Ambient Lighting Sport versus Classic

shark715 · 11-22-2015, 09:23 AM

We have a '16 235 convertible, and I can't figure out what the difference is between the sport versus classic ambient lighting setting in the idrive menu. I did a search and found nothing on this subject. When I change from sport to classic and back, I see no difference whatsoever, and I can't find any mention of it in the owners manual. Anyone know what this is about? Thanks in advance for your help.

Picardias · 11-22-2015, 09:26 AM

The same thing happened to me. The only difference in my car is a small light in the ceiling, between the reading lights, where that SOS button is. It changes from red to blue, that's it. You have a convertible so I don't know if you have it in the same spot.

2msport · 11-22-2015, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Picardias

The same thing happened to me. The only difference in my car is a small light in the ceiling, between the reading lights, where that SOS button is. It changes from red to blue, that's it. You have a convertible so I don't know if you have it in the same spot.

Color blind?

The colors are supposed to be white (sport) or orange (classic). At least in the US..

shark715 · 11-22-2015, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Picardias

The same thing happened to me. The only difference in my car is a small light in the ceiling, between the reading lights, where that SOS button is. It changes from red to blue, that's it. You have a convertible so I don't know if you have it in the same spot.

Thanks for responding. I did suspect that it might have to do with ours being a convertible. The light between our reading lamps appears to be the same white as the map lights irrespective of whether the idrive is set to classic or sport, and the footwell and puddle lights don't seem to change either. Of course it's not a crucial issue, but I was just curious what I might not be seeing given that BMW did bother to include it in the idrive menu.

moldcad · 11-22-2015, 10:09 AM

The whole 'ambient lighting' thing in M235i is a joke.

krhodes1 · 11-22-2015, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moldcad

The whole 'ambient lighting' thing in M235i is a joke.

I have to agree with you on this one. On my car, if I have the instrument panel lighting set the way I want it, even with the ambient lighting turned all the way up it is all but invisible. I have to turn the panel lighting way brighter than I want it to light up the console. On my 3-series it provides just the right amount of light on the console regardless of panel lighting.

I'm perfectly happy to not have the silly door and footwell lighting though. I want minimal light in the car at night. Saab had the right idea with Night Panel.

shark715 · 11-22-2015, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krhodes1

Saab had the right idea with Night Panel.

No doubt due to their aviation experience :-)

German1967 · 11-22-2015, 12:24 PM

There is no different ambient lightning in the 2 series. Mine is always white ... No matter what I choose in the idrive menu.

ORIGIN M. · 11-22-2015, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moldcad

The whole 'ambient lighting' thing in M235i is a joke.

So is no LSD.

aerostar · 11-22-2015, 03:48 PM

I thought it had something to do with the halo rings being on in the day time?

shark715 · 11-22-2015, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aerostar

I thought it had something to do with the halo rings being on in the day time?

I thought that was the DRL (a different setting in the Lighting section of the idrive).

Zooks527 · 11-22-2015, 08:06 PM

I certainly see a color difference between "Sport" and "Normal" in mine, but only if I have the brightness dialed up all the way. I can't see jack-all in the footwells at any brightness setting below that, regardless of setting.

krhodes1 · 11-22-2015, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by German1967

There is no different ambient lightning in the 2 series. Mine is always white ... No matter what I choose in the idrive menu.

Mine will switch from white to amber based on that setting. But the panel lighting has to be turned all the way up to tell.

Merc for hire · 11-22-2015, 09:14 PM

I like classic. BMW interior lighting in the past has always been orange

sputman · 11-22-2015, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krhodes1

Quote:

Originally Posted by moldcad

The whole 'ambient lighting' thing in M235i is a joke.

I have to agree with you on this one. On my car, if I have the instrument panel lighting set the way I want it, even with the ambient lighting turned all the way up it is all but invisible. I have to turn the panel lighting way brighter than I want it to light up the console. On my 3-series it provides just the right amount of light on the console regardless of panel lighting.

I'm perfectly happy to not have the silly door and footwell lighting though. I want minimal light in the car at night. Saab had the right idea with Night Panel.

I hated the way ambient lighting was linked to the console brightness. Fortunately it can be coded so they are separate and then you can turn ambient lighting all the way up... Which still isn't crazy bright, but much better.

Umster · 11-22-2015, 11:48 PM

I have a 2016 M235i. The "Sport" setting for the ambient lighting is white and the "Classic" is red/orange. They illuminate the foot wells and the centre console area where the shifter and the cup holders are when the doors are closed (foot wells are illuminated white when doors are open regardless of setting to sport or classic).

Although the white isn't too bright (can see the footwell so better than with the red/orange), I prefer the red/orange of the "Classic" as it is more subtle. IMHO if the lighting was any brighter, I think it would too distracting when driving.

pikcachu · 11-23-2015, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyguyscott

I hated the way ambient lighting was linked to the console brightness. Fortunately it can be coded so they are separate and then you can turn ambient lighting all the way up... Which still isn't crazy bright, but much better.

you can also increase the brightness from 0.64 to 0.99

Picardias · 11-25-2015, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2msport

Color blind?

The colors are supposed to be white (sport) or orange (classic). At least in the US..

Thats funny because I am color blind for real! I guess its orange then XD

Paul O · 11-25-2015, 10:24 AM

The dash lighting switches from white to amber based on ambient external light levels. It is a mess when in-between modes, otherwise, well executed with M like "white" during the day and Classic Amber at night.

The "sport" lighting is white / "classic" is amber and shows up in the overhead, footwell, and door handle recession. It is however tied into the dash brightness and hard to notice unless its dark.

2msport · 11-25-2015, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Picardias

Thats funny because I am color blind for real! I guess its orange then XD

Lol!

shark715 · 11-25-2015, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul O

The "sport" lighting is white / "classic" is amber and shows up in the overhead, footwell, and door handle recession.

Well, not on ours. I wonder if ours is different being a convertible.

11-22-2015, 09:23 AM	#1
shark715 Captain 166 Rep 860 Posts Drives: '11 X5 50i, '16 M235xi vert Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: New Jersey iTrader: (0)	Ambient Lighting Sport versus Classic We have a '16 235 convertible, and I can't figure out what the difference is between the sport versus classic ambient lighting setting in the idrive menu. I did a search and found nothing on this subject. When I change from sport to classic and back, I see no difference whatsoever, and I can't find any mention of it in the owners manual. Anyone know what this is about? Thanks in advance for your help.
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11-22-2015, 09:26 AM	#2
Picardias New Member 0 Rep 14 Posts Drives: 228i EB Join Date: May 2015 Location: Reino Unido iTrader: (0)	The same thing happened to me. The only difference in my car is a small light in the ceiling, between the reading lights, where that SOS button is. It changes from red to blue, that's it. You have a convertible so I don't know if you have it in the same spot.
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11-22-2015, 10:09 AM	#5
moldcad Major 262 Rep 1,091 Posts Drives: M235i Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Poland iTrader: (0)	The whole 'ambient lighting' thing in M235i is a joke. __________________ previous: 2003 E46 330i SMG just sold: 2013 F10 528i xDrive my AWD beater: 2015 Golf R mk7 DSG my RWD pirate & long-distance cruiser: 2015 M235i AT8, LSD
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11-22-2015, 12:24 PM	#8
German1967 Captain 583 Rep 831 Posts Drives: 2015 M235xi - 2022 992 C2S Cab Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Ohio iTrader: (0)	There is no different ambient lightning in the 2 series. Mine is always white ... No matter what I choose in the idrive menu. __________________ Hoc Lapidem Non Vi Sed Saepe Cadendo!
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11-22-2015, 03:48 PM	#10
aerostar Major 746 Rep 1,247 Posts Drives: 2018 F80 Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	I thought it had something to do with the halo rings being on in the day time?
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11-22-2015, 08:06 PM	#12
Zooks527 Captain 310 Rep 886 Posts Drives: 2015 M235xi / 2005 Tacoma 4x4 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Mansfield, MA iTrader: (0)	I certainly see a color difference between "Sport" and "Normal" in mine, but only if I have the brightness dialed up all the way. I can't see jack-all in the footwells at any brightness setting below that, regardless of setting. __________________ 2015 M235xi coupe, Black Sapphire Metallic, Black Leather, Fineline Stream trim, Steptronic, xDrive, ZPP, ZTP, ZCW, ZDA, ZDB, 5DP, hk w/BimmerTech amp, Enhanced BT Prior 40 years: 67 BelAir wagon / 68 LeMans Tempest / 70 Mustang Mach 1 / 72 El Dorado / 78 Corvette / 81 Subaru GL wagon 4WD / 83 s10 Blazer 4x4 / 85 Bronco 4x4 / 96 Bronco 4x4 / 04 Passat 4mo / 09 BMW 335xi
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11-22-2015, 09:14 PM	#14
Merc for hire First Lieutenant 157 Rep 387 Posts Drives: M235i 6MT Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada iTrader: (0)	I like classic. BMW interior lighting in the past has always been orange
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11-22-2015, 11:48 PM	#16
Umster New Member 0 Rep 17 Posts Drives: 2015 M235i coupe MT Join Date: May 2015 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	I have a 2016 M235i. The "Sport" setting for the ambient lighting is white and the "Classic" is red/orange. They illuminate the foot wells and the centre console area where the shifter and the cup holders are when the doors are closed (foot wells are illuminated white when doors are open regardless of setting to sport or classic). Although the white isn't too bright (can see the footwell so better than with the red/orange), I prefer the red/orange of the "Classic" as it is more subtle. IMHO if the lighting was any brighter, I think it would too distracting when driving.
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11-25-2015, 10:24 AM	#19
Paul O Private 9 Rep 80 Posts Drives: 2006 Carrera 4S 6MT Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Brampton, ON iTrader: (2)	The dash lighting switches from white to amber based on ambient external light levels. It is a mess when in-between modes, otherwise, well executed with M like "white" during the day and Classic Amber at night. The "sport" lighting is white / "classic" is amber and shows up in the overhead, footwell, and door handle recession. It is however tied into the dash brightness and hard to notice unless its dark. __________________ 2009 E92 M3 DCT - Sold 2015 F80 M3 AW/ SO 6MT- Sold 2015 F82 M4 SSII DCT - Sold 2006 Carerra 4S 6MT 2020 M240i Xdrive
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