This is what I got from "Don" at Maglite after I sent a question about LED lights:
"Mag Instrument also spends enormous amounts of time and money on research and development to make certain that it maintains its reputation for quality and reliability. Mag Instrument also invests heavily in automation so that it can compete with the pitifully low labor wages in foreign countries. Consequently, the development and introduction of new products takes longer at Mag Instrument than it does for companies selling foreign made flashlights. Mag Instrument also believes in products which will withstand the test of time. Fad products, such as the snake light flashlight which was popular for a short time, are of no interest to Mag Instrument. Mag Instrument's flashlight products are designed to be lifetime products.
With regard to your question regarding the present lack of a Mag Instrument LED flashlight, please be advised that numerous new products are presently under development at Mag Instrument including LED flashlights. LED technology is a rapidly changing technology and, in Mag Instrument's opinion, the LED flashlight products which are presently being sold are lacking in the type of performance and quality needed by a consumer. Mag Instrument expects to introduce LED flashlights within the very near future. When they are introduced, we believe they will be the best LED flashlights on the market and worthy to carry the Maglite® name. There are some very good LED retrofits available for our lights at
www.flashlightking.com
Thank you for contacting Mag Instrument. Don"