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All of the 2008 3 Series models are different. But all are immediately recognizable and BMWs, and every 3 Series body style shares design traits with the others.The similarities start with a shared 108.7 wheelbase, which is the only obvious hint that under the body panels all 3 Series models are nearly identical. By every other exterior dimension, all body styles come within two inches of the other. In general, these are the largest 3 Series cars ever. Most of the extra width and length translates into more interior space compared to previous generations, particularly in the back seat. The 3 Series sedan is the best seller, and perhaps most familiar to the motoring public. It features BMW's traditional double-beam headlights, now under clear covers that wrap around the corners and taper to a point that emphasizes the car's width. The Sport Wagon is identical to the sedan from the center roof pillar forward. Rearward, its roofline tapers slightly all the way to the rear of the car, while the bottom line of the rear windows tapers upward slightly, creating a teardrop shape. Roof rails are standard on the wagon, and its rear gate opens electrically, with a switch on the key fob or dashboard. The rear glass opens separately, which is convenient for quickly loading lightweight items. Overall, the 3 Series coupe is a bit longer and lower than the sedan, and not as wide. With standard xenon headlamps, its front light clusters are smaller. The coupe's hood looks longer, and it's fashioned with a subtle dome that suggests a powerful engine underneath. The windshield flows into a roofline that's long and curved in a continuous arc, and lower than that on the sedan. With extensive use of plastic composite materials for parts such as the front fenders, the coupes are also the lightest cars in the line, even though they carry more standard equipment. In profile or front three-quarter view, the 3 Series Convertible closely resembles the coupe. Its front end, and the arc its roofline, are nearly identical. The difference, of course, is the convertible's retractable metal hardtop, which opens or closes at the touch of a button in just 22 seconds. The top folds in three pieces and stows itself under the trunk lid. That lid is hinged both front and rear, so that it can open toward the back to swallow the folding top, and from the back to load the trunk. Thanks to the weight of the top's operating mechanism, as well as body reinforcements intended to maintain structural integrity when the top is open, the convertibles are heavier than the lightest 3 Series cars by some 400 pounds. The 3 Series' high-tech theme is visible from the outside. Most models come with adaptive bi-xenon headlights that turn with the steering wheel to aim into a curve. All feature BMW's adaptive brake lights, which are based on the idea that drivers in the cars following a 3 Series will know when the 3 is braking hard. The LED lights illuminate more intensely, over a larger area, when the driver applies the brakes full-lock or when the ABS operates.
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