There's a particular kind of pressure that comes with a car launch. The vehicle is the hero — every other element in the room exists to serve that single moment of revelation. Get the lighting wrong, and the car just sits there. Get it right, and the room holds its breath.
Wellington-based Illumination & Optics know that tension well. When Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand called on them to produce their Diamond Dealer Event in May 2026 — a black-tie evening celebrating their top dealer network — the brief was clear: build an atmosphere that could carry the full emotional arc of the night, from brooding anticipation right through to the kind of flattering showroom glow that lets a beautiful vehicle speak for itself.
Setting the Scene
The Chauvet COLORado PXL Bar 16 battens, rigged along the ceiling truss and running down the venue's architectural columns, set the tone from the moment guests arrived — crisp, structured lines of light giving the space a high-end intentionality that matched Mitsubishi's brand. As the reveal approached, the Chauvet Ovation Reve F3 fresnels threw a deep red wash across the floor and the draped silhouette of the new Outlander Sport PHEV, their smooth, soft-edged output creating a genuinely cinematic atmosphere without a hint of harshness.
The Reveal
When the drape dropped, the PXL Bar 16s burst into life through pyrotechnic sparks and atmospheric haze — a full sensory moment that had the room on its feet. Afterwards, the Reve F3s shifted into warm amber, wrapping the revealed Outlander Sport PHEV in high-CRI light that made the white paintwork glow. Guests moved in, hoods went up, phones came out.
“Honestly, it’s one of those jobs where the gear just does what you need it to. The PXL Bar 16s gave the room a really clean, defined look from the get-go, and the Reve F3s are just great all-rounders — the colour out of them is really nice, especially on a white car. When everything’s working the way it should, you’re not fighting the rig, you’re just making the show happen.”
— Morgan Whitfield, Owner, Illumination & Optics
If you’d like to know more about the Colorado PXL Bar 16 or Reve F3, get in touch with the MDR team.