I'm wondering if the new headlights are an improvement over the SN95's. It seems a lot of folks, had concerns about their light output. If look back at Ford's early communication about the new Mustang, they said they would be using a fiber optic light system for the headlamps. I guess it was a victom of cost-cutting and they had to use halogen bulbs.

I haven't seen any mention of the headlamps, and since I'm sure people have driven the new car at night, I was wondering if it was an improvement.

 

I don't have an answer to your question, but that is one thing I will be looking at in the aftermarket, HID Xenon lamps. The real thing, not just a bulb replacement.

 

In addition to, and just as, if not more important than, raw light output is the quality of the optics and resultant light pattern. This is an area where many manufacturers do pretty badly at.

I installed some Hella headlights on my Probe GT and wow, what a difference! Not so much in terms of raw output, though I now have the option of various high-wattage H4 bulbs to choose from, but how much better the beam pattern was. Smooth even light fields, very sharp upper cut-off, much improved overall pattern, it just markedly enhances the effectiveness of whatever light is coming out. Pop in some 100/130 H4s and you can blister road signs a quarter mile away on high beam yet on low beam, with the excellent sharp upper cut-off, not blind oncoming traffic.

I have been wondering whether the '05's main and/or fog lights would be ammenable to aftermarket lens upgrades such as Hellas, or whether they are so Ford/Mustang specific so as to preclude that?

 

Rhumb, thanks for the beam pattern mention. That is really what I was referring too. I added Hella lamps to a '91 Prelude and ended up with a wall of light in front of the car and no desire to add any type of driving lights. It was unbelieveable how much of an improvment it made. I doubt the Mustang will be that good, but I'm hoping it will be an improvement.

 

Yeah, most people unfortunately focus only on bulb/light strength and pretty much ignore optical quality, which, I think is as or more important. Having powerful light bulbs with bad optics is like having 600hp in a krappy chassis, its just plain dangerous not only for yourself but for your fellow road warriors.

My feeling is that most modern cars make sufficient, if not overwhelming, amounts of light, but that it is usually very poorly utilized by bad optics. Brighter bulbs by themselves only result in increased glare, not necessarily improved vision, which is the real goal.

 

I don't know how good the stock Headlights are, but Saleen has an HID Headlight Package for the 05.

 

Yes, but will it be street legal?

 

I can't compare the light output to the older models, but it is right up there with other cars I own, or have owned (all non-HID). I would not describe it as weak by any means. The low-beams do their job just fine. The fogs are aimed to luminate the area just in front of the car and work well for filling out the space between the main lights. The brights are fantastic, and light up road for a good distance ahead.