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BMW unveils longer 3 Series in China
By Lu Nengneng |
July 23, 2012, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FOLLOWING new trends while honoring traditions is a challenge BMW has decided to take on in China, which the German premium carmaker now treats as its second home market.
Last week in Beijing, the German carmaker officially launched the long-wheelbase version of its all-new BMW 3 Series as a tailor-made line-up for the Chinese with a penchant for limousines.
It is the first time that BMW has produced a stretched variant of its classic sports wagons. First introduced at the Beijing auto show in April, the new 3 Series came in 11 models, including seven with their wheelbases longer than the standard offerings.
The sixth generation of BMW 3 Series is expected to go head-to-head with Audi A4L and Mercedes-Benz C Class to crave for a bigger slice of the mid-sized luxury car segment in China.
As the bestseller in the history of BMW, the 3 series has delivered 13.5 million units in the past four decades, making up 30 percent of BMW global sales. But in China, the sporty sedans accounted for only 10 percent of BMW's sales, amid the competition from Audi and Mercedes-Benz, due to less roomy comfort.
Market observers have cautioned that the stretched wheelbase may help BMW 3 Series recover its lost ground in China, but it could be at the cost of its crown as the world's champion in the sport-sedan class.
This long-standing opinion was dismissed by Ralf Rodepeter, director of BMW Museum and BMW Group Classic Marketing and Events, who said the longer 3-Series cars haven't failed one single test of their sportiness by auto magazines.
"The long-wheelbase 3-Series sedans are built in a new and modern way with genes from the old ones," said Rodepeter.
For those who cannot accept the "oversized" look of the classic sports wagon, the good news is that BMW 3 Series in the standard wheelbase version is still for sales.
Last week in Beijing, the German carmaker officially launched the long-wheelbase version of its all-new BMW 3 Series as a tailor-made line-up for the Chinese with a penchant for limousines.
It is the first time that BMW has produced a stretched variant of its classic sports wagons. First introduced at the Beijing auto show in April, the new 3 Series came in 11 models, including seven with their wheelbases longer than the standard offerings.
The sixth generation of BMW 3 Series is expected to go head-to-head with Audi A4L and Mercedes-Benz C Class to crave for a bigger slice of the mid-sized luxury car segment in China.
As the bestseller in the history of BMW, the 3 series has delivered 13.5 million units in the past four decades, making up 30 percent of BMW global sales. But in China, the sporty sedans accounted for only 10 percent of BMW's sales, amid the competition from Audi and Mercedes-Benz, due to less roomy comfort.
Market observers have cautioned that the stretched wheelbase may help BMW 3 Series recover its lost ground in China, but it could be at the cost of its crown as the world's champion in the sport-sedan class.
This long-standing opinion was dismissed by Ralf Rodepeter, director of BMW Museum and BMW Group Classic Marketing and Events, who said the longer 3-Series cars haven't failed one single test of their sportiness by auto magazines.
"The long-wheelbase 3-Series sedans are built in a new and modern way with genes from the old ones," said Rodepeter.
For those who cannot accept the "oversized" look of the classic sports wagon, the good news is that BMW 3 Series in the standard wheelbase version is still for sales.
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