Tesla unveils Roadster with headlights behind a movable panel — Motor1

Tesla has demonstrated a concealed-headlight system for the new Roadster electric supercar, which opens thanks to a movable panel in the front section of the body. As Motor1 reports, the low and high beams are located behind a cover that lowers when the headlights are switched on.

Not classic pop-up headlights

The solution differs from traditional pop-up headlights, which rose above the body surface using a mechanical or electric drive. In the Roadster, the lighting elements themselves do not extend from the hood: they remain in the front of the car, while a small panel opens access to them.

Tesla chief engineer Lars Moravy and designer Franz von Holzhausen demonstrated how the system works in a Top Gear video interview. According to Motor1, this layout helps preserve the supercar’s smooth and minimalist front-end appearance when the lights are off.

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An idea with a history in automotive design

Motor1 notes that concealed headlights with movable body elements have been used before. Among similar examples, the publication names the 1992 Jaguar XJ220, whose front panel folded down to reveal the headlights. The Ferrari Daytona SP3 also has a movable element that partially covers the lighting.

For Tesla, this continues the approach used in the Cybertruck, where the headlights are 0.8 inches tall. In the Roadster, the lighting elements were made even thinner and placed behind a movable cover. It is still unknown whether the system will be retained in this exact form in the production car.