BMW 3-series Facelift Revealed

by Clinton Deacon
July 11, 2008 10:11 AM
Filed Under: BMW, German

Hot on the heels of the all new 7-series and following the initial leaked brochure scans, we can now bring you the 2009 BMW 3-Series in full with 43 high resolution photos. The Paris Motor Show which commences this September will have the honour of housing its world debut.

Despite the excellent stance of the 3-series, BMW clearly felt it necessary to give the styling a heavy makeover. The front fascia has received a heavily profiled bumper, newly contoured hood and reworked headlamps with altered graphics, all designed to emphasize the width of the model. As we move along the side of the vehicle we see the redesigned side mirror casings – although contrary to what we saw on production prototypes spied in the past, they do not feature the indicator lights.

Moving on to the rear of the vehicle reveals the modified taillights, the fender section of the taillight has been left untouched but the section built into the trunk lid has been redesigned to give it a more striking look. Additionally the rear has received a redesigned bumper and rear track which further emphasize the model's width.

Not to be left out, the interior also receives a number of minor modifications and enhancements, most striking being the larger 8.8 inch color monitor with four selection buttons, it is aimed at making the difficult-to-use iDrive system easier to use. Other features include a modified arm rest making the electric window buttons easier to access and a new optional 80-gigabyte harddisk.

The engine line-up has been left untouched, but the 3.0-liter twin-turbo, 265-hp, inline-six diesel powered 335d will finally reach American shores.

Source: carscoop
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Comments

The back is an improvement, still ugly though.

by mps | July 11, 2008 10:20 AM
don see it as ugly but def an improvement. the coupe has a great rear. maybe they cud have jus incorporated that.

by michelin901 | July 11, 2008 12:32 PM
Yes the coupe is one good looking car, but the sedan... eh, not too fond of it.

by mps | July 12, 2008 4:02 PM
Its uglier than before. The hood is hideous!!

by Yobe | July 11, 2008 11:58 AM
What a car!!!!!!!!!!

by X5M | July 11, 2008 12:22 PM
boring boring boring boring boringboring

by blabla | July 11, 2008 12:58 PM
is that boring as in you see 3 series everywhere or as in you think the design is boring and mediocre? if its cos you see heaps of em, fair enough. but if its because the actual design is boring then youre a fool. call it ugly, call it a disgrace, but you must admit it has character, and therefore is not boring.

by Lucifa | July 28, 2008 4:24 PM
i think that this looks alot better than the current 3 series (this is wat i call a face lift) im happy that they have put the idrive system in but wat have they done to the controler that looks very confusing but overall well done BMW

by BabyMilo | July 11, 2008 1:13 PM
The most beautiful car in its class. Interior & exterior. Superb!

by play3rr | July 11, 2008 1:16 PM
looks way better now, it should have been like this from the start.

by afterace2 | July 11, 2008 1:48 PM
Yes it should have looked like this from the beginning ... a very attractive mid series upgrade IMO ... the worst thing with the first iteration was the way they played around with the twin kidney grille in the style of the 6 series ... it looked all wrong on the 6 as well so why would you repeat the offence of adding those ugly chrome bonnet eyebrows? ... beats me ???

by daviepops | July 11, 2008 2:56 PM
shouldve bin... but with this they've basically fixed almost all of the problems (not a fan of the rear lights on the sedan..) so sounds like bimmers gonna rake in the cash from here

by Lucifa | July 19, 2008 1:29 PM
...Now this is what i also call a face lift. The competition have come out with new cars i.e. C Class but wait. One car maker jumped up with fright and binned their facelift to come out with a new car. What ever happened to believing in your product but if that product isnt selling then well you might as well jump up with fright written all over your face. BMW has definately played their cards well to Mercs 'assault' by simply coming up with a face lift since the E90 still has 2 - 3 years before the new model comes up.

I bet that same frightened child of a car will again jump up with fright to release yet another model before the very new one has hit midlife. They don't trust their products now do they?

by Wisp | July 11, 2008 2:05 PM
sumn still ain't right... oh well it probably still drives better than it's competitors

by Decypha | July 11, 2008 3:25 PM
They finally got rid of the previous model's ugly 6-series style grill with chrome bars at the top.

by AG4 | July 11, 2008 4:42 PM
That's an awesum improvement to the front!! BUT the butt and side is still as ugly as hell!!

by Heanus | July 11, 2008 4:57 PM
Much more better!

by adottkiddy | July 11, 2008 5:52 PM
I say scrap the current 3 series altogether, design something completely new. I hate BMW's new design philosophy. The E92 M3 and the 335i are the only 2 decent looking models in this range. The back lights on this new model are hideous, same goes for the front. That said, the interior is rather nice.

by carreralovr | July 11, 2008 7:44 PM
perfect update

by ck314 | July 11, 2008 9:04 PM
Oh no, they sneezed on the Saloon's tailight aswell... at least the front looks better.

by tuner_mad | July 11, 2008 10:32 PM
really that's a great facelift..really feel the design.. there is an idea in each corner of the car..i really like it. by the way the rear looks like the 7 series's rear ???don't u think???i'm kind a fraid if it's goin to be the future of bimmer butt..lol.

by bassam | July 12, 2008 12:13 AM
I'm going to buy one, soon!

by dogfalcon | July 12, 2008 12:36 AM
I'm thinking about it too :D

by Pentium | July 12, 2008 3:45 PM
Congratulations to BMW's designers on what will be seen as a "successful" facelift of the present 3-Series model.

However, it must be said that from its successful launch a few years ago, the 3-Series was always going to prove easy to facelift.

Take for example, the "heavy-handed" styling treatment of the car's nose (apron/bumper/grille/intakes,lights)and would have any designer would have been running for the drawing board!

However, it is a BMW and I forgive it.

Only the current 5-Series was a "Mission Impossible". There was nothing to facelift.....RSVP

Isaacu

by isaacu | July 12, 2008 3:58 PM
Congratulations to BMW's designers on what will be seen as a "successful" facelift of the present 3-Series model.

However, it must be said that from its successful launch a few years ago, the 3-Series was always going to prove easy to facelift.

Take for example, the "heavy-handed" styling treatment of the car's nose(apron/bumper/grille/intakes/lights). That would have any designer running for the drawing board!

However, it is a BMW and I forgive it.

Only the current 5-Series was a "Mission Impossible". There was nothing to facelift.....RSVP

Isaacu

by isaacu | July 12, 2008 4:02 PM
Looks much cleaner

by kevoluetion | July 14, 2008 4:35 AM
Good that they got rid of the old Nissan Primera rear lights.

by o0o0o0 | July 14, 2008 4:53 PM
yes, I like the changes for the rearend. it is more characteristic now. great facelift

by xLumino | July 14, 2008 6:17 PM
will they bring us a 335d wagon?

by coopergt | July 14, 2008 10:49 PM
I sense ALOT of sarcasm

by maddawg0 | July 15, 2008 12:42 AM
Yes a bit better but BMW coherence of old days is gone..

by SalimAl-Abri | July 15, 2008 10:52 AM
What's with the tacky "eyebrow" on the headlights? Good riddance to the chrome mustache. I also think the wagon looks better than the sedan. BMW needs to give us their smaller diesel engines right now. 40+ MPG with decent torque would send their sales through the roof with the current fuel prices! Seize the Day, BMW North America!

by coupemaster | July 19, 2008 2:08 AM

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