Day time running lights - are they mandatory?

I am contemplating the purchase of a new car in the UK and understood that EU Directive 2008/89/EC made dedicated daytime running lights mandatory for all new cars after February 2011.

Why, then, does the new Ford Focus only have them as standard on the Titanium X and the new Volvo V40 only on the top of the range SE Lux? On both these makes they are not fitted to the cheaper models, so isn't this against the law?

Asked on 9 September 2012 by Gopher Spain

Answered by Honest John
Mandatory on all new models from February 2011, not on existing models still being made after that date. I think DRLs are fitted to the Focus and V40, but not LED DRLs. They make do with headlights.
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