- G20 LCI is expected to arrive later this year

- Could debut with the high-performance CSL version

BMW has been tight-lipped about its first major update for the current-gen 3 Series. But you can’t keep secrets from the internet. Ahead of its global premiere, the G20 3 Series facelift has leaked online and we can see the new 3 sans any concealment.

In the images that have surfaced online, the new 3 Series LCI (LCI stands for Life Cycle Impulse in BMW say) gets a radically changed headlamp cluster. Since there are three different versions, there’s a variation in the grille and bumper design as well. Changes to the back are limited so far, but we could see a blacked-out diffuser on the lower bumper to keep things interesting and sporty.

The new headlamp carries a new signature which was first seen on the i3 eDrive35L, the electric derivative of the 3 for the Chinese market. The lower bumper has an L-shaped air vent on either side and there is a newer design for alloy wheels as well. There’re also more blue elements in the sportier iteration’s headlamp and a new paint scheme for the 320Li trim seen in the leaked images.

This being a facelift, the powertrain line-up won’t see any changes. This updated BMW 3 Series will first go on sale in the European market after its Chinese debut. It will surely come to India but that could happen by either late-2022 or sometime next year.