BMW traditionalists who like things a certain way mustn't fret as the grille's size will remain virtually the same with the upcoming facelift. While the regular 4 Series Coupe has adopted the XXL kidneys even in its most basic form, the 3er (thankfully?) won't be going down that road. The non-M estate has been spied for the first time, following multiple encounters our photographers have had with the hotly anticipated M3 Touring.

Judging by the thin camouflage, we are not expecting any major changes with the Life Cycle Impulse as only the bumpers will be mildly modified. This prototype partially hides its headlights, which appear to be of the laser variety judging by the blue accents within the cluster. The daytime running light signature has changed and we're getting the impression these look sharper than before.

Gallery: 2022 BMW 3 Series Touring facelift spy photos

Moving at the back, BMW is likely tweaking the LED graphics of the taillights as well, but the cluster itself seems to have the same shape as before. The test vehicle appears to be a lesser version without the M Sport Package and has what looks like a camera or a sensor on the roof-mounted spoiler. As with all estates from Bavaria, the 3 Series Touring will retain the separate rear glass opening for when you don't want to open the whole tailgate.

While our spies weren't able to take a peek inside the cabin this time around, we've already seen prototypes of the 3 Series Saloon facelift with the new dual-screen curved setup featuring iDrive 8. That makes sense considering even the 2022 2 Series Active Tourer has it now as the first model from BMW to do away with the rotary knob of the infotainment system in the iDrive era.

The 3 Series LCI lineup will be diversified furthermore as aside from the M3 Touring we already mentioned, there's also going to be a first-ever electric variant. It's not going to be sold as an estate, but rather as a saloon based on the long-wheelbase version sold in China, Thailand, and other regions of the world.

BMW is reportedly going to unveil the facelifted 3er early next year and have it on sale across Europe from summer 2022 before bringing it to the United States. It's unclear whether the EV version will debut together with the regular model or at a later date. Speaking of the ICE-powered 3 Series, it will retain the inline-six 3.0-litre petrol and diesel engines of the M340i and M340d, respectively.