BMW opened the order books for the long-wheelbase iX3 in China this week, but those who would rather get the i3 will have to wait. That’s because deliveries of the sedan won’t start until the first quarter of next year. In the meantime, the stretched version, internally dubbed “NA8,” is making its full debut this week at the Chengdu Auto Show.
To ease the wait, BMW’s Chinese division is showing off the stretched i3 in all nine colors. While it’s not naming them, we can spot a few familiar shades: Fire Red, Alpine White, and Black Sapphire. The electric sedan also marks the first time a Chinese-made car has been painted in Isle of Man Green. It’ll be offered alongside the lighter Eucalyptus Green. Space Silver also appears to be on offer, along with its matte Frozen equivalent from the Individual catalog.
China’s i3 doesn’t stand out because of its colors, though. It differs from the global “NA0” by having a longer wheelbase. It measures 118.3 inches (3,005 millimeters) between the axles. That’s an increase of 4.2 inches (108 mm) compared to what the rest of the world gets. The stretch isn’t immediately noticeable unless you look more closely at the longer rear doors.
China’s BMW i3 Sedan Is Different In More Ways Than One
The profile has other changes, too. The bigger i3 ditches the completely flush pop-out door handles of the “NA0” for a semi-enclosed design shared with older models. BMW made this last-minute change to comply with a new safety regulation in China. For the same reason, the long-wheelbase iX3 also has these familiar door handles.
Another change is at the Hofmeister kink, where an illuminated M logo sits next to the rear pillar. However, this isn’t an M Performance version, let alone the electric M3. Instead, it’s a plain i3 with the M Sport Package. BMW hasn’t said whether it’ll sell the electric sedan without the M Sport Package, in which case we’d be curious to know whether the M letter is deleted.
The interior may look carried over from the standard i3, but there’s more legroom in the back as a result of the extended wheelbase. As with the stretched iX3 “NA6,” the elongated sedan generally gives the impression of having a nicer interior even though the design is largely unchanged. It honestly makes us envious of what Chinese customers are getting while the rest of the world has to settle for the standard car.
Since the i3 Long Wheelbase isn’t launching until Q1 2027, pricing isn’t out yet. However, it should slightly undercut its iX3 Long Wheelbase equivalent. As a refresher, the electric luxury crossover starts at RMB 269,900 ($40,000) for the 30L model. The mid-range 40L xDrive begins at RMB 299,900 ($44,600), while the range-topping 50L xDrive kicks off at RMB 339,900 ($50,500).
2027 BMW i3 Long Wheelbase exterior and design sketches
2027 BMW i3 Long Wheelbase interior
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
Source: Autos – Bmw Blog
