Re-think Headlight Design

[dleepnw]

I'm not a huge fan of the 4 array headlight design, looks too similar to the ones Porsche uses. Also kinda looks like a merge of the Porsche and Bronco lights. IMO, its not actually that distinctive/iconic.

I do really like how the DRL blends into the side/parking light and the light bar that wraps around the front/rear grille. Very distinctive.

More than that, I'm concerned about how they are inset and there is a "ledge" in front of each light. This is going to accumulate snow and cover the light. LEDs don't generate much heat so its going to melt off. This being an adventure vehicle, a lot folks who live in and travel to places where it snows are not going to be happy about this.

I'd recommend making the headlights flush so there is no ledge, having a heating element or maybe a washer (though this will be least effective).

Update:
Case study - Cybertruck with this issue. Scout, hope you’ve got a plan to accout for this: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...cumulate-and-block-the-headlights-230818.html

 

[DBHowe]

I like the front but I, for one, will be unplugging the illuminated "Scout" logo..

What!? Now that's too far!! *grin*

 

[pwrofgrayskull]

I like the front but I, for one, will be unplugging the illuminated "Scout" logo..

Sacrilege!!

 

[Jamie@ScoutMotors]

More than that, I'm concerned about how they are inset and there is a "ledge" in front of each light. This is going to accumulate snow and cover the light. LEDs don't generate much heat so its going to melt off. This being an adventure vehicle, a lot folks who live in and travel to places where it snows are not going to be happy about this.

I'd recommend making the headlights flush so there is no ledge, having a heating element or maybe a washer (though this will be least effective).

Update:
Case study - Cybertruck with this issue. Scout, hope you’ve got a plan to accout for this: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...cumulate-and-block-the-headlights-230818.html

This is the concept version of the vehicle. Production units will likely have a few changes.

 

[Daren E.]

I think the headlights are ok. Sure round headlights would be a big nod to the more traditional crowd, but this is the next gen scout not a retro revival. It needs to still appeal to the younger generation of people that don’t care what the old internationals looked like. This design is somewhat timeless, think of it as throwing a large net to catch more fish than a fishing pole. The aftermarket can give you different lights I’m sure.

I plan on installing a grille/brush gaurd on mine once I get it, this will add retro flare and I can mount lights to it.

I’ve owned 4 different older scouts and what makes them unique is the accessories and mods that people do to them.

 

[J Alynn]

I think the headlights are ok. Sure round headlights would be a big nod to the more traditional crowd, but this is the next gen scout not a retro revival. It needs to still appeal to the younger generation of people that don’t care what the old internationals looked like. This design is somewhat timeless, think of it as throwing a large net to catch more fish than a fishing pole. The aftermarket can give you different lights I’m sure.

I plan on installing a grille/brush gaurd on mine once I get it, this will add retro flare and I can mount lights to it.

I’ve owned 4 different older scouts and what makes them unique is the accessories and mods that people do to them.

I ran to the store tonight and saw a Jeep Cherokee coming at me and realized almost every suv is an elongated, radius/curved rectangle or round lights except for Rivian. That said with the pics I posted the other night the headlights, IMO will look square when oncoming and I think that will make it very unique and distinctive after dark.

 

[J. Sweat]

Sure round headlights would be a big nod to the more traditional crowd, but this is the next gen scout not a retro revival. It needs to still appeal to the younger generation of people that don’t care what the old internationals looked like.

Young people don’t automatically have bad taste. And what’s with this argument that the new Scout can’t be retro/nostalgic? That’s the worst marketing position possible.

 

[J Alynn]

Young people don’t automatically have bad taste. And what’s with this argument that the new Scout can’t be retro/nostalgic? That’s the worst marketing position possible.

Technically it’s not an argument. The SM team openly said this isn’t a nostalgia design. They imagined that the new scouts would be in their 7th/8th generation so this is evolutionary design as opposed to Bronco, beetle, buzz and other vehicles which were designed as throwback/nostalgia. I don’t know that @Daren E. was saying young people lack taste. My daughter is 20. She loved having her Bronco briefly because of the look but equally loves the new landcruiser (rectangular Headlight version) as well as the Lexus GX. I think the point was younger gen who doesn’t know anything about Scout history will find this appealing. I’ve shown pics to people who never heard of Scout and everyone says the new Traveler looks amazing.

 

[KarlT]

I would think it would be rather difficult to design headlights that aren’t similar to at least one vehicle currently on the road.

 

[LastDayScout]

I would think it would be rather difficult to design headlights that aren’t similar to at least one vehicle currently on the road.

 

[Jamie@ScoutMotors]

Our design team went through a lot of variations getting to this point. Given that the Scout II was the main inspiration for the Traveler and that the Scout II had different grill and/or headlamp treatments almost every model year, it is tough to get agreement among Scout enthusiasts which front end is the best. I personally think we would have been slammed for copying the current Bronco if we did round headlamps. The 1980 Scout had rectangular headlamps and the Scout III sketches show quad rectangular headlamps. You can see how quickly this goes in circles (no pun intended!) when trying to debate what direction to go.

 

[DBHowe]

Our design team went through a lot of variations getting to this point. Given that the Scout II was the main inspiration for the Traveler and that the Scout II had different grill and/or headlamp treatments almost every model year, it is tough to get agreement among Scout enthusiasts which front end is the best. I personally think we would have been slammed for copying the current Bronco if we did round headlamps. The 1980 Scout had rectangular headlamps and the Scout III sketches show quad rectangular headlamps. You can see how quickly this goes in circles (no pun intended!) when trying to debate what direction to go.

I think it the headlights are great! It's the turn signal lever I have a major problem with! (just kidding! *grin*)

 

[mrknobel]

I'm not a huge fan of the 4 array headlight design, looks too similar to the ones Porsche uses. Also kinda looks like a merge of the Porsche and Bronco lights. IMO, its not actually that distinctive/iconic.

I do really like how the DRL blends into the side/parking light and the light bar that wraps around the front/rear grille. Very distinctive.

More than that, I'm concerned about how they are inset and there is a "ledge" in front of each light. This is going to accumulate snow and cover the light. LEDs don't generate much heat so its going to melt off. This being an adventure vehicle, a lot folks who live in and travel to places where it snows are not going to be happy about this.

I'd recommend making the headlights flush so there is no ledge, having a heating element or maybe a washer (though this will be least effective).

Update:
Case study - Cybertruck with this issue. Scout, hope you’ve got a plan to accout for this: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...cumulate-and-block-the-headlights-230818.html

Along with that, I have found with LED lights that they do not produce enough heat to melt snow. We need some type of heater element (maybe a winter package) for lights and sensors.

 

[J Alynn]

The heated LED housing has been addressed on a handful of other threads

 

[J Alynn]

I'm a bit lost how this vertical Dyson-esque headlamp:

View attachment 3955

looks like this rounded rectangle:


View attachment 3956


I'm totally open for debate, but I don't see a similarity. I suspect if we had put round headlamps in the front end we would have been labeled as copying the Ford Bronco (even though the original Scout was on the market five years before the Bronco).

Here’s another pic I found on an EV article and liked seeing them in same pic

 

[R1TVT]

Here’s another pic I found on an EV article and liked seeing them in same pic

I get the comparison for light shape, but should probably be with a R1, since the R2 is much smaller. The lights look a little "off" using R2!~

 

[J Alynn]

I get the comparison for light shape, but should probably be with a R1, since the R2 is much smaller. The lights look a little "off" using R2!~

Agreed!

 

[Rocket13foxtrot]

I think this is a valid post but I personally like the front. It doesn't strike me as "wanna be retro" (Coming from a guy who rode around in the back of a 79 Scout and owned a 69 Suburban). Maybe they offer another configuration/option that is a different look though, who knows? I think the solution to your concern may just be a cold weather package offering. Good points in that regard.

 

[IdahoJOAT]

When I first saw the headlights during the reveal, I instantly thought, 'Oh boy, they're trying too hard to avoid looking like a Bronco and ended up butchering the frontend' and it appears I was right. When your design is led by not being something instead of being something, you get weirdness like this that doesn't match the rest of the vehicle.

I see what you're saying. You're saying one should vote for a politician based on what they value and stand for(amongst other things of course) versus hating the other candidate. If I'm understanding you correctly.

I don't think that's the case here. I think the SM team had the task of designing a vehicle that in theory had been in production since the '60s, with the Scout 80/800, the II, the III(two concepts were produced after all), and the Travelall and pickups as well for reference. Then along the way, because one HAS to, they looked at the competition and said(as anyone would) do we look like that? How can we hold true to our vision and not be a copy-cat?

I personally think they knocked it out of the park.

I also love the illuminated "Scout" in the grille and rear. I think what makes the front end truly distinctive is the block/rectangle spanning left to right. THAT's consistent with every single Scout, period. They nailed it.

Now the melting thing... that HAS to happen. We literally had this happen in the Jeep. It was scary.