New Facelifted 2009 BMW 3-Series Fully Revealed...Almost

Personally, I'd Love To See The Elimination Of The Rather 'Asian Looking' Tail Lights, and A Generally More Refined/Less-Frivolous Look To The Entire Vehicle...

Bimmer lovers will be pissed when you say BMW copied Japaneses.

the 3 series is the original not the fake....and frivioulous doesnt actually apply to looks....i think that pretty much sums up the intelligence of that comment....

I cannot understand how a German brand designed by an American got a Jap-flavored headlight. You probably turned Jap- phobia seeing the arrival of GT-R.

I think he means designed to favor asian markets?

Actually Chris Bangle doesn't design BMW's cars at all. He is just in charge of design.

The 3-series was designed by a BMW designer of asian ethnicity. The 1-series was designed by a Briton...

I'll gladly buy a 3-series if they just change the taillight back to something similar to the old 3 series.

Wow, it looks just like a BMW 3 series!

they want to relaunch the old one? I feel like I'm back in 2005

Huh? Don't you know what a refresh is?

Being an 06 3 series owner, i can see the changes.

1. Lower center apron will have a much more M3 look to it
2. Looks like their modeling the grille after the coupe
3. Clear European headlight turn signals, moving the amber (orange) part to the wheelarch (a la x3)
4. I dont think they'll put the turn signals on the mirrors just yet---its still evident on the body panel below the mirror.
5. I cant REALLY tell, but it looks like the clear turn signal part of the tail lamp got smaller.....

Not too noticeable of changes, maybe more so to BMW owners like myself...but none the less, nice update.

I too own a 3 series (2007). There are so many lines and design aspects of the front end on these cars, it's difficult to even notice a difference.

I agree, didn't even notice the difference in the grille, but now I see it. Good observation.

sorry 00k, when i first saw the picture, i thought it was from your accident. oops.

Nice update. And I think the foglights are placed at the ends of the bumper not near the license plate.

I agree. The fog light looking thing in the center grill is the active cruise control radar which has always been there.

The fogs are exactly where they have always been.

As a current 3 series owner, I like the changes. I really want to see the interior and the iDrive replacement which we're supposed to be seeing in about four months.

Not much of a change, as far as I can tell. As they didn't make the car uglier, I guess that this facelift should be considered a mild success.

One thing I noticed of the current 3 series is that it's 3 bar lights in the back is not as bright as let's say the X5 and 3 coupe.

That's because it doesn't use LEDs like most of the other cars in BMW's lineup. The refreshed model will.

I guess BMW is following Porsche's design philosophy of introducing a facelift, that-is-not-exactly-a-facelift facelifts :)

It is what it is. A refresh. A mid-cycle change. Nothing crazy so definitely not worth bickering about.

I was about to point out the same thing.

ZZZZZZZZZZ,

I suppose it also comes with one of those miniature dogs and bag to carry it in.

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