The headlights of the Aston Martin Vantage and the early (before 2013) DB9/DBS are of a very poor design, with inadequate light output and a poor beam pattern. They use a proprietary design with the reflector bowls built into the main support bracket, both lights are fixed, meaning the dipped beam has a fixed shield to produce a low beam and the full beam has a similar shield so it only produces light above the dipped beam, not adding to the light. The reflector is also prone to the chrome reflector material breaking down and separating from the bowl. The DB9/DBS has a HID low beam and halogen main beam whilst the Vantage has either the same as the DB9 or halogen low and high beams.
Even Autocar in its used car review of the DBS said that it has “Dreadful Headlights”.
The DB9.2 (2013 onwards) also has issues with its lights, although it has a single Bi-Xenon projector this too is subject to the reflective coating breaking down resulting in very poor light output.
Upgrading to better bulbs will result in a few percent increase in the light output, upgrading to LED bulbs results in a very poor beam pattern and will not pass an MOT in the UK.
As can be seen above the stock projector design is very poor with half the output of each light completely wasted by the non moving shut offs, combined with inefficient lenses and reflectors.
My solution is to replace both projectors with state of the art Bi-LED projectors that give out far more light, with a much wider, more even beam pattern that dazzles less. This can be 4 low beam lights and 4 main beams for the ultimate in lighting or 2 low beams and 4 main beams for a more original look with the lights on.
PRICES
All upgrades include polishing the outside of the lenses to remove scratches and crazing and replacing broken mounts (they go brittle with age)
- QUAD Bi-LED PROJECTORS £1600
- TWIN Bi-LED, TWIN MAIN BEAM £1400
- SWITCHBACK INDICATORS +£120
- ETCHED LENSES +£60
- PAINTED SHIELD/BEZELS £POA
Hi Paul, this looks awesome! How/where can we get this done?
Hi Luke,
Email me at [email protected]
Paul