Does anyone notice the the tail lamp of F56 cooper and cooper s are slightly different? The one in the cooper looks like a plain red light, but the one in the S has some kind of 3D design feature similar to the R56 LCI LED lights.

 

I think you're seeing the difference between the LED and non-LED ones.

 

I think so. But in the miniusa configurator, no matter what you do on the cooper, it still shows the basic light and cooper s has the 3D lights standard in the back....

 

Don't trust the configurator. It has never been completely accurate, every year for the past 12 years..

 

Aren't all F56 tail lights LED?

 

There are two separate part number pairs: the "non LED" with the amber turn lenses, and the "for vehicles with LED headlight" which also have white/clear turn lenses. The latter are standard on the JCW and optional on the Cooper and Cooper S.

 

But the tail lights themselves aren't LED are they?

 

There's also a difference between the EU-spec tail lights (amber signals) and the US-spec tail lights (red signals).

No, to the best of my knowledge, not all tail lights are LED.

 

Huh, interesting. You learn something new every day.

 

I think my tail lights are LED. I'll have to check later.

 

It should be noted that even with the LED headlights/tail lights, the bulbs for the brakes, turn signals, and reverse lights are still incandescents. The LED part is extra accent lighting in the tail lights.

 

When the car is equipped with LED headlights, the car is also equipped with LED taillights...like every other BMW.

But like all the lesser BMW's (2, 3, 4 and the associated X models)...the brake lights are still incandescent.

Its a stupid decision.

 

" LED and non-LED ones. " Yep, the LED are brighter with the large ring being LED.

 

Resurrecting for another reason:

I'm ready to replace the '08 and looking at getting into a '16 MCS or JCW...one thing that throws my eye is the size of the tail lights. Butt ugly in my view. Anyone else see it?

Not that this would deter a purchase/build, but it is freaking big and ugly back there.

Anyway, considering options....just wondered if there's been discussion on it.

 

Who cares how ugly they are, you're not the one who is going to see them fading in the distance...

 

All the better for people to see when you're braking at night.

The taillights don't bother me, honestly. The front underbite, does.

 

Larger Tail lights
Fewer rear-enders.

 

The Kardashian Mini?

 

It's all relative. When I see an R50 nowadays I feel the taillights are too small for the body. There's no rule on how big the lights "should" be. Design themes in both OEM and aftermarket over the years have waxed and waned on light sizes.

 

I have a 2015 F56 JCW with LED headlights but I pulled out the tail lights and they aren't LED. Looking to replace them soon but haven't found many choices in that the bulb size P21W. There are 4 bulbs per side in the tail lights. That's kind of crazy. Does anyone know if I'll get a bulb out warning or hyperflash with LEDs?

 

The lights themselves are not, only the round ring.

 

What do you mean the round ring? Are you talking about the tail lights? There are no LEDs in the tail lights only incandescent bulbs and a diffuser.

 

The lighted part in my picture above is the LED ring, that is what they consider the LED rear lights.

 

That just seems like false advertising.

 

Yep. The ring is LED. other are standard bulbs, figured with the LED package all would be LED.