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Federal-Mogul HID Lighting Technology Shines on 2001 Cadillac Seville

31 October 2000

Federal-Mogul HID Lighting Technology Shines on 2001 Cadillac Seville FEDERAL-MOGUL LOGO Federal-Mogul Corporation Logo. (PRNewsFoto)[KI] SOUTHFIELD, MI USA 05/25/2000    

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Oct. 30 Federal-Mogul Corporation
is supplying General Motors Corporation's first high-intensity
discharge (HID) low-beam projector lamps as an option on the redesigned 2001
Cadillac Seville.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000525/DETH025LOGO )
    The HID lamps are designed for greater light output and longer life than
traditional halogen bulbs, while conserving electrical power.
    "HID was chosen as an alternative to traditional halogen bulbs on the
Seville because it enhances visibility, which translates into increased driver
safety," says Rick Splant, director of sales, GM, Ford and International
accounts for Federal-Mogul Lighting Products.  "The technology is gaining
popularity in Europe, where faster speeds continue to drive the need for
improved lighting systems."
    HID lamps provide nearly twice the light output of typical halogen lamps,
Splant said.   Because they work by energizing a gas instead of a filament,
they may be classified as "life of the vehicle" lamps.  "HID lamps draw less
power than traditional halogen lamps, which is important on vehicles such as
the Seville that have a high level of electronic content," Splant added.
    The technology also offers advantages for engineers seeking to reduce
time-to-market.  "Our lamp mounting design was configured so the automaker
could easily use either HID or traditional halogen bulbs in the module,"
Splant said.  "The design helped shave close to a year off the development
time to apply the HID option.  It also allowed us to conserve tooling dollars
because the headlamp module did not have to be retooled."
    Federal-Mogul produces the HID lamps in Franklin Park, Illinois, and ships
them to Guide Corporation in Monroe, Louisiana, for inclusion in lamp modules.
The modules are installed in the Seville at GM's Hamtramck, Michigan, plant.
    "We expect to see GM and other vehicle manufacturers expand the use of HID
lamps in the near future, especially as we see consumer demand for safety and
improved lighting increase," predicted Splant.  "Technology advances and
increased adoption will drive down the cost of the system over time.
    Federal-Mogul Lighting Products includes well-known brand names such as
Wagner and Blazer lighting products, Zanxx sockets and connectors and Signal-
Stat lighting and safety products.