Car enthusiasts often think of the front of a car when discussing design, but they’re forgetting an entire part that’s just as important — the back. Taillights may not be what you first see when a car approaches, but they’re often the last thing you’ll see as a car whips by you on the track or leaves a car meet.
While some cars may seem like they just have some plastic taillights slapped onto the back, there are plenty of carmakers that put a ton of thought and care into making the taillights yet another opportunity to evoke a certain emotion or set the perfect tone. Simply put, these taillights are functional art. Here are 20 taillights that have stood out over the years, from classics that can’t be forgotten to concepts that we can’t stop daydreaming about.
Aura, Aggression, and Art
As they say, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” What I find beautiful, you may find ugly. What I find unique, you may find boring. When I put together this collection of taillights, I made sure to check out car forums across the internet with varied opinions, from those that love the look of a bold muscle car to those that notice the little details of a hybrid’s LEDs.
The goal was to include a wide range of stunning taillights that show just how much variety there is in the car world when it comes to design, so we can appreciate all types of engineering and design marvels.
1966 Ford Thunderbird
With a single taillight that spans the entire width of the back bumper, the late Thunderbird model has one of the boldest and stylish back ends of that era. The taillight design really highlights the slimline rear profile and the almost art deco geometric shaping of the trunk.
Seeing the taillight in action is even better, with each side getting three paneled sequential turn signals that can’t be missed. In fact, the way the turn signal swiftly yet smoothly points in either direction is almost mesmerizing.
2012 Ford Mustang Convertible
Perhaps the king of sequential taillights, Mustangs have sported the three vertical lights on each side of the bumper since the 1960s. The way the lights curve along with the shape of the back end just adds to their race-ready look. However, a lot of Mustang fans will tell you that the 2012 taillights are some of the best.
While they still feature the three vertical sequential lights on each side, this iteration stands out with an eye-catching lit-up outline. This retro look highlights the shape of the lights, showing how they get smaller as they leave the middle for an even more dramatic appearance.
2015 Aston Martin Vulcan
Only 24 Vulcans are in existence — and at a $3 million-plus price, it’s unlikely you’ll find yourself behind one of these on your daily commute. However, if you are that lucky to spot one on a trailer, you’ll instantly notice its incredible taillights, which are unlike any other on the road or track today.
To add to its aggressive design, which includes things like an ungodly large wing, the Vulcan has been fitted with 27 LED blade-shaped lights on each side of the bumper, sticking out of the carbon fiber lip like a warning to stay away. This track-only, limited-production beast reaches speeds of 208 miles per hour thanks to its 820 horsepower and over 3,000 pounds of downforce.
2008 Mazda Furai
The car community may never forgive Top Gear for this one. The only publication that was given access to test drive the Mazda Furai concept, the car burst into flames on the track. While the loss was devastating, the memory of the Furai’s incredible design lives on.
Perhaps one of the most breathtaking components of the Furai was the taillights, which appeared to be thin, intertwining lines that followed the shape of the back end in an artistic way similar to that of a calligraphy pen, wistfully producing a poem. It’s one of the most unique taillights to ever be designed, standing out amongst all of the race cars and supercars’ extra bold lining.
1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34
When it comes to circular taillights, this is the car that likely pops into most people’s minds. The simplicity of the two circles on either side of the square rear creates a bold juxtaposition that’s simple yet striking. The extra bright rings around the perimeter of the taillights create an even more artistic flair against the car’s geometric shape.
There are a lot of Godzilla imitators, but none have been quite as visually pleasing as the GT-R R34s.
1959 Cadillac Eldorado
The atomic age had Americans curious about space exploration and a sci-fi vision of the future. This often played a huge part in design, whether it was homes or vehicles. The Eldorado featured red bullet-shaped taillights at the ends of its tail fins, reminiscent of flames shooting out of the back of a fighter jet. This design evoked not only speed and power, but curiosity and potential.
Nowadays, you’d never see a design like this in a new production vehicle. For this reason, the Eldorado’s taillights have become an iconic look back at the ’50s aesthetic that can’t be recreated.
2013 McLaren P1
The taillights of the P1 are not your usual circular lights. Instead, they are a curved line that follows the distinctive and dramatic shape of the car. This creates a sense of balance and synergy that makes the McLaren P1 feel more like a masterful art project than a track demon. The curve that the taillights create is a shape that can be found throughout the P1’s body, bringing the entirety of the aerodynamic design together.
Reaching speeds of 217 mph, you’ll likely always be behind this masterful track-focused supercar, so let’s all be grateful that the rear looks so glorious.
2020 Lamborghini Sian FKP 37
This limited production car may not be spotted all too often, but the few times I’ve seen its taillights, I’ve thought about it for days. This is Lamborghini’s first hybrid car, and the carmaker wanted it to appear futuristic and distinct from its lineup. It has extreme lines and dramatic aerodynamic features that have helped it become one of the fastest cars Lamborghini has ever made.
The taillights are inspired by the Countach, but they appear a lot more eye-catching on the back of the dramatically designed Lambo, standing out against its harsh curves and aggressive lines. On top of that, the spoilers are the same shape as the lights, showing an extreme attention to detail that can only be found on a hypercar such as this.
2016 Koenigsegg Agera
Agera means “to take action” in Swedish, and almost every element of the car is meant to enhance its performance beyond past models. It’s the first Koenigsegg to have Vortex Generating Rims, which improve brake cooling, and has an all-new exhaust system. But the most standout part of the Agera is its design.
Only seven Agera models exist, but it’s become one of the most memorable Koenigsegg — and that includes its jaw-dropping taillight design. Fitted perfectly into the rear beneath a massive wing, the taillights light up around the edges, creating a circle that flows artfully with the round yet aggressive shape of the back of the car.
2025 Lotus Evija
I know I often rag on electric cars, but the Evija is a whole different animal. The newest year of the Evija is $2.4 million, an electric vehicle that’s designed to breathe air and reach over 200 mph. While its performance is quite impressive, the real showstopper is the Evija’s aerodynamic design.
Every inch of the Evija has been meticulously designed to inhale and exhale the air around it. This includes massive holes in the back of the car that ingest air to cut the drag. These signature holes are outlined in bright red taillights, creating an extreme shape on an equally and dramatically angled back end.
2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
This is perhaps one of the most understated yet stunning taillights to exist on a mass-produced car. From afar, the Sonata’s taillight looks like just about every other sedan, but up close, the LED lights within create an intricate and elegant design reminiscent of a flower or atomic nucleus. While the front of the car is often criticized, apparently all of the carmaker’s creative juices went into making the most glorious taillights they could muster up. Here’s a close-up.
On Reddit, one fan said: “I love when car makers go the extra mile with details.”
2013 Audi A7
Another masterpiece in LED intricacies, the A7 features swirling LED lights within that become illuminated by the lights behind them when braking, creating an extra layer of detail that truly didn’t need to be there. Audi just wanted to flex on us with a beautiful design.
The Audi A7’s full collection of lights has been consistently praised, although I think its front blinkers could blind some people. Here they are in action.
2016 BMW M4 GTS
2004 Chrysler ME Four-Twelve
At the time of its reveal, this concept car was the most advanced Chrysler ever built, featuring a quad-turbo V12 mid-engine and rear-wheel drive. According to Stellantis, the ME Four-Twelve took just one year to complete, with Chrysler keeping it a secret the entire time. It’s meant to be both a design and engineering statement, and its taillights are most definitely part of that equation.
Said Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President, Chrysler Group Design: “ME Four-Twelve adds a new aura of performance to the Chrysler brand. It is aerodynamically honed, and it balances elegance and power. It exudes strength, performance and prestige. The ME Four-Twelve is Chrysler’s own creative interpretation of the classic mid-engine super car architecture.”
And just look at those taillights, tubes of light encased in an oversized plastic frame that light up individually to inform the driver behind you. Along with its carbon fiber body and avant-garde front detailing, this is one failed concept that the car community still dreams about.
2007 Lamborghini Reventon
The Reventon is directly inspired by the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor stealth jet, although it stands out quite well with its extremely angular shape, scissor doors, and one-of-a-kind taillights. A futuristic take on a retro design, the taillights appear to point either left or right, thanks to the shape the individual little LED lights make. Against the otherwise incredibly aggressive design, the taillights stand out and create a sense of balance.
The limited edition Reventon debuted in 2007 with just 20 cars available. Of course, collectors snatched them all before the car even went public. These rare cars often go for $1.6 million to $1.8 million at auction.
2014 BMW i8
The i8’s taillights are built into the car’s structure, probably more than most cars, giving it a striking and cohesive look that shows extreme thought and care by the designers. The taillights themselves look pretty flashy, featuring two bright LED lines that curve along with the light. However, the real game-changer is the fact that there’s a gap right through the center, allowing air to flow through the center.
Not only do the taillights play a role in the i8’s aerodynamic design, but the entirety of the back of the car looks like a modern art sculpture. All of the lines flow into each other yet are individually harsh and sharp, making the i8 a design wonder in the car world.
2016 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante Spyder
Built to order (for $105,000), this gorgeous open-top coach is limited to just seven cars, making it as rare as the real UFO sightings it’s inspired by. The Disco Volante Spyder is inspired by the Alfa Romeo C52, a 1952 stunner that was often called “flying saucer” in Italian due to its aerodynamic and futuristic appearance.
The Disco Volante Spyder features 1950s elements done in a tasteful, elegant way, bringing mid-century modern to the road. This includes the stunning taillights, which are quite distinct from modern vehicles. Instead of being on the ends of the rear, the taillights for the Disco Volante Spyder are closer together and encased within a curvy enclosure. A silver line juts from each one to add to that atomic aesthetic, making the car appear more like a work of art than a road-going machine.
2016 Bugatti Chiron
The Chiron’s taillight is actually a single thin LED line that isn’t much on its own — but when you take a step back and stare at the entirety of the back end of the car, you can see the breathtaking vision. The entire car was designed with aerodynamics in mind, allowing the air to flow over the hood, into massive side intakes, and out the ducts on the rear.
Bugatti’s Director of Design Achim Anscheidt said there’s not much the taillight does in regards to aerodynamics, but it also has its part. It’s thin so that there’s even more room for heat to escape from the engine compartment. Other than that, it’s for looks. Anscheidt said it’s meant to represent “reduced magic,” as it has on other Bugatti models. But when placed on such a massive, dark back end, the Chiron’s use of this taillight design is all drama and romance.
1969 Dodge Charger
Widely recognized and basically part of American culture as a whole, the back of the 1969 Dodge Charger is all adrenaline and power. The rectangular taillights are clean and flow along with the Charger’s legendary muscle car frame, giving it a bold and fierce aesthetic that harkens back to the decade of drag.
The newer Charger attempts to continue that abrasive aggression with a similarly long and singular taillight design, but nothing can beat the original.
1990 Vector W8
The W8 was a failure of epic proportions. It was costing too much to make, and the carmaker wasn’t getting enough money back; the performance didn’t live up to the claims, and it was not the most reliable vehicle. But reliable, shmiable. Does any of that matter when you look this good? The W8 has to be one of the most mindblowing vehicle designs I’ve ever seen, and the encased taillight is just one of its many glorious features.
The wedged, angular, and sharp supercar of ’80s fantasies, the W8’s taillights can be found between lines across the car’s rear end, as if the light is peeping out from inside the car. It’s extremely geometric, almost to a comical extent, giving the W8 added character from yet another angle. This is a stunning vehicle that’d be worth the aggravation for me if I wanted to drop over $700,000 on a car known for malfunctioning.
1996 MK4 Supra
The MK4 Supra oozes street speed with its taillights, which both resemble a traffic light on its side. Having four circular symbols on each side is more than the usual, giving the Supra an immediately recognizable rear.
The 1990s-era Supra has become more and more desirable in recent years as JDM cars rise in popularity. The Supra is one of the most iconic thanks to its race-inspired aesthetic — and the taillights are a big part of that vibe.
Love to Watch Them Leave
From the rough-and-tumble charm of the ’60s Dodge Charger to the futuristic boldness of the Lotus Evija, these taillights show just how important this often forgotten feature is when it comes to designing a car’s overall aesthetic. Which taillights do you love? Let us know which taillights have mesmerized you while sitting in traffic or checking out car shows.