Combination neon/LED taillights are new for 2008.

The design of taillights is also unique to the new 3 Series Coupe. Integrated flush into the body of the car, the lights are split into two sections and extend all the way up to the trunk lid, blending with the character lines from the side profile. Horizontal LED taillights give the car an unmistakable look at night. The horizontally flowing lines accentuate the wide track and low stance of the new Coupe.

A highly distinctive LED light guide system forms the tail-light of the redesigned BMW 5 Series.Three and a half years after its introduction, the BMW 5 Series has been given a facelift with characteristic design accents at the front and rear, several of which are based around LED lighting systems developed by Hella.

The front headlamps have yet to switch to LEDs, but a side marker lamp has been implemented in the "eyebrow" above the headlamp and direction indicator, which is made up of a total of seven high-power LEDs. Six LEDs radiate their amber light directly forward and to the side. The seventh LED feeds its light into a light-guide rod which is above the front headlamp area and extends the side marker lamp towards the front.


The rear-end of the new BMW 5 Series also presents a discreetly but effectively modified look. Non-patterned cover lenses are now also being used for the combination rear lamps, thus matching the headlamps. The new design makes the high-quality, innovative lighting technology visible. On the sedan, 18 LEDs form two rows for the direction indicator at the upper edge of the combination rear lamp. At the side, the direction indicator merges into a side marker lamp which has been realized using four more LEDs plus a reflex reflector.


The outstanding design feature is the beam-shaped tail light, made up of five light guides, each of which is fed by one LED as a light source. There is also a round reflector with bulb positioned next to the light guides. If necessary, it takes over the function of the rear fog lamp.
Behind the light guides, the two-stage stop light has been realized with two concealed bulbs as light sources. A red reflex reflector and a white back-up light (bulb) complete the combination rear lamp of the 5 Series sedan.
In the case of the Touring version, the combination rear lamp is divided into two parts. In the outer part, the direction indicator has also been implemented with 18 LEDs. In addition, there are two further LEDs plus a reflex reflector in the outer lens for the side marker lamp.

The tail light is formed by four parallel light guides in the inner and outer part of the lamp. Thanks to the specially developed, variably designed geometry of the light guides inside the lamp, it has been possible to route the light guides to the very outside edge of the lamp, thus producing an almost interruption-free signal pattern of the two-part tail light without an optical separating joint.
The two-stage stop light (outer) and rear fog lamp (inner) are located behind the tail lights. Reflex reflectors and back-up light round the lamp off at the lower edge.

It wasn't long ago that BMW launched its four-door M3, but with the 3-Series Sedan facelift right around the corner, the high-performance variant will also receive a small update. Most notable is the change to the rear taillights, which will take on a 'notched' appearance.



The 2010 model is likely to arrive within the next six to twelve months. The sedan will likely receive a quiet rollout, without any major changes. The car will certainly continue to be powered by BMW's new 420-horsepower lightweight V8, mated to a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch unit.

As previously noted, changes to the regular 3-Series sedan will be more noticeable. While the M3 Sedan has the same front end design as its coupe counterpart — and therefore will not be changed — the 3-Series Sedan has its own look, which is being updated for 2010 along with the rear.

BMW’s 3 Series gets a diesel powertrain and a number of detailed midlife changes in an attempt to increase its visual boldness, provide it with the latest in entertainment and communication technology, improve its environmental credentials and further enhance its reputation as being the most dynamically adept car in the toughly fought junior-luxury-car class.

The new sedan and wagon models, due to go on sale across North America in October following the 3 Series’ world premiere at the Paris motor show, are distinguished from today’s 3 Series by fresh front and rear styling that picks up on the themes established on BMW’s recently unveiled fifth-generation 7 Series. The common styling is seen as proof that the German carmaker has abandoned plans to give each model a distinctive appearance and is instead getting back to a more stylistically harmonized lineup.

Up front, the facelifted 3 Series receives a series of styling changes that BMW design boss Adrian van Hooydonk says are aimed at emphasizing its width, including a heavily profiled bumper, newly contoured hood and reworked headlamps with altered graphics.

Farther back are new exterior mirror housings and changes to the design of the doorsills. At the rear, the BMW design team has provided the 3 Series with altered taillights. The fender taillight sections retain the same shape, but are joined by a newly developed section on the trunk lid of the sedan. At the same time, the taillights have been given redesigned lenses and more striking graphics. Further enhancing the widened look at the rear is reworked bumper and rear track that on upper-end models has been extended by nearly an inch.

BMW has also brought detailed improvements to the interior of the 3 Series, including new trim combinations, a revised armrest for the driver’s door that makes the electric window controls more accessible and an updated iDrive controller that gets four selection buttons in a move aimed at reducing the complexity of its operation. The iDrive controller is also linked to a new high-resolution, 8.8-inch color monitor. Among the long list of options is an 80-gigabyte hard disc used to store satellite navigation software and MP3 music files.

Powertrains include two carryovers: the 328i with a 3.0-liter, 230-hp inline-six and the 335i with a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged, 300-hp inline-six.

New to the lineup, arriving in showrooms in November, is the 335d, with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo, 265-hp, inline-six diesel, which uses a urea-injection system to meet U.S. emissions standards. The diesel will be offered only in the sedan.

Transmissions include a standard six-speed manual and an optional six-speed automatic. The diesel comes with the automatic as its only transmission.