Click for enlarged image
Word is that BMW and its Chinese partner Brilliance Auto are working on a long wheelbase version of the BMW 3-Series to take on the Audi A4L, which is as you pretty much guessed is a long wheelbase version of the A4. This would certainly help boost the 3-er’s sales in China.
The interior space of the current 3-er is already in a losing battle compared to the interior of a regular length Audi A4, what more a long wheelbase A4. The intention to build a longer 3-er was revealed in an interview by Auto Sohu with Brilliance Auto chairman Qi Yu Min.
Click for enlarged image
The Audi A4 was stretched 61mm in terms of wheelbase to 2,869mm, and overall length increased about the same length to 4,763mm. To match that, BMW’s E90 would have to be stretched a good 100mm from its current 2,761mm wheelbase, resulting in a 2,861mm wheelbase.
No worries about model overlapping as this is still far off from the wheelbase and overall length of the F10 5-Series, which has grown to humongous proportions and is even bigger in its recently unveiled long wheelbase Chinese market form The F10 is 2,968mm wheelbase and 4,899mm length in standard length and has a 3,108mm wheelbase and 5,039mm length when stretched.
The photos above are an artist’s impression of a long wheelbase version of the 3-Series digitally altered by Theophilus Chin. The extra length has gone into the B-pillars.
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Izzit Really necessary!? Its not a nation full of Yao Ming you know…
Chinese bosses like long cars for them to do other thing, as they have drivers to bring them around.
This is a nice one!
u really didnt know abt basketball in china. when yao ming first step on us soil..his agent said, there are lots of ballers in china as tall as yao ming..it’s just matter of time b4 they can get them into the nba.
Look at the US, the ppl in large countries usually have the same taste.
paul,
off topic, any news abt chevy cruze? last nite around 11+pm i saw cruze being transported on a trailer heading to jalan reko kajang (got one big chevy showroom there).
there are lots of cruze here.. beat too… why india got many chevy eh?
everything has to b BIG in china….
How about Gen-2 in china…no plan to make it long wheel base??
if you need the size don’t buy a 3 series! the extra long wheelbase will wreak havoc on the driving characteristics.a compact sedan has it’s benefits as it is easy to manouver and has great handling.
yeah… long wheel base, like bus….
Well I guess they can’t let audi a4l grasp the market share in dragonland n hence desperately needed this to try to win some market there… will it succeed? Let’s see
if they need something bigger why don’t they buy a 5 series?
next thing we’ll know is they will build a long wheelbase z4 or 6 series..
wow now all car makers go to china. now got so many autos show there. many car makers also do this china variant/customize thingy. walawehhhh very lucky those china ppl. bmw, ferari all want to please china ppl.