Matrix LEDs

[Vertigo1]

Finally used the Matrix LEDs in anger for the first time tonight.

Oh my god!

They're astounding, it's like witchcraft watching them work.

Whether they're worth £900 is subjective and questionable but they are seriously impressive!

 

[azibux1]

Finally used the Matrix LEDs in anger for the first time tonight.

Oh my god!

They're astounding, it's like witchcraft watching them work.

Whether they're worth £900 is subjective and questionable but they are seriously impressive!

Why in anger? Lol

 

[Vertigo1]

Just an expression

 

[Lehn]

Agree, they’re really a piece of brilliant engineering. Think I will miss them if I can’t get something similar when I need to get rid of the car sometime in the future.

 

[azibux1]

I really want to get a courtesy / demo car from Audi with them fitted to try them out lol

 

[oli356]

Agree, they’re really a piece of brilliant engineering. Think I will miss them if I can’t get something similar when I need to get rid of the car sometime in the future.

What makes them so great? I've never experience them, is it just how bright they are compared to normal high beams? or the ability to dim against oncoming traffic? Or the combination of the two!

I do like having normal high-beam assist, nice feature to have in my opinion, especially when driving on roads I'm not familiar with at night.

 

[Vertigo1]

It's a combination of everything. High-beam assist is very useful but this is just another league. The way it illuminates all around other traffic is amazing.

Used it tonight down some lanes and didn't get flashed by a single oncoming car. If anything it's even more useful when following other traffic as it illuminates the sides of the road and verges as with normal full beam but without blinding the car in front. Bizarrely it illuminates farther up the road than do the headlights of the car you're following - must be a strange effect for them

 

[seanbeckerleg]

The one thing I regret not speccing

 

[Tom.H]

It's a combination of everything. High-beam assist is very useful but this is just another league. The way it illuminates all around other traffic is amazing.

Used it tonight down some lanes and didn't get flashed by a single oncoming car. If anything it's even more useful when following other traffic as it illuminates the sides of the road and verges as with normal full beam but without blinding the car in front. Bizarrely it illuminates farther up the road than do the headlights of the car you're following - must be a strange effect for them

I do wonder what it's like being the car in front, if they think how the hell are his lights so bright but not blinding me?!

Love watching them do their thing in the dark, kind of distracting though lol

 

[happytalk73]

We have an E Class with Mercedes version of Matrix (ILS) I assume they're very similar in the way they work. The Merc lights are astounding. Witchcraft is a great term to describe them in action. The way the car in front is totally blocked out from the main beam with a kind of black box is amazing. The black box follows the cars every move.

I'm really Loking forward to seeing how the matrix on the A4 compares to the ILS on the Merc.

 

[Lehn]

What makes them so great? I've never experience them, is it just how bright they are compared to normal high beams? or the ability to dim against oncoming traffic? Or the combination of the two!

I do like having normal high-beam assist, nice feature to have in my opinion, especially when driving on roads I'm not familiar with at night.

The guys above pretty much sums it up, but for me it's the brightness (came from Xenon) and the "magic" they does when you follow a car or experience oncoming traffic. If you meet oncoming traffic in a sharp turn they may dazzle the ongoing traffic for like half a second buts that's still way faster than you could blind down yourself.

A little info:
Works above 30km/h (20mph)
Can turn down the brightness on road signs with 30% to prevent dazzling the driver
Can switch off individual LEDs (25 in each headlamp AFAIK) or dim them in 64 stages creating several million possible light patterns
Works as cornering lights (Occurs shortly before the wheel is turned, based on predictive route data provided by MMI navigation plus)

The video below shows what they're capable of:

 

[Jassyo06]

Expensive...... Gadget.... Novelty.......bragging rights.... no distinctive styling cue over normal led headlights like in the PFL, standard led headlights are bright enough.....gadgets lovers wet dream

 

[Lehn]

Expensive...... Gadget.... Novelty.......bragging rights.... no distinctive styling cue over normal led headlights like in the PFL, standard led headlights are bright enough.....gadgets lovers wet dream

Forgot to mention that!

 

[kevpuk]

I loved the equivalent on my last car, 64-plate Merc CLS, and was planning on speccing on future cars.......didn't get the chance with my S3 That said, amazing as they were on previous car, my driving patterns/routes haven't yet caused me to miss them - the standard LED lights are very good on the S3, and I have started to get used to turning high beam on and off manually (sorry for all those blinded for the 10secs or so it takes me to remember I actually have to do this myself after 3yrs of not )

 

[VinceXR]

They were the only reason I was going to order a factory car as opposed to a showroom car, But in the end I couldn't justify the extra cost and lead time of a factory order. The led's are bright enough! Maybe next time though

 

[MattW]

Must have for me, wouldn't have a car without them again. Had them on both previous BMW cars and so it was first tick in box for the S3.

Jassy

 

[Jassyo06]

Must have for me, wouldn't have a car without them again. Had them on both previous BMW cars and so it was first tick in box for the S3.

Jassy

Wet dreamer lol and BMW's aren't the same......

 

[Lehn]

Wet dreamer lol and BMW's aren't the same......

Better or worse?

 

[MattW]

Similar concept

 

[Vertigo1]

Expensive...... Gadget.... Novelty.......bragging rights.... no distinctive styling cue over normal led headlights like in the PFL, standard led headlights are bright enough.....gadgets lovers wet dream

And yet you have them, or are you being sarcy?

With regards to styling cues, it is very subtle with only the three main beam lens elements (as opposed to two as standard) and the dynamic indicators giving it away.

The PFL didn't have Matrix LEDs, only a basic LED option which, by all accounts, were worse than the standard Xenons.

 

[Simonb1975]

They are all very much to same. Basically adaptive led headlights. Had then on the mondeo and the new tiguan.
Switch the lights onto auto when picking the car up and then think nothing of it after that.
They are superb though. For me an automatic pick on the next car

 

[Jassyo06]

And yet you have them, or are you being sarcy?

With regards to styling cues, it is very subtle with only the three main beam lens elements (as opposed to two as standard) and the dynamic indicators giving it away.

The PFL didn't have Matrix LEDs, only a basic LED option which, by all accounts, were worse than the standard Xenons.

As l said in my original post nothing else to add really...Oh...hold on ...the PFL LED lights are a work of art in there design,whether they where gash or not l cant say as l never drove a car with them, but oor @Rob2k68 can as he had them on his PFL s3

 

[Jassyo06]

Better or worse?

Depends on yer eyesight lol

 

[Daveotto]

the standard LED lights are very good on the S3, and I have started to get used to turning high beam on and off manually (sorry for all those blinded for the 10secs or so it takes me to remember I actually have to do this myself after 3yrs of not )

The PFL didn't have Matrix LEDs, only a basic LED option which, by all accounts, were worse than the standard Xenons.

FL LED's are excellent and I probably only use main beam in 10-20% of the occasions I used to use main beam with standard xenons

Do wonder how STD LED's on any car are perceived when you have a car behind you with them on.........


I did not spec an auto dimming rear view mirror and I am being constantly dazzled by small/mid sized SUV's in particular Evoques's and X3's have me reaching up to cover the mirror with one hand when driving......have asked @DJAlix for retro fit quote

 

[Jassyo06]

FL LED's are excellent and I probably only use main beam in 10-20% of the occasions I used to use main beam with standard xenons

Do wonder how STD LED's on any car are perceived when you have a car behind you with them on.........


I did not spec an auto dimming rear view mirror and I am being constantly dazzled by small/mid sized SUV's in particular Evoques's and X3's have me reaching up to cover the mirror with one hand when driving......have asked @DJAlix for retro fit quote

Can heedlights get a Sexually Transmitted Disease.....lol

 

[Daveotto]

Can heedlights get a Sexually Transmitted Disease.....lol

A new meaning to car porn

 

[MattSedg]

As l said in my original post nothing else to add really...Oh...hold on ...the PFL LED lights are a work of art in there design,whether they where gash or not l cant say as l never drove a car with them, but oor @Rob2k68 can as he had them on his PFL s3

im a big lover of matrix and the sweeping indicators as you know....but the PFL led indicators looking mega, how the whole LED drl turned orange

 

[glospete]

I must be the only person who finds the PFL LED headlights to be excellent! After my previous Hyundai Xenons they were and are a revelation. I find the bright white colour to really enhance the road illumination and with the Headlight Assist I almost don’t mind driving at night. Of course I never had Audi Xenons so can’t compare ..... but as mentioned above the way the white indicator turns to yellow for indicating still gives me pleasure (when I’m able to see the reflection ..... and yes I’m easily pleased ).


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[happytalk73]

Sorry guys. PFL?

 

[Jassyo06]

Sorry guys. PFL?

PFL. Pre face lift

 

[glospete]

Or as those FL owners probably think of us who don’t/ can’t upgrade yet:
Perfect
For
Losers



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[happytalk73]

PFL. Pre face lift

Of course.

 

[Jassyo06]

Of course.

It's origin=bunch of new members who joined because they had ordered..... the car or potential buyers back before the car was released started a face lift..... Thread. That's was a real wind up thread l can tell you and they didn't like us PFL oldies car guys lol

 

[glospete]

And even (or especially) with Botox sometimes facelifts are a retrograde look over the pre-facelift look

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[Ellski]

I was considering speccing them but ended up with a cancelled order which didnt have them.

To be honest I'm glad I didn't as the FL LEDs are that bright that I rarely find I have to use full beam.

I had a 2017 C class before this and while the LED headlights on that were pretty bright, the Audi LED's are in a different league in comparison.

 

[Jassyo06]

I was considering speccing them but ended up with a cancelled order which didnt have them.

To be honest I'm glad I didn't as the FL LEDs are that bright that I rarely find I have to use full beam.

I had a 2017 C class before this and while the LED headlights on that were pretty bright, the Audi LED's are in a different league in comparison.

Obviously they dont light up kerbs that great though......lol...Low blow l know.....hope ye get it sorted soon mate

 

[Rob2k68]

As l said in my original post nothing else to add really...Oh...hold on ...the PFL LED lights are a work of art in there design,whether they where gash or not l cant say as l never drove a car with them, but oor @Rob2k68 can as he had them on his PFL s3

I thought the PFL LEDs were really good mate - much better than the Seat Leon FR’s that I had before. Indicators were ace would light up road signs from 20 metres away LoL

 

[Tom.H]

Obviously they dont light up kerbs that great though......lol...Low blow l know.....hope ye get it sorted soon mate

 

[Ellski]

Obviously they dont light up kerbs that great though......lol...Low blow l know.....hope ye get it sorted soon mate

I thought I’d already received enough abuse from people at work