Although laser lighting premiered in production cars with the BMW i8 a few years ago, it remains a rare feature on any other contemporary vehicles – surprising considering lasers look to be the future of lighting in the automotive industry going forward.
The 2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus Exclusive Edition is helping to change all that by employing a combination of LEDs and laser high beams for its new headlight cluster. Each unit consists of a module of four high-intensity laser diodes, which shoot out individual laser beams that are bundled together, creating a blue beam that then passes through a phosphor lens, which converts the blue hue into bright white. The result is a headlight that far exceeds the reach and visibility of traditional lighting. These laser beams supplement the LED high-beams and only operate at vehicle speeds above 40 mph.
In addition to its laser light leadership, the R8 Exclusive Edition is also instantly recognisable with its Quantum Gray body paint and Solar Orange stripe along the iconic carbon fibre side panels matched with a Titanium Black Optic exterior package and gloss-anthracite wheels. Inside, you’ll find black leather and microsuede with orange highlights to echo the exterior, all showing the high level of customisation available through Audi’s bespoke Exclusive Program. The production run of this car is limited to 25 with an MSRP of US$230,450.
