BMW 5 Series LWB Spy Photo
For China and Middle East

BMW will follow Audi by adding a Long Wheel Base version to the standard 5-Series. Audi did that already last year by offering a longer Audi A6 – in particular for the Chinese and Middle Eastern markets.

The photo is showing a prototype during a test drive in Munich. It has distinctly larger second side doors, suggesting that the car measures about 10 to 15 cm more in overall length than the standard 5-Series. The car is said to come on the market first in China by the end of this year, where it will also be produced.

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5 series LWB??? I've never heard even a rumor about it...

BMW mulls tweaking car versions for China market

Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:25am ET

MUNICH (Reuters) - German premium carmaker BMW (BMWG.DE: - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER, - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER, - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER) is kicking around the idea of developing more special versions of its cars specifically for the Chinese market, the company said on Tuesday.

"There are various ways to approach this," a spokesman said, noting BMW already offered a long version of its top-end 7-Series car in China. But he added: "Adjustments to our product offerings are not on the cards at the moment."

He was responding to a report in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper quoting a management source as saying BMW planned to launch a 5-Series version in China later this year with a longer wheel base and more luxury features than the European model.

It said BMW's Chinese partner Brilliance would make the car.

China has become an important outlet for high-priced BMWs. In the first quarter, BMW sold 1,680 BMW 7-Series cars there, making China the second-largest market for the model after the United States.

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Thank, Eni.

I still don't see the point in such a car, if you need the extra room and luxury, why not buy the 7er, and it will give you more status!

Without causing offence why do Chinese people need more legroom - it's not like they're tall or anything! A team of basketball players I might understand!

i guess the anwer is called cost or price or something like this. Seriously speaking, if you want the advantages of such a car why not buy an LWB 5er instead of paying almost 200% more for a 7er?

I too cannot actually understand the thinking behind a LWB 5er or A6...but in the end, if the sales demand is there, then why not produce it. Here's what I mean:

A total of 19,161 vehicles were sold to customers in China and Hong Kong from January to March, an increase of 126 percent compared with the same period in 2005. The China-built Audi A4 achieved a growth rate of more than 220 percent with a total of 5,023 vehicles sold (1st quarter of 2005: 1,547), while the Audi A6 doubled its sales figures with 13,255 units in all (1st quarter of 2005: 6,207).
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The simple fact that in the first quarter of 2006 the Audi A6 is selling at 4 to 1 units compared to the A4 is something very significant! In Western markets, you'd expect the opposite, but for some reason, in the China/HK market, the opposite trend is occuring. Maybe they just want bigger cars, but dont want the biggest offerings from Audi.
Just as a point of comparison, as stated above, the A6 sold 6,207 units in the first quarter of this year, while the A8 only sold 883 units.
The only factor I can think of is that the A4 and A6 are built locally, while the A8 is actually imported into the market

Maybe here's an explaination for it: BMW misjudged China's demand, said Credit Suisse analyst Jeannie Cheung in Hong Kong, who has a "neutral" rating on Brilliance China Automotive Holdings, BMW's partner in China.

"They don't really understand the Chinese consumer's mentality on the 3-Series," Cheung said. "In China, the 3-Series isn't that big of a car and if Chinese want a luxury car, they want it to be big."
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Giannis is right: 7er and A8 are imported cars and therefore MUCH more expensive than A6 and 5er (or 3er & A4) produced in China. And Chinese want affordable big luxury car - LWB A6 & 5er. Audi is already offering LWB A6 in China, BMW will just follow the market demand.

It looks like Chinese have even greater "The biggest the better (but has to be cheap)" fetish than US customers.

New pics - of LWB 5er interior:

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