BMW 5 Series facelift has a surprise: a reasonably sized grille

A few weeks ago, we got a peek at a facelifted BMW 5 Series luxury sedan, and the coverings had us worried that BMW was going to slap a giant twin kidney grille onto it. It wouldn't be surprising, of course, since the X7 has an enormous one, as does the recently updated 7 Series. But new spy shots show the 5 Series with its grille fully exposed, and it appears disaster has been averted.

In fact, comparing this facelifted prototype 5 Series hybrid with the current model, the grille looks nearly unchanged. The headlights have been massaged, though. They aren't indented on the sides next to the grille anymore. Instead, they're smooth all the way across the bottom edges. They look a little narrower, too.

The lower grille opening is also more visible in these spy photos, and it looks more aggressive. The opening is larger, and the lower lip juts forward more than on the current 5 Series hybrid. There's a mean-looking mesh grille insert now, too, instead of simple slats.

Since this is a light refresh, we're expecting the new 5 Series to appear sometime next year, probably as a 2021 model. For fans of more modest BMWs, hopefully this is a sign that BMW hasn't gone completely grille crazy.