Ever since the E60 era, BMW has been offering a long-wheelbase 5 Series Sedan in China. Subsequent generations even received a standalone internal codename as the F18 and G38. The latter was actually the best-selling flavor of the seventh-gen 5 Series in the world. Fast forward to 2024, the G68 is rolling off the assembly line. Series production at the Dadong plant in Shenyang has officially started.
The elongated 5 Series Sedan is offered with combustion engines and as a fully electric i5. It looks virtually the same as its global counterpart, save for the longer rear doors after stretching the wheelbase. To set it apart from the standard 5er, BMW lights up the “5” logo on the Hofmeister kink adorning the C-pillar. The logo is white on the cars fitted with a combustion engine while the i5 has a blue light that pulsates when the battery is charging.
Just how big is the 5 Series Li? It’s 5175 millimeters (203.7 inches) long and carries around a massive wheelbase of 3105 mm (122.2 in). Thanks to the newly gained space in the back, BMW fits the car with the giant 31.3-inch, 8K-resolution Theatre Screen previously offered only on the flagship 7 Series. Four-zone climate control is included as standard, as is the model’s logo embossed into the headrests.
The 5 Series has been a huge success in China where more than two million units have been sold since the model was introduced back in 2006. The recently discontinued G38 accounted for nearly half of the demand after generating sales of 950,000 units.
BMW builds another long-wheelbase sedan in the People’s Republic. We’re talking about the 3 Series Li, which is also offered as an electric i3 Li. Yes, the quirky i3 hatchback died in 2022 but the alphanumeric designation lives on for a zero-emission 3 Series. In addition, the X1/iX1 and X5 have been stretched as well in China where rear legroom is important among luxury car shoppers.
Source: BMW China
