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Old 10-12-2010, 09:00 PM   #1
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Those Headlights.

Headlights are kinda a big deal for me on sports cars. I refuse to own anything with pop-ups from the '80s, even though there are some great cars.

The first time I saw a boxster in person I thought the headlights were beautiful! Seriously! I remember checking them out up close in a parking lot and being amazed. I'm sure I'm not alone too because the concept car was a huge hit and the boxster was an sales sensation for Porsche. I have a boxster book that put those headlight on the cover as an art shot. What I originally liked about them was that you could see the swept back evolution of the 993 headlights yet you could still see the original 911 headlights in them. Plus all the lights were contained in one which was a new thing at the time, making for a cleaner front end.

As time passed people seemed to tire of the fried eggs. Soon they went clear, which is what I have on my 2003. Then the 987 came out with sort of rounded triangle shaped lights which pretty much everyone seemed to think was better. I mean it was newer which is good right? Like everybody else I had headlight envy for the newest latest headlights.

Lately I'm starting to quickly tire of the new lights on the 987. Mostly what I think is wearing on me is that they are so similar to the Panamera and Cayenne which are kinda ugly cars. Porsche seems to be using that shape now on everything that's not a 911. Am I the only one seeing this?

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Old 10-12-2010, 09:16 PM   #2
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+1 i agree w you 987 headlights aint all that...
to me nothing beats litronics headlights on boxster. Mine is 03 as well
...my lights look like fried eggs with some ketchup now...





must get LiT soon...too bad they are still so expensive...
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Old 10-13-2010, 04:29 AM   #3
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I have no problem with the headlights on my 986...I installed 996 units that I deambered, as I prefer the clear look. They look pretty nice on this model, as well.

The 987 headlamps look like they came off a Mini Cooper.
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Last edited by jmatta; 10-13-2010 at 05:22 AM.
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Old 10-13-2010, 05:22 AM   #4
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How can you not like pop-up headlights? It's so cool to be sitting in the driver's seat and see them rotate into place. And the mechanical/electric sound the make while doing it has to make you smile.

BTW, it's not just the 80s, there have been some fantastic cars that used them from the 60s into the 90s.
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Old 10-13-2010, 06:12 AM   #5
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I have to agree that the 986 headlights have grown on me.
I prefer them over the triangular shape of the 987 lights.
Nevertheless I still think that the 993/997 round headlights look better
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Old 10-13-2010, 08:49 PM   #6
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Pop ups just don't do it for me. They are so angular and really come from that Italian wedge shape school of design. I think they are anti Porsche style... which has always been more about curves and volumes. I love the Ferrari 308 or Acura NSX but even then I have a hard time with the pop ups. I didn't realize there were pop up enthusiasts.
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Old 10-14-2010, 03:37 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fusionist
Pop ups just don't do it for me. They are so angular and really come from that Italian wedge shape school of design. I think they are anti Porsche style... which has always been more about curves and volumes. I love the Ferrari 308 or Acura NSX but even then I have a hard time with the pop ups. I didn't realize there were pop up enthusiasts.

1937 Cord anyone?

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Old 10-14-2010, 05:32 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fusionist
Pop ups just don't do it for me. They are so angular and really come from that Italian wedge shape school of design. I think they are anti Porsche style... which has always been more about curves and volumes. I love the Ferrari 308 or Acura NSX but even then I have a hard time with the pop ups. I didn't realize there were pop up enthusiasts.
It's all subjective, of course, but I don't think you can say flip-ups are anti Porsche.

914, 928, 924, 944, 968, there have been more Porsche production models with flip-ups than without. The factory even offered a 911 slant-nose with pop-ups. I'd say Porsche was just as into them as any other manufacturer.

Last edited by blue2000s; 10-14-2010 at 06:01 AM.
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Old 10-14-2010, 05:39 AM   #9
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1937 Cord anyone?

WOW! I have never seen one of those before. Gorgeous!

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Old 10-14-2010, 05:44 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by blue2000s
BTW, it's not just the 80s, there have been some fantastic cars that used them from the 60s into the 90s.

Like the 914! I had one and loved it!
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Old 10-14-2010, 07:06 AM   #11
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It does seem a little as if this 914 driver has lost his head; why else whould he have the headlights extended?
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Old 10-14-2010, 10:55 AM   #12
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The 914 and 924 were designed to be VWs. The 944 and 968 are just updates of the 924.

I guess the 928 has pop-ups but they are clearly trying to hide the fact that they pop-up. It still looks like a proper Porsche. The slantnose 911 has pop-ups for sure, but that represents a low point in Porsche design where Porsche bastardized their own design to cater to a trend.
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Old 10-14-2010, 11:08 AM   #13
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What about headlights from 2001-2004 911 (996 ver2) can you fit them on Boxster?

I like them more then 987 headlights and they look more polished then 986

Thanks
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Old 10-14-2010, 11:17 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by fusionist
The 914 and 924 were designed to be VWs. The 944 and 968 are just updates of the 924.

I guess the 928 has pop-ups but they are clearly trying to hide the fact that they pop-up. It still looks like a proper Porsche. The slantnose 911 has pop-ups for sure, but that represents a low point in Porsche design where Porsche bastardized their own design to cater to a trend.
All flip-up Porsches, none-the-less. Unless you consider only the 356 and 911 to be "true" Porsches, in which case I don't know why you'd own a Boxster.

Last edited by blue2000s; 10-14-2010 at 01:33 PM.
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Old 10-14-2010, 12:54 PM   #15
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I wouldn't say pop-ups were a fad. They were a legitimate design feature to meet headlight minimum height requirements, while maintaining aerodynamic and styling needs of low slung sports cars.

That need has mostly been made obsolete since the development of newer style headlights that don't require the large parabolic mirrors of past years.
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Old 10-14-2010, 02:46 PM   #16
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How about these headlights. IMHO they are gorgeous and the best of all worlds for a 986


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