Article Summary
- BMW has started selling long-wheelbase models outside China, but they're not coming to the United States.
- The company's product chief Bernd Körber says Americans haven't been asking for LWB models.
- In China, BMW sells multiple sedans and SUVs with a stretched wheelbase providing greater rear legroom.
For a long time, BMW’s long-wheelbase cars were confined to China. However, this has been changing over the past few years across both the SUV and sedan lineups. These models were originally developed to provide greater rear legroom without moving into a higher vehicle segment.
In 2026, BMW is producing and selling LWB models in other regions of the world. For example, the elongated X1 and 3 Series are assembled at the Chennai plant in India. Debuting next month, the stretched iX3 will be sold not only in China but also in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
If you were hoping for some of these models to reach the U.S., however, that won’t happen. BMW isn’t bringing any of its segment-blurring sedans or SUVs to North America. Why? Internal studies have shown there just isn’t enough demand to justify it. BMW’s product boss, Bernd Körber, told us that LWB models are launching in more markets where the company sees demand, but the U.S. isn’t one of them.
“China wants legroom. U.S. wants cargo room, so then the question is, what you gain with something between an X5 or X7? If the demand were there, we would offer it. If we see there is a need developing in a certain segment for long wheelbase with certain specifics or legroom, then yes. We did in some markets where there was a need developing, so we followed.”
The gap between the X5 and X7 that Körber mentioned has long been addressed by the “G18.” Pictured above, it’s a long-wheelbase X5 launched in late 2021 and facelifted a few years later. BMW’s CEO Oliver Zipse confirmed this week that the luxury SUV’s next generation will again get a dedicated version for China, possibly the “G78.”
The smaller X3 and X1 have also had their wheelbases extended to improve rear-seat comfort. However, the trend started over a decade ago with a sedan: the “F35,” a China-specific 3 Series “F30” launched back in 2012. Fast-forward 14 years, and the 2 Series Gran Coupe, 3 Series, and 5 Series are all available in China as LWB models.
Looking ahead to 2027, the i3 sedan (“NA0”) we saw this week will spawn a longer “NA8” version for the Chinese market. It may arrive in other regions as well, given that the mechanically related iX3 “NA6” won’t be exclusive to China.
