Split Headlights: The Bold New Look That Keeps Evolving

From Ferrari to Tesla, split headlights are redefining car design in the electric age.

For over a century, cars have looked at the world through two large headlights placed at the corners of their front ends. But that familiar face is now history. Today, automakers are embracing a new design language: split headlights, a trend that blends style, technology, and aerodynamics while reshaping the identity of the modern car.

From LED “Eyebrows” to Hidden Headlights: A New Signature of Light

In the era of electrification, lighting has evolved from a functional necessity to an expression of personality. The upper daytime running lights — the now-iconic DRLs — act as luminous “eyebrows,” while the main headlights are concealed lower down, integrated into the bumper or seamlessly hidden within sculpted bodywork. Models like the Ferrari Purosangue, Hyundai Kona, and Citroën C5 X perfectly illustrate this aesthetic revolution.

The Ferrari Purosangue pushes the idea to the extreme, with razor-thin, almost invisible lights above muscular air intakes. Meanwhile, the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kona use a continuous light strip across the front as their signature. French brands such as Citroën and Lancia have adopted a dual-line LED setup that traces its roots back to the C-Xperience concept, now a defining element of their design DNA.

Light Strips, Geometries, and Screens: The Future Has Arrived

The evolution of split headlights goes beyond their placement. Brands like Volkswagen, CUPRA, and smart are using LED strips that span the entire width of the vehicle, while Audi and BMW experiment with fragmented light clusters that resemble intricate jewels. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Tesla Cybertruck adopts a single, razor-thin horizontal LED bar across its bonnet, hiding its main beams deep in the bumper in near-invisible vertical modules. Even concept cars such as the BMW iVision Dee and Chinese brands like HiPhi or Xpeng are taking things a step further with interactive LED panels that replace traditional headlights entirely — capable of changing shape, colour, and animation depending on the context or driving mode.

The Face of a New Electric Era

With the rise of electric vehicles and the disappearance of the traditional front grille, the car’s front end has become its new identity. It’s no longer just about lighting the road — it’s about expressing character. From elite sports cars to compact SUVs, lighting design has become the most powerful visual language in modern automotive design.