- Adaptive headlights
- Two-stage brake lights
- Six-speed manual gearbox
- Front and rear styling updates

A subtle facelift further enhances the two iconic body styles, while the range-topping 330Ci Coupe and Convertible models both gain a standard six-speed manual gearbox.

The straight-six cylinder powered 3.0-litre 170kW 330Ci Coupe and Convertible, the 2.5-litre 141kW 325Ci Coupe and the 2.2-litre 125kW 320Ci Coupe all feature exterior modifications, bringing new headlights and housings, new front wheel arch panels and indicator repeaters. The Coupe and Convertible also boast deeper front bumper bars with larger air intakes at each corner, which also house fog lamps.

At the rear, revised tail light clusters, a new prominent boot lid handle with integrated licence plate illumination and a new lower bumper treatment with inset reflectors provides a fresher, cleaner look.

Further underlining BMW's leadership and pre-eminence in innovation, the 3 Series Coupe and Convertible update includes the adoption of industry-leading adaptive headlight technology.

This intelligent headlight system will be available optionally on both 3 Series Coupes and Convertibles in 2003. The intelligent headlight technology illuminates bends, effectively allowing the driver to see around the corner. Regular headlights shine forward but the BMW intelligent headlights are able to vary their illumination in line with the angle of the steering wheel, yaw angle of the vehicle and its speed.

The adaptive headlights use this data to predict the shape of the road ahead and then adjust two swivelling bi-xenon headlight modules to 'follow' the road. This ability to see around corners enhances driver safety especially on unlit stretches of country roads, where unexpected obstacles, such as kangaroos, may lurk.

Both 3 Series Coupe and Convertible also adopt LED technology for the outboard brake lights and high-level centre stop lamp. LED lamps illuminate more quickly than conventional bulbs, the faster response time giving drivers following behind more reaction time in the event of an emergency stop.

Buyers in the United States will also be the first to experience a new two-stage brake lamp technology that changes the size and intensity of the stop lamps under harsh or sudden braking, in a further bid to warn following drivers of danger ahead. The two-stage brake light technology will be introduced after receiving homologation in each country.

Australian specification is yet to be determined, with the revised Coupe and Convertible models expected to arrive here by mid 2003