Why not just sell them a BMW 5-Series and call it a 3-Series long wheel base?
Tailored specifically to the requirements of customers in mainland China, the latest-generation BMW 3 Series Sedan gets a spacious and comfortable interior just for the mainland Chinese to buy.
Yes, their purchase numbers are huge, but why don’t they just take the regular 5-Series and rebadge it as a 3-Series long wheel base (you get the rear room you want) without having to redesign and remanufacture the 3-Series just for one country?
The long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan is developed alongside the new BMW 3 Series Sedan with standard wheelbase at the BMW Group’s Munich home in cooperation with Chinese engineers. With a wheelbase extended by 11 centimetres and exclusive equipment features, the long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan offers exceptional driving pleasure and outstanding comfort for rear passengers. It is also the first model available in China to feature the innovative BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, which elevates intuitive operation and driver/vehicle interaction to a new level.
The long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan will be produced by BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) at its Tiexi plant in Shenyang, Liaoning Province (north-eastern China). The facility began operations in 2012 as the second production plant in the BMW Group / Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd. joint venture. Among the models built here is the China-only variant of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan with standard wheelbase, which will likewise be unveiled for the first time at Auto Shanghai 2019.
The two body variants of the new sports sedan allow customers in China to plump for either extra dynamism or even greater comfort. Both model variants have all the ingredients to build on the successful history of the BMW 3 Series Sedan, which in China is headlined by an incredibly rapid growth in demand. Much of the credit here goes to the long-wheelbase version, which accounts for almost 80 per cent of 3 Series Sedan sales in China. All in all, around one in three new BMW 3 Series cars will be delivered to customers in China.
The BMW 5 Series Sedan and BMW X1 are also offered in long-wheelbase versions developed specially for Chinese customers – and produced in Shenyang exclusively for the Chinese market.
New design language and distinctive proportions.
The distinct character of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan in long-wheelbase guise stems from its extra 11 centimetres of wheelbase and the associated increase in seating comfort and legroom in the rear compartment. Its body design blends the new, extremely precise design language and sporting aura of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan with distinctive proportions. The new car improves significantly on its predecessor’s aerodynamics by virtue of finely judged optimisations. Encompassing an exterior length of 4,829 millimetres and a 2,961-millimetre wheelbase, the exterior dimensions of the new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan outstrip those of any other car in its class. BMW’s hallmark sporting prowess is embodied here by short overhangs, a long bonnet and a set-back passenger compartment. The four-door model’s stretched silhouette underscores its inherent elegance and hints at the enviable spaciousness of the interior.
Interior: extra space and exclusive appointments.
The extended wheelbase and stretched flank lines of the new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan are all about increasing spaciousness for rear-seat passengers. The rear doors are also 11 centimetres longer than those of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan with standard wheelbase, allowing particularly easy access to the rear seats. Add the special shaping and pampering upholstery of the rear seats to the mix and you have an outstanding level of rear-seat comfort over long journeys. The new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan also offers an extra 43 millimetres of legroom in the rear compartment over the new BMW 3 Series Sedan with standard wheelbase, which sets a new benchmark in the class. The newly designed headrest, with their super-comfortable cushions, and the central armrest between the rear seats are likewise designed to provide a cosseting driving experience, while roomy map pockets are integrated into the front seat backrests. The design of the speaker covers has been developed specially for the Chinese market. In another model-specific feature, the ambient lighting also includes an illuminated contour strip on the back of the front seats. The luggage compartment of the new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan can swallow 480 litres of gear, including as many as three golfbags.
Developed in Munich, made in Shenyang: the four-cylinder engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology.
A four-cylinder engine from the latest generation of power units developed by the BMW Group in Munich brings sports performance to the BMW 325Li launch model. The new petrol unit generates maximum output of 135 kW/184 hp from its 2.0-litre displacement and peak torque of 300 Nm (221 lb-ft). It is produced at the BMW Brilliance Automotive engine plant in Shenyang and features advanced BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. A twin-scroll turbocharger, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC fully variable valve timing and Double-VANOS variable camshaft control deliver instantaneous response, the appetite for revs drivers expect from a BMW, exceptional efficiency and minimised emissions.
The engine teams up with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission to send its power to the road through the rear wheels.
The long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan will only be available in China.
