Initial photos of facelifted E90/E91 BMW 3-Series

The facelifted E90 and E91 BMW 3-Series will be unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show this month, but as a pre-show teaser BMW has released a set of photos showing both the E90 sedan and the E91 touring wagon. More details and photos after the jump.

On the rear the E90 3-Series sedan gets new tail lamps which are the classic L-shaped instead of butterfly wing shaped. They also lose nearly all their crystal elements and are almost fully red in colour. The brake lamps light up with LEDs now. The trunk lid is now shapelier. Those twin exhausts you see are probably for the 335i model only, which is the model depicted in the photos.

Not much changes at the side except for redesigned wing mirrors.

Up front you get reworked kidney grilles, while still not as nice as the one on the M3 Sedan and the 3-Series Coupe range, this one has the little chrome bit at the top removed and looks like it came from the E60 5-Series. The front bumper and engine hood has also been redesigned.

A closer look at the redesigned lenses for the tail lamps.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • Hikaru (Member) on Jul 11, 2008 at 2:28 pm

    Very subtle yet effective changes. A usual mid-term refresher by BMW to increase the appeal of their 3 series.

    Seems like they just added a few more lines and made it every less cleaner.

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  • king (Member) on Jul 11, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    finally the 3 series looks good…

    BMW should have installed these rear lamps from the beginning…the previous one looks hideous IMO..

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  • 2fast (Member) on Jul 11, 2008 at 3:39 pm

    Looks better than the current version but still cannot beat Audi A4’s elegance and style. Hope that they will introduce a better engine line up to challenge the C-class and the A4 locally.

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  • JULIANLEE2 (Member) on Jul 11, 2008 at 6:09 pm

    2FAST…UR KIDDING RITE? the 3 series has the best engine line up. mercedes only has two while audi has 1. the audi is prettier but this bmw is rear wheel drive. at least now the 3er is much prettier

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  • Wisdom (Member) on Jul 11, 2008 at 6:12 pm

    The rear lights looks nicer but the top part is not align between bady and boot. a clean align line should’ve look even better.

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  • albagmane (Member) on Jul 11, 2008 at 6:19 pm

    LEDs dominates the lights currently… doesnt suit my taste especially the front… would prefer the M3’s face…

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  • Cire (Member) on Jul 11, 2008 at 6:37 pm

    Just a face-lift, not much to expect here. Cosmetics mostly. Kinda dated design. Could be better, perhaps?

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  • mystvearn (Member) on Jul 11, 2008 at 11:51 pm

    Does not look any different. If you did not mention it, I would not notice it

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  • MisterBenjo (Member) on Jul 12, 2008 at 1:47 am

    Wow they fixed the ugly tailamps….but make the front uglier?

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  • szw (Member) on Jul 12, 2008 at 10:59 am

    it looks better than before , but i think they should’ve use the M3 front.

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  • JULIANLEE2 (Member) on Jul 12, 2008 at 11:37 am

    a mini 7er

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  • mokkf82 (Member) on Jul 12, 2008 at 1:37 pm

    i like the front light. LED leh….

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  • vandenlye (Member) on Jul 12, 2008 at 4:25 pm

    at last BMW realized that the previous E90 tail lamp was really look like japanese car tail lamp…

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  • munky (Member) on Jul 12, 2008 at 5:07 pm

    sometimes i think cars manufacturer purposely design the first model uglier, coz if they design it to look like the most beautiful car ever, then how are they going to enhance the looks ?

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  • NiceCar (Member) on Jul 13, 2008 at 8:40 am

    finally they change the rear light design… overall not bad de…. i like it

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  • BanyakMasukWorkshop (Member) on Jul 14, 2008 at 6:41 pm

    cire, not sure what you mean by “dated design”. i thought for most people, bangles influence on current bmw designs were way too outrageous and cutting edge for most people to swallow..?

    munky, as for facelifts, its an evolution.. firstly, there is no such thing as a perfect car, and as time goes on, based on feedback, and the luxury of time of course, one can always find ways to improve on something, and make it better. I dont believe there is ever a way to come up with something perfect the first time, and have no more need for improvements after…

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