The first model of care was to model year 1986 (beginning 09/85) made. The obvious exterior change was the modification of the front apron, which is now one and perpendicular executed. The downward direction a little in front was shaped with a gentle bulge below the engine pulled. Until then, formed the two-piece front spoiler with the corresponding smaller spoiler for an escape headlight grill. The 195/60R14 tires was greater in the horizontal format 195/65R14 replaced. Relatively inconspicuous is now consistently applied rockfall protection at the rear plate below the bumper, before the right and left only briefly to the wheel on the stern plate Karosseriefuge / sidewall. Inside were revised upholstery collection, the difference from the 4 - to 6-cylinders was lower, it consisted only in differently patterned seat Central Railways, now outside was always smooth suede used. In addition, the cloth upholstery "Pepita", which for all variants was available. The differences in the door panels remained. As the most striking change is the addition on the rear strap. The diversion of the C-pillar and with the lap with the brackets of Gurtschlösser was now seitenvertauscht mounted. The shelf of your car was at the top of minimally modified Rücksitzbank adjusted exactly as for the now flat-guided three-point belts. These changes in the interior remained until the end of the production sedans get.

In September 1987, BMW at the two-and four-model sedan a great care, the Cabriolet was weitergebaut unchanged until 1990, the M3 also in all the variants to its production in late 1991. In addition, the Touring wagon (initially as a 320i and 325i) into the program, while the 325e model no longer offered.

The most significant changes were now a redesigned front apron, chrome bumpers diverged the now voluminous and plastic manufactured in anthracite-colored bumpers, which on request (part of the special equipment "Shadow Line", see below) also were painted car color, with black Stoßleisteneinsätze generally remained. The bumpers were now bumps up to 3 km / h standard notwithstanding their recordings, because of its shock-absorbing function of baffle boxes called, protect the vehicle frame to 15 km / h before deformation. The Chromzierrat, for example at the front and rear windows and the Türfenster (two-back around the side rear window) important parts of black plastic or black coated aluminum profiles. The bumper piece and were now without a chrome bar. The rain gutter and window moldings Schacht remained in chrome design.

The rear lights were also enlarged as the rear bumper. The new EN-headlight reflectors had in Triple-Ellipsoidform. The rear wheel has been cut and was given the reduced form, as he already Cabriolet since the beginning of its production was to be found. The tank volume grows from 55L to 64L (sedan) or 62l (Factory Convertible). All gasoline engines since the facelift only with regulated catalytic converter available.

The interior remained largely as in previous models, the type of seat covers has been retained, only the colors and nuances in their names changed. New series of different interior upholstery and exterior painting were at different "Editions models" (Last Edition Sedan / 325i Convertible, Design Edition Convertible and 318i touring 316i/318i) offered to production until the end of the respective body variant sales to promote. Especially just for M3 and 318is were special Stoff-/Farbkombinationen available. The selection of special equipment has been expanded.

The export models for the U.S. market was not initially care model implemented. 1988 were given this new, shorter bumpers, however, these chrome-plated. 1989 were also introduced plastic bumper.