BMW introduces long-wheelbase X3 in China

MANILA: BMW has followed up the X3 sports utility vehicle’s (SUV) global launch with a special debut in China. In the said market, the model has received a long wheelbase version for the first time ever. 

Specifically, the China-spec version of the X3 G45 model now has a length of 4,865-millimeters (mm) and a wheelbase spanning 2,975-mm. For context, the global version, which was introduced in June 2024, has a shorter overall length of 4,755-mm. Width and height for both the Chinese and global X3, however, remain the same at 1,920-mm and 1,660-mm, respectively. 

From a visual standpoint, the new vehicle is identical to the global model. It received the same character lines and the same window outline shape, and it managed to maintain a proportional appearance from the side. 

Up front, the vehicle sports the latest illuminated kidney grille design found on its international sibling. The aforementioned part is coupled with an assertive-looking lower bumper and a set of sharply designed LED fixtures. 

Other notable features found on the long-wheelbase X3 include the BMW Curved Display, the brand’s Interaction Bar, Veganza comfort seats, and the car maker’s Operating System 9. It was likewise equipped with a panoramic glass roof, which may come with a ”skylounge” lighting option to complement the vehicle’s interior ambient lighting system. Thanks to its longer wheelbase and overall length, it offers a roomier interior, as well. 

At the moment, the German marque’s Chinese arm has yet to list the full specifications of the longer X3. The brand, however, shared that the model will be “built in China for China.” To be more exact, the BMW X3 for the People’s Republic will be built at the brand’s Shenyang plant in Liaoning province. 

It is also unclear if the long-wheelbase X3 will be sold in markets other than China, but we are hoping for the local release of BMW’s next-gen X3 soon. 

In the Philippine market, the available version of the X3 is the third-generation (G01) model. Its pricing starts at P4.19 million (XDrive20d Business), and it uses a 2.0-liter diesel engine capable of producing up to 190 horsepower and 400 Newton-meters of torque. 

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