BMW’s best designs offer something unique, tip to tail. At both ends, there’s huge ability to leave a lasting impression on owners and onlookers alike: lighting. Today, we’re talking about lights on the backside. From early experiments with LEDs to cutting-edge OLED and laser lighting, BMW has consistently turned what’s sometimes an afterthought into a signature design element. Across generations and models, these lights have influenced trends and helped shape the brand’s unmistakable visual identity. And five models did it better than the rest.
BMW E60 5 Series LCI
The E60 5 Series, in period, wasn’t really considered a looker. But time has been kind to the car. One highlight is the post-facelift taillight design E60 sedans received. New glass was a welcome change, but more eye-catching was the cool new LED turn signal design. Similarly, five “radial light conductor rods” further add to the futuristic look. It ended up being one of the most immediately recognizable light signatures on the road. Updates extended to the E61 Touring model, too. Arguably, it’s a more unique design, but the sedan (simply because it’s more common) lights are more iconic.
3 Series LEDs — E46 and E9X LCI Models
BMW’s taillight improvements on the E46 and E90/E91/E92/E93 3 Series mirrored the 5 Series’ changes. Like before, the brand brought high-tech (at the time) LEDs to a model that would hardly be considered “special.” In the E46’s case, rows of LEDs replaced the old halogen look, immediately making the car look years newer than its predecessors. The E9X 3 Series models were significantly tweaked, adding LEDs and light bars. The E92 335is is a particularly shining example, pulling much of the best OEM equipment available at the time into one devilishly good package. In all cases, the new taillights immediately became a selling point and attention getter.
OLEDs — F82 M4 GTS and CS
OLED technology made its debut with BMW in the F82 M4 GTS. Similar to what the M5 CS did for headlight designs, GTS OLEDs spawned a huge aftermarket as people started chasing the exclusive — and frankly, cool — OLED bubbles. OLEDs — Organic Light Emitting Diodes — not only provided a neat new 3D effect, they were also thinner than preceding LEDs. Furthermore, OLEDs provide more uniform lighting than regular LEDs, being “extremely homogeneous in appearance,” according to BMW. The automaker also highlighted the fairly obvious styling benefits. While originally debuting on the GTS, the “lesser” CS model also got treated. Sadly, but perhaps not surprisingly, BMW never carried over the cool taillight tech to the M3. The auto sector is slow to adopt OLEDs in general; the lights are significantly more expensive.
Laser Taillights — M4 CSL and LCI 4 Series
The GTS set a high bar for BMW’s lighting choices on top-of-the-line halo models. As such, it’s logical the brand opted for even more advanced lighting on the GTS’s successor, the M4 CSL. “Laser” taillights were the result. The first time a production car utilized such technology, the laser taillights offered better overall visibility and, likely more noticeable, a truly unique lighting signature. Like many other BMW lights, the laser taillights feature a distinct “BMW Laser” lettering in the housing. BMW surprised everyone when it came time for the current 4 Series’ mid-lifecycle refresh. The brand now offers laser units on every 4 Series, from the 420i up. Or 430i, if you’re in the U.S.
Neon Taillights — BMW Z8
One of only three cars ever to come with neon in the taillight assembly, the BMW Z8 relied on neon tubes for turn signals and brake lights. Neon offered quicker response (activation time), and BMW also claimed the lights would last the life of the car. That’s probably of little consolation to the owners who have had to replace them — an owner’s forum post from 2012 indicates a replacement cost of nearly $3,000! Of course, adjusted for inflation, that’s around $4,288 in today’s money — still less than an OEM BMW laser headlight costs. Regardless, the Z8’s awesome individuality makes it cool enough to top our list of the best BMW taillights.
