BMW F32, F80 M3 & F82 M4 Headlight Upgrade Guide: Every IKON Version Compared

30 oktober 2026

VMSS BUYING GUIDE

The 4 Series (F32, F33, F36) and the F80 M3 and F82/F83 M4 share the same headlights, which is why they have the biggest choice of IKON upgrades we sell. This guide shows you the differences between every version, and the one thing you need to check before ordering: your connector.

The quick answer

Count the pins on the plug behind your current headlight (6, 8, 9 or 10), then choose the IKON version you like. V2 is the best value, V3 Black Shadow adds a blacked-out housing and brighter DRLs, and RGB lets you pick any DRL colour from an app. Every set is a complete pair, plug and play on your factory harness.

Step 1: Find your pin version

Your connector tells us which headlights your car left the factory with. Unplug or look behind one headlight and count the pins.

Pins	Your original headlights
6-pin	LCI LED
8-pin	Pre-LCI xenon, non-adaptive
9-pin	Pre-LCI xenon, adaptive
10-pin	Pre-LCI adaptive LED

Our pin guide has photos of each plug. Still unsure? Send us a photo of the connector and we'll confirm it. Please don't guess: a wrong pin order means a return and a restocking fee.

Step 2: Choose your IKON

Set	DRL colours	From
IKON V2	White and yellow	£580
IKON V2 tri-colour	White, yellow and amber, or white, yellow and red	£680
Black Shadow Edition IKON V3	Tri-colour, amber or red	£780
Champagne Gold IKON V3 (limited)	White, yellow and amber	£1,099.99
RGB IKON	Any colour, set in the app	£999.99

What changed between versions

V2: 1:1 OEM design, DRL memory (your last colour comes back when you restart), upgraded heatsink and a start-up animation.
V3: everything in V2, plus brighter DRLs, a custom housing and a fix for DRLs falling out of sync.
RGB: everything in V3, plus app control, fixed light leakage and fixed battery drain. RGB IKONs have no start-up animation, and the colour is set from a palette in the app rather than by flashing your high beams.

Prefer a different look? The same cars can also take our Snake Eyes and Laser Style IKON sets.

How the beam works

IKONs mirror the factory adaptive LED unit, which uses reflectors rather than a projector. Dipped beam comes entirely from the upper angular light bars, and main beam comes from a separate LED source lower in the housing. We make RHD and LHD versions: on RHD the dipped beam is flat, on LHD it kicks up to the right. Aim the beams after fitting with our 10-minute wall method.

What carries over, and what doesn't

Factory High Beam Assist keeps working. We're currently the only supplier offering HBA continuity with our headlights.
Auto-levelling is retained on compatible configurations.
Adaptive swivel (AFS/AHL) does not carry over. If your car had it, the new beam is fixed. Our adaptive headlights guide explains any warnings.

F80 and F82 owners: on some M cars the right-hand headlight loom is a little short to reach the IKON connector. Follow the loom into the engine bay and re-route it under the air filter for extra slack. Our install guide shows where.

Fitting

Allow around two hours. Battery off, bumper off, old headlights out, IKONs in, test everything with the bumper still off, refit and aim. No coding is needed for the main lighting functions, and if your car ever needs any to make them work, we do it free. If a dashboard warning appears and you'd like it removed, we can mask it remotely for £30. Rather not fit them yourself? Book a VMSS Verified Installer.

Questions customers ask

Will these pass the MOT?

Run white DRLs on the road and aim the beam after fitting. Our MOT guide covers exactly what the tester checks.

How do I switch DRL colour?

On V2 and V3 sets, flash your high beam from the driver's seat. On the dual-colour V2, five flashes gives white and six gives yellow. The counts for each set are in its product description.

Can I fit F80 headlights to a 4 Series?

Yes. The F32, F33, F36, F80, F82 and F83 share the same headlight fitment, so every set in this guide fits all six. Just match your pin version.

What's in the box?

A pair of complete headlight assemblies, left and right, with the LED drivers and control modules already inside. Nothing to transfer from your old headlights.