« Reply #6 on: 06 January 2022, 06:16 »
The range is controlled by the shutter which cuts off light sharply at a certain point. Usually xenons are intense within the near field area but cut off abruptly leaving the surrounding area appearing very dark in comparison to the lit area unlike halogen bulbs which have a gradual fade out.
One test of xenon bulb performance I used to use was to drive down an urban street with cars parked at 90 degrees to my approach so that their wheels were illuminated side on. If the intricate details of the brake callipers and disc scores were clearly visible through the wheel cut outs from a reasonable distance it signalled that the bulbs were intense enough and any range issues were shutter height related.
As for the MINI headlamps, I had a 2016 Cooper SD briefly while I was waiting for a GTD to be built. The Cooper had LED headlamps that were far brighter than any other car’s headlamps I’d ever experienced until I got my TCR in 2019. The MINI headlamps are also positioned a bit higher than Golf headlamps too I think which again helps with range.
Logged
‘25 8.5R, ‘23 8R, ‘20 8CS, ‘19 135iX, ‘19 TCR, ‘17 Ed40, ‘17 GTD, ‘15 7R, ‘13 GTI PP, ‘11 GTI, ‘09 GTI, ‘98 Ibiza Cupra, ‘05 GTI, ‘06 Polo GTI, ‘04 GT TDI, ‘05 Fabia vRS, ‘02 GTI T, ‘03 Ibiza TDI 130, ‘01 Leon 180, ‘89 mk2 16v, ‘99 Ibiza TDI, ‘96 VR6, ‘98 Ibiza TDI, ‘92 VR6, ‘88 mk2 8v, ‘92 Polo G40, ‘91 mk2 8v, ‘89 mk2 8v, 205 GTI 1.9, ‘83 mk1 GTI, ‘80 Scirocco GTI, plus some others I’ve forgotten
