Photo: BMW
The still not fully understood craving of the Chinese for long-wheelbase cars is more than satisfied this week at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show, where a number of mostly European carmakers are showing stretched versions of their most recent cars.
For BMW, the star of the event is the new 3 Series that will be launched locally later this year in both conventional and long-wheelbase variants, with the help of the BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) joint venture.
For the Germans, however, the conventional-sized sedan seems of little importance, as eight out of ten 3 Series they currently sell in China are long-wheelbase models.
For the 2020 3 Series, which is the second generation of the model to be offered exclusively in China complete with a few extra inches of space, the increase in size is this time of only 11 cm (4.3 inches) compared to the European version.
The increased length to 4,829 mm – on a 2,961 mm wheelbase - is mostly visible at the rear, where the doors are longer. On the inside, the increased space translates into an extra 43 mm of legroom for the occupants.
Aside from the new dimensions, the new 3 Series will be offered locally with a series of exclusive touches, ranging from stitching to ambient lighting. For the first time in the country, the 3 Series sedan will come with BMW’s new Intelligent Personal Assistant, available thanks to the deployment of the BMW Operating System 7.0.
When made available later this year, the long-wheelbase 3 Series will be powered, at least at first, by a single engine, fitted onto the BMW 325Li. It’s a 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit capable of developing 184 and 300 Nm of torque and paired with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission and a rear-wheel-drive configuration.
“The long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan meets the needs of young, progressive customers in the Chinese market,” says BMW.
For the Germans, however, the conventional-sized sedan seems of little importance, as eight out of ten 3 Series they currently sell in China are long-wheelbase models.
For the 2020 3 Series, which is the second generation of the model to be offered exclusively in China complete with a few extra inches of space, the increase in size is this time of only 11 cm (4.3 inches) compared to the European version.
The increased length to 4,829 mm – on a 2,961 mm wheelbase - is mostly visible at the rear, where the doors are longer. On the inside, the increased space translates into an extra 43 mm of legroom for the occupants.
Aside from the new dimensions, the new 3 Series will be offered locally with a series of exclusive touches, ranging from stitching to ambient lighting. For the first time in the country, the 3 Series sedan will come with BMW’s new Intelligent Personal Assistant, available thanks to the deployment of the BMW Operating System 7.0.
When made available later this year, the long-wheelbase 3 Series will be powered, at least at first, by a single engine, fitted onto the BMW 325Li. It’s a 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit capable of developing 184 and 300 Nm of torque and paired with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission and a rear-wheel-drive configuration.
“The long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan meets the needs of young, progressive customers in the Chinese market,” says BMW.
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