Premium German carmaker BMW is presenting the second generation of a variant of its globally successful sports sedan developed exclusively for the Chinese market. The long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan will celebrate its world premiere at the Auto Shanghai 2019 show. Tailored specifically to the requirements of Chinese customers, it combines the new, elegantly sporty and emotionally rich design of the latest-generation BMW 3 Series Sedan with the most spacious and comfortable interior of any premium mid-size car, plus ground-breaking innovations in intelligent connectivity.
The long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan meets the needs of young, progressive customers in the Chinese market. It was 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.
With this prognosis in mind and in keeping with the “production follows the market” principle, capacity at BMW Brilliance Automotive’s Tiexi plant has been ramped up once again. This demand-oriented production strategy is also contributing significantly to the burgeoning success of BMW models in other segments of the Chinese car market. Like the BMW 3 Series Sedan, 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.
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SOURCE: BMW Group
