Modern Cars We Think Would Look Banging With Pop-Up Headlights
Ok, hear me out: Pop-up headlights. I refer to that throwback relic of a time when cars were so pointy, the only way you could engineer a headlight to point forward was to mount it on a swivel. Think of the Toyota AE86 Corolla and the C5 Corvettes – and, of course, the NA Mazda MX-5 Miata from the early ’90s… Sadly, pop-up headlights aren’t a modern feature. What we gained in practicality going for a modern bluff front end we lost in retro cool.
Now, I appreciate the automotive industry’s move to a less scalpel-like wedge so as not to sever pedestrians at the knees, but indulge me, won’t you, as we explore ten modern cars that would look so much better with that wide-eyed look of yore.
This list was compiled based on the experience and opinions of CarBuzz staff with ‘modern’ referring to cars on sale in the last 15 years. Cars are listed in no particular order. Specs listed refer to the base model ine each lineup.
1
2025 BMW Z4 Roadster
|
Engine |
2.0-liter Turbo-4 |
|---|---|
|
Horsepower |
255 hp |
|
Torque |
295 lb-ft |
|
0-60 |
5.2 seconds |
Name a single roadster over the last five decades that couldn’t be improved with pop-up headlights. I’ll wait. The simple fact of the matter is that with the addition of pop-ups, you can transform the neat BMW Z4 Roadster profile into a radical whip reminiscent of the ’80s era 8 Series or the marque’s one and only supercar, the M1. The heritage there would translate beautifully on the little roadster, in our opinion, albeit with a modern twist.
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2
2025 Honda Civic Si
|
Engine |
1.5-liter Turbo-4 |
|---|---|
|
Horsepower |
200 hp |
|
Torque |
192 lb-ft |
|
0-60* |
6.6 seconds |
*Independent tests
This is a weird one, we know, but hear us out. The slightly-spicier sedan in the Civic lineup is not quite as aggressive as the Type R – and that model already comes with all the exterior bits and bobs that make it obviously racy. The Honda Civic Si, on the other hand, is still slightly elegant, so slim, low-profile pop-ups would hint at it’s increased performance without being quite as in your face as its Type R sibling. Honda is also an old-hand at pop-ups – we were always huge fans of the ’80s era Honda Accord Coupe. The Civis Si could do with a bump in cool factor.
3
2018 Alfa 4C Coupe
|
Engine |
1.75-liter Turbo-Four |
|---|---|
|
Horsepower |
237 hp |
|
Torque |
258 lb-ft |
|
0-60 |
4 seconds |
Okay, I just know you’re going to need some convincing here, but ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to refer to the Ala Romeo Montreal for a moment (pictured below). Rather than a solid piece of metal hiding the lamps, this Gandini classic boasted metal louvers semi-covering the lights. What you ended up with was a half-sleepy, nonchalant expression that defined Italian cool.
While this doesn’t necessarily mean pop-up headlights as much as they are stand-out, (and retractable) we think a similar, hooded look would work so well on the Alfa Rmeo 4C Coupe to make it look just a little more menacing.
4
2025 Corvette Stingray Coupe
|
Engine |
6.2-liter V8 |
|---|---|
|
Horsepower |
490 hp |
|
Torque |
465 lb-ft |
|
0-60* |
3 seconds |
*Independent tests
Corvettes. Trans Ams. There was a multiple-decade-spanning time when these F-Body cars (and beyond) were defined by their muscular shapes with wedge-like visages enhanced when flanked with pop-up lamps. For the love of gas, bring them back! While the new ‘Vette seems hell-bent on making the transition from sports car to supercar, we still think it would benefit from a bit of legacy at the front end. Think about – the 2025 Corvette Stingray has sharp lines and loads of angles – a long, triangular pop-up shape would look incredible.
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We really wish that moderns cars were available with pop-up headlights.
5
2011 Mazda RX-8
|
Engine |
1.3-liter Rotary |
|---|---|
|
Horsepower |
212 hp |
|
Torque |
159 lb-ft |
|
0-60 |
6.5 seconds |
I think we all know what would have happened if I suggested the MX-5 for this list. A collective groan for Captain Obvious, which is why I went with the lesser-known RX-8 instead. Now, you could argue that it’s the spiritual successor to the other rotary-powered model, the RX-7, but this writer would not be quite as kind, regarding the RX-8 as a slightly inferior spin off. So Mazda, perhaps you should give the RX-8 another go – give it ‘smiling eyes’ and see if it works the same magic.
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6
2016 Honda CR-Z
|
Engine |
1.5-liter Inline-Four Hybrid |
|---|---|
|
Horsepower |
130 hp |
|
Torque |
140 lb-ft |
|
0-60 |
8.3 – 10 seconds |
The Honda CR-Z is an off-beat car we love to talk about; the little Honda could be called a reimagined CRX for the hybridized generation. It was fine. The styling is almost insanely wedge-like. In retrospect, it’s only really missing one tiny feature that surely wouldn’t have hurt its prospects of being more aerodynamic and thus, potentially more environmentally kind. Pop-up headlights would’ve looked great on the CR-Z.
7
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6
|
Engine |
2.0-liter Inline-4 |
|---|---|
|
Horsepower |
138 hp |
|
Torque |
105 lb-ft |
|
0-60 |
4 seconds |
You see it too, right? The super-futuristic exterior, a festival of European lines and taut curves that evokes Porsche from one angle, Citroën from another. I only wish the Ioniq 6’s designer, SangYup Lee had sealed up that front end for a Ferrari Daytona-like frontend replete with closed ‘eyes’. Maybe there’s still time…
8
2025 Toyota GR86
|
Engine |
2.4-liter Flat-4 |
|---|---|
|
Horsepower |
228 hp |
|
Torque |
184 lb-ft |
|
0-60 |
6.1 seconds |
Toyota must have one of the largest portfolios of sports cars with pop-up headlights – just think of the Mk2 and Mk3 Supra, for example, and the Celica and MR2. Obviously this all starts with the AE86 Trueno. Considering this, we’re pretty sure that had the GR86 been conceived in the ’80s or ’90s, it would have been endowed with lights that rise at the twist of a stalk. It didn’t hurt the 2000GT. Would some sleek pop-ups work on the modern version? We think it just might.
9
2025 Tesla Cybertruck
|
Powertrain |
Electric |
|---|---|
|
Horsepower |
600 hp |
|
Torque |
521 lb-ft |
|
0-60 |
4.1 seconds |
Your first instinct here may be “What? No!” but just think about it for a second. There is almost no car more angular in existence today – adding wedged pop ups to the front of the Tesla Cybertruck is literally the most natural thing in the world! Based simply on its own outlandish merit – the sheer DeLorean-ness of it – pop-up lamps would just complete the aesthetic of a Cybertruck.
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10
Jaguar F Type Coupe
|
Engine |
5.0-liter Supercharged V8 |
|---|---|
|
Horsepower |
444 hp |
|
Torque |
428 lb-ft |
|
0-60 |
4.4 seconds |
We’ve left this one to last, since it’s just come to the end of its life. So for this one, we’re not proposing the current models – but rather, those that could be. At first you might think, a Jaguar with pop-up lamps wouldn’t work – but shall we remind you of the legendary XJ220?
That’s it. You see the potential for a revived F Type, don’t you? Look at the 2023 F-Type R Coupe where the headlamps have already been reduced to a sliver. Just do it, Jag!
Sources: Jaguar, Tesla, Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, Mazda, Chevrolet, Alfa Romeo, BMW
