THE D IS FOR DETAILS AND DIESEL.(NEWS)(BMW AG)(2009 3-series 335d)

Byline: GREG KABLE

BMW says it incorporated 2,500 changes in its facelifted 2009 3-series, but the biggest change for the U.S. market is the arrival of a diesel model, the 335d.

While each of the steel body panels, apart from the newly contoured hood, has been carried over unchanged, designers have still done enough to make sure the 2009 3-series is clearly recognizable.

Up front is a wider, deeper interpretation of the classic grille, along with new headlamp graphics that include LED indicators and BMW's signature corona rings. The bumper now incorporates three separate and newly shaped air ducts. Farther back, a heavily restyled sill helps stretch the car visually by adding a prominent crease from the front wheel arches through the rear door. The rear has also been reworked, with redesigned LED taillamps and a revised bumper introducing a visual link to the redesigned 7-series sedan.

For now, the coupe and the convertible retain the appearance of the existing models. But they will also get midlife changes and exclusive touches, such as BMW's seven-speed double-clutch gearbox.

The basic interior is unchanged, but there has been an effort to improve perceived quality and overall user-friendliness. Changes include a restyled instrument cluster, a higher mounting point for the driver's armrest and reworked switchgear in combination with BMW's second-generation iDrive system, which now has four individual menu buttons nestled around a reworked rotary controller, as well as a "go back function to ease operation.

It is not entirely successful. Hard black plastic continues to dominate the center of the dashboard, and BMW has also failed to heed customer complaints about a lack of storage space. Don't look for that to improve until the sixth-gen model arrives in 2012.