Hella Bi-Xenon Lighting ``Unbeatable'' in Master Tests

PLYMOUTH, Mich.--Dec. 1, 2004--High-tech bi-xenon lighting systems, once only available on high-end luxury cars, recently captured top honors in a light comparison test of eight European compact vehicles.

Xenon systems from Hella, for example, were recognized in an international master-test carried out by the German journal Auto Motor und Sport, together with 15 European specialist automotive publications. The competition included the VW Golf, Peugeot 307, Renault Megane, Mazda 3, Toyota Corolla and Fiat Stilo, along with a Hella-equipped Ford Focus and Opel Astra.

Testers gave top honors to Hella bi-xenon headlamps on the Ford Focus and Opel Astra and declared them "unbeatable" in an assessment of range and width of coverage. Xenon light on both Focus and Astra systems is projected precisely and without glare onto the road surface with the aid of a 70 mm-diameter non-spherical glass lens. A round projection module situated below the rectangular lamp unit houses position and indicator lights.

A movable shield creates the required beam pattern in Hella's bi-xenon headlamp. When the shield is raised, it produces a low beam light; when lowered it makes room for the high beam. The color of the light remains the same when changing from low beam to high beam.

When compared with halogen lamps, xenon light provides more than double the amount of light and requires one-third less power. Extremely precise projection technology ensures wide, bright illumination and greater safety on the open road.

Xenon lights first appeared at the high end of the market beginning in 1992, and bi-xenon lights are now used on vehicles like the Rolls Royce Phantom, Ferrari Enzo, Mercedes Maybach, Porsche 911 Turbo and Lamborghini Murcielago, as well as the BMW 7 Series and Audi A8.

In North America, xenon headlamps are available as an option on the Cadillac Escalade, the Chrysler Town & Country and Pacifica, the Lincoln Zephyr and the Mercedes-Benz M-Class.

Hella is the European market leader for xenon headlamps and their respective electronic systems, with a market share of more than 60 percent. Its second-generation bi-xenon module, with an improved beam pattern, is being combined with fourth-generation xenon electronics. Particular attention has been paid to increased electromagnetic compatibility requirements.

Bi-xenon lighting is also an integral part of Hella's adaptive front lighting (AFL) system, which swivels up to 15 degrees to the right or left to nearly double the illuminated area when driving into a curve. AFL works with both low- and high-beam lighting and is linked to vehicle speed. Hella has now developed AFL systems for nine model series from four vehicle manufacturers.

Dynamic headlamp levelling ensures that headlamps remain at the proper height during changes in load and during acceleration and braking, preventing glare to oncoming traffic.

Lighting, electronics, complete vehicle modules, air conditioning systems, vehicle wiring systems and signal processing for the automobile industry, as well as parts suppliers to the aftermarket, are the core competence fields of automotive supplier Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. Sales for the Hella Group are approximately $3 billion, placing Hella among the top 100 German industrial companies.

With its corporate headquarters in Lippstadt, Germany, the company employs more than 23,900 people at 65 manufacturing facilities, production subsidiaries and joint-venture companies in 18 countries. Over 1,800 engineers and technicians work in research and development. All of the world's leading automobile and systems manufacturers are Hella customers as well as the automotive components aftermarket. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.hella.com.