There was a time when flipping on your headlights meant more than simply illuminating the road. On cars like the Mazda RX-7, Toyota Supra, Ferrari F40, Porsche 928, and Chevrolet Corvette, switching on the lights caused two little doors to rise from the hood, revealing the headlights underneath.
Pop-up headlights were one of the defining design features of the 1980s and 1990s. They made ordinary sports cars look futuristic, helped designers create incredibly low noses, and gave cars a bit of mechanical personality that is almost completely absent from modern vehicles.
