[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

F20 1 Series First BMW With Side Mirror Indicator Lights

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It appears that the next generation 1-series (F20) will be the first BMW to feature integrated side view mirror lights. We first suspected this when the F20's latest stage of camouflage was first spied. Here was the circumstantial evidence:

• BMW test mules often have the orange tape/stripe on its side view mirrors, as camouflage/decoy. However, this decoy tape has always been removed once the heavy camouflage on the car's lights are removed. With the F20, the heavy camouflage on the test mules' lights have already been removed, but the orange decoy tape remains to serve as camouflage.
• The orange mirror tape has perforations (see F20 photo below), which has never been seen on the mirror camouflage previously. All orange decoy tape has been solid.
• Flash photography from the spy photographers reveals some reflective element through the orange tape's perforations, indicating a reflective material (plastic) underneath (see F20 photo below).

These may have been circumstantial evidence previously, but the existence of these lights has now been confirmed by Scott26 who explains that there is legislation coming which will require that all cars' side turn indicator lights be located in a higher position than the traditional blinkers on side fenders of the car. This will necessitate the use by BMW of larger wing mirrors with integrated turn indicators (such as we have already seen from other manufacturers such as Mercedes and Audi).

We have been unable to find such a EU legislative requirement, but we remain convinced on the lights from our own analysis and based on the latest insider confirmation.

[Smokey]

I've always hated side mirror indicators, they take away from the look of the car, imo

[AustinL]

Oh dear lord, let them be just some camouflage. That is so VW, really don't want to see them in a BMW.

[T89]

Noooooooooooo....


T

[termigni]

before VW, MB rocked them back in 1999.

[Bimmer-Bob]

From a design perspective it seems perhaps a bit "me too" for BMW to be moving to side mirror indicators.

However, from a practical standpoint, I've always found such indicators to be highly visible in real-world driving - sometimes a good idea is just a good idea.

[BMWFreaky]

OH GOOOD NOOO, first XM's, GT and V-series and then front wheels and now this
what the f**k is going on

[Alessandro]

it will be a LED strip it will look decent

[S4NoMore]

Takes away from the look of the car? How do you figure that? What really takes away from the look of a car is slapping incandescent bulb housings on the fenders. Putting the indicators on the mirrors cleans up the side of the car, emphasizing its lines and at the same time providing improved functionality of those indicators. It's similar to how most American enthusiasts look to remove the orange reflectors from cars, in order to clean up the look of the car with minimal "distraction."

[bayerischeperformance]

Or maybe they are still there cause there is still camo on the fender bidunno

[Diver]

Oh well, it's the great nanny in the sky. That bonnet looks too short for an I6 to me...

[Smokey]

^ Slapping indicators on the side mirrors, like I said, takes away from the look of the car-- it's my opinion and I stand by it. The addition of the lights, in most instances, don't always flow with the design elements of the car-- the lights look like an after thought, which is one of the reasons people with E9x remove their reflectors. Also, the lights are annoying when sitting at the light to make a left turn-- I don't need anything close to the side of my face to remind me that am turning. Keep the indicators on the fenders where they belong. Side mirror indicators=

[TumGTS]

please don't do it or else its no longer a BMW.

[BMWBully]

Originally Posted by termigni

before VW, MB rocked them back in 1999.

Word, but actually it was back in 1998.. And they were first.. On the S-Class..

Remember my dad picking me up after school, think it was in september ´98, the new S-Class had just came out and it looked so nice

Maybe it came out in US in ´99 though..

[PKumarM3]

i bet it will be integrated LED. so all body color mirrors and then a few LED lights on the mirror

will look awesome at night!

i appreciate this as it increases safety. how many times have u tried to make a left turn in a 4 way street and the person in oncoming traffic doesn't see your blinkers and turns in along w/u! this is gonna be great, like introducing LED side markers and brake lights!

w00t for safety!

[Zunkung]

Farkkkk NOOOO!!! Plzzz NOOO!!!!

If they are really goin to be side mirror indicator lights for the real production car, I WILL CONSIDER MYSELF TO STOP BUYING ANYMORE BMW!!!!

I just hate it that MUCH!!!!

[kinan_sleiman2006]

So stupid to put this on a bmw!!!!!Are they nuts?

[mcman]

Originally Posted by kinan_sleiman2006

So stupid to put this on a bmw!!!!!Are they nuts?

In another thread Scott said that new regulations (EU I assume) made them put side indicators higher (on mirrors).

[Krod301]

Well if Bmw has to do it by regulation I hope they do it their own way like they've been doing with their lighting technology, and not like everyone else.

[Coni]

Am I the only one who honestly doesn't care?

The responses in this thread are about equal to that of the announcement of the return of the Bubonic Plague, plus Sarah Palin being elected to President, and learning that Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 won the Oscar's Best Motion Picture.

Calm the $%#@ down! Wow, it's a flashing light on the side mirrors. In one year you won't even notice that it's there, and you can be back to moaning about how you will never buy another BMW again because they are introducing a NA engine back into the lineup or something.

[BMWRL]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

Now we do...

Seems like Scott26 already confirmed that new BMW's will have side mirror indicator lights, in another thread.

[shazzy04]

Originally Posted by TumGTS

please don't do it or else its no longer a BMW.

Originally Posted by Coni

Am I the only one who honestly doesn't care?

Agreed