Nothing new in their approach to lci - BMW hasnt done any major facelifts in a long long time (aside from the f20).. I think this a better solution to facelifts, rather refresh, Vs. a major change. Also the minor changes actually make the longevity of the design a lot better. Also the under skin changes are far more extensive (engine changes), and therefore expect a larger difference in vehicle performance (in all aspects). This keeps the car competitive in light of new launches (C class and a4).