooler for some reason, and a real safety benefit makes it even better. Remember with humor when Cadillac did its first "Euro" STS with a bit of amber added to the rear lights…

pete

[bob joyce]

Well... 10% is not a small number, and that's about how much of the male population is color blind..... It varies greatly from person to person. I am red/ green color blind. And until i was told i was color blind i had no idea i had a problem.... It is easy with my red / green color blindness for red lights to disappear ... Just an example... i worked in the heavy duty construction industry... At one time the surveyors would write their numbers in red on the dirt/ asphalt. etc. They later changed to orange . I would walk right over the red marks and not "see" them.... the orange were always visible ....
It probably has a lot to do with warning signs and messages used to be all in red and the migration to a florescent orange ...

[ibmiked]

I wonder if people are just subliminally used to seeing red brake lights here and the novelty of amber is what catches their eye. If we all had amber rears my guess would be that red would then be safer. Interesting to think about.

[Jim Morris]

Seems like stashed SWB Euro tail light units might have just increased in value. Or, some who have them might be tempted to swap them on after removing the U.S. units. Eric, the lights look wonderful.

[Peanut]

Seems like stashed SWB Euro tail light units might have just increased in value. Or, some who have them might be tempted to swap them on after removing the U.S. units. Eric, the lights look wonderful.

Heck, aren't they sold at a premium already? Don't see them often, and they are pricey when I do.

Scott

[718RSK]

Eric, appreciate seeing you do final assembly and quality control. Some of the big names out there can learn a thing or two from you

[Bullethead]

Heck, aren't they sold at a premium already? Don't see them often, and they are pricey when I do.

Scott

The repops cost about $130 a pair, Scott. Pretty reasonable compared to gennie lenses.