Daewoo tail lights

[DublinBlueElan]

Hi guys, not sure if this has been asked before, can't find it in the search.
In the following video at 9 minutes Peter Stephens talks about designing the M100 with Daewoo tail lights only to find they were not globally homologated. By chance he noticed the Alpine lights and was delighted to see they fit with very little modification and were globally homologated.

Does anyone know what these Daewoo lights are?

https://youtu.be/TrAkYJ48cHQ?si=iKoIMBURKPvM1vXo

[Tuga2112]

do you mean KIA ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Elan#Kia_Elan

the alpine lights ARE the elan lights. lotus used the alpine lights in the elan. similarly to how many other bits are taken from other GM cars of the period.

[dapinky]

I have no idea which Daewoo is being referred to, but it would be interesting to know.

I wouldn't expect it to be either of the 2 models that made it to the UK in '95, as it would have needed to be in production in 1987/8 for parts to be considered for the Elan...... the first prototype(s) used Volvo rear lights.

If the homologation were an issue, then it would be from a model with a limited market, possibly just in Korea (the rear lights of the Pontiac Lemans, which is a badge-engineered Daewoo Lemans for the US market has rear lights which look nowt like they would fit an Elan).

I think that initially, Peter was trying to assist Lotus' fiscal strategy of using parts from the GM supply chain.... but then when there was nothing really suitable, went elsewhere.

Either way, it would be interesting to know this bit of trivia which I have not heard before.

[Jamie N]

Possibly the Deawoo Royale Jonathan?, they don't look a million miles from what they eventually used, bearing in mind he's talking about the designing of the car which would have been some point in the 80's, the Royale
was manufactured from 83 to 91 so it's in the right timescale.



This 85 version looks even closer, looks like Columbo was already on the case investigating it for Peter.

[DublinBlueElan]

do you mean KIA ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Elan#Kia_Elan

the alpine lights ARE the elan lights. lotus used the alpine lights in the elan. similarly to how many other bits are taken from other GM cars of the period.

Have a look at the video I posted, there's a very interesting part where they talk about the lights. Would be fascinating to know what car it was to see how far off they actually are.

[DublinBlueElan]

Possibly the Deawoo Royale Jonathan?, they don't look a million miles from what they eventually used, bearing in mind he's talking about the designing of the car which would have been some point in the 80's, the Royale
was manufactured from 83 to 91 so it's in the right timescale.

This 85 version looks even closer, looks like Columbo was already on the case investigating it for Peter.

You could be on to something here Jamie!

[Simon_H]

From memory in a book I have somewhere it says that the first cars had Isuzu piazza tail lights behind covers. They were found to be too dull to pass the tests. Removing the covers then showed they were too dull without even though they were standard parts already on a car on sale. Then the GTA lights were noticed etc etc and the rest is history

[DublinBlueElan]

Interesting,maybe it wasn't even Daewoo, you can see in the video they are unsure. I might reach out to the people who made that video and see if we can get an answer.

[Dave Eds]

From memory in a book I have somewhere it says that the first cars had Isuzu piazza tail lights behind covers. They were found to be too dull to pass the tests. Removing the covers then showed they were too dull without even though they were standard parts already on a car on sale. Then the GTA lights were noticed etc etc and the rest is history

Mark Hughes book

[DublinBlueElan]

We have an answer!

Nestled within the wiki are some pictures of the original prototype in a barn somewhere and what do we see on the back???




A quick reverse image search throws up this



Izuzu Piazza.

So who's first to give it a go?

[GeoffSmith]

Known as the Impulse (80s version so different engine to ours) in the US. Also used upside down…