Design Details: All Red Tails
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After the days of off-the-shelf tail lights, automakers started integrating reverse and turn signal segments into the overall rear light cluster leading to more cohesive rear styling. However, with every trend comes its opposing counterpart, and some manufacturers decided that going for a solid red tail light was a more premium touch. That meant either obscuring the reverse and turn signals behind red-slatted reflectors or tucking those functions into the bumper making for a clean “all-red” look.
The first example I can find for this is Tjaarda’s Lancia Flaminia Coupe Speciale done during his time at Pininfarina. The tail of the car is still ravishingly contemporary with its solid all-red taillights, and while this would remain a one-off, I am convinced that it inspired other manufacturers to try the styling technique. Unfortunately those supermodern all-red tails were faux in this application as functioning taillights from a Flavia coupe were later installed lower down to make the car road-legal.
The car was used by Battista as a daily driver until 1966 at which point it was purchased by a private collector who has returned it to the original show spec (sans lower tail lights).
The late ‘90s saw a revival of the trend especially on the JDM where automakers often sold several variants of the same basic platform. The Y33 Leopard of course shared its underpinnings with the Y33 Gloria/Cima/Cedric/Q45, but only the stylish Leopard employed this trick of all-red taillights by tucking the reverse and turn signals in the bumper.
This styling trend would become a zeitgeist of the 2000s, perhaps in retaliation to the opposing ‘Altezza’ trend, with Porsche and Peugeot both prominently employing it across their ranges in a similar fashion.
They would use the slatted reflector technique or simply a red tinted cover to integrate the reverse and turn signals into the primary cluster while still maintaining the all-red color palette.
Saab would also use this trick in the 9-5’s ‘Dame Edna’ refresh:
More recently automakers have been using the advent of LEDs to accomplish a similar trick; the the third-gen Pilot reprised the first-gen’s all-red tails by using the Leopard’s trick of bumper-mounted reverse lights and the American trick of a red turn signal.
Hyundai Group has come under fire for their bumper-mounted turn signals across the internet, but it does mean that they can achieve the ‘all-red’ look that is apparently worth the extra fuss.
So what do you think? Is the styling effect worth all the trouble? Or do mixed-color clusters appear more balanced?
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@amoore100 I’ve been wondering why Torch uses @The-Autopian instead of a dedicated account. Now I know he’s actually here, incognito.
Nice try, “amoore100”.
On walkabout. Back soonish.
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@Just-Jeepin did the rest of Design Details not already tip you off to that?
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@amoore100 Toyota failed SO HARD at this by making the reverse section pink. It has always bugged the shit out of me.
-Randy
GSX, ZZW30, AZ-1, Scrum, Jimny, Bolt, Cappuccino -
@DSM_OR_DIE what's that even off of?
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@amoore100 2009 Corolla, but the previous 2003-08 generation is the one that I first thought of. I just couldn't find a good picture. It seems to be a thing across most, if not all, of Toyota's lineup through the 2000s and early 2010s.
-Randy
GSX, ZZW30, AZ-1, Scrum, Jimny, Bolt, Cappuccino -
@amoore100 Amber turn signals or bust! All red is cool but not as effective.
I is smurt.
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@Future-Next-Gen-S2000-Owner with Porsche's technique there is no tradeoff!
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@amoore100 Good lord, that Flaminia never fails to amaze. All red tails are common now, but I miss orange indicators. Particularly in my favorite old Euro cars, the US versions often got red tails while their home market brethren got mixed clusters. My own Flavia coupe is a good example:
Euro version:
G-body 911s are the same story, Euro lights with orange corners look better to me.
Euro market C5 Corvettes had cool-looking amber signals, as well. This is a US car, obviously, but the tails are Euro model:
In these trying times, buy a Toyota
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@RallyWrench Amber turn signals are the tiny bits of sunshine everyone should have in their lives.
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@RallyWrench I Euro-swapped the taillights on my Cougar back in the day:
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@frinesi2 and you swapped the Mercury & Ford badges. #nice
Personally, I HATE red turn signals and rear fascia mounted turn signals.
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@amoore100 The first gen Pilot was such an underrated design. Though the baffling use of medium gray and dark dark plastic picked seemingly at random has always bothered me.
It is way more noticeable in person. For that "pre faded plastic" look.
Color enthusiast, Citroën fanatic, and Cruze driver
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@WhoIsTheLeader Muted grey was just how Honda did cladding back then!
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@amoore100 Lightish gray plastic is fine, but it looks like crap when you put it next to dark gray plastic. The bumper scuff guards and mud flaps on these are jarringly made out of a completely different plastic than the bumper inserts.
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@mhr555 yeah, funny story - I shipped my front Mercury grille and rear badge to a guy in the UK and he shipped me his Ford front grille and rear badge
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@amoore100 I’m all for this, provided the turn signal is amber underneath. BMW and Audi seem to achieve this today (with their Euro models, at least).
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I dunno if that’s a Nummi thing or some garbage replacement? I’ve never seen a pink reverse light ‘rolla here in Canada.
This is mine as of 5min ago. Factory tail lights from TMMC.
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@Exage03040 I've never seen them clear in the US before. I have no idea.
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@RallyWrench So as the export Chevy S10
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@Brickman I had no idea, that's cool!
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@amoore100 multi coloured lenses plz
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Ford disguised the reverse lights as chrome trim, sort of:
It's a little more effective when the reflectors still have some chrome on them.
