http://www.germancarfans.com/spyphotos/6060509.001/6060509.001.1L.jpg


by Hans G. Lehmann
Copyright by Lehmann Photo-Syndication
05-09-2006

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.

source : worldcarfans

It looks the same as the previous year doesn't it.. except the longer wheel base.. :D
LexArazzo, you always have the lastest new news... Thanks... :D

TOny

hmmm.....that is incredibly interesting. So how does that compare size wise the short wheelbase 750i???

As if those stock wheels didn't look tiny enough.
Well if that is what the market wants, can't blame them.
Though I am tired of how big the midsize class keeps getting, another reason I like the 3GS, only 190 Inches long

still doesnt change the fact that the car is still hideous

To each their own, I personally think BMW's look pretty sharp... I'm not quite sure what market the LWB 5 series hopes to fill... I would think you'd be better off getting the 750i

hmmm.....that is incredibly interesting. So how does that compare size wise the short wheelbase 750i???
I always thought that the 7 is a longer version of the 5 (in simple terms; I know it's a lot more to it). It's like making a long wheelbase GS460, which is pretty much a standard LS. That is rather confusing...

i still have no idea how this will work.... i can understand 7 series lwb, but 5 series lwb?? doesn't that conflict with the 7 series swb?

just imagine the lwb gs, having the same size as the ls460 swb. same with the is350 lwb, having the same of the gs swb. what's the point?!

As if those stock wheels didn't look tiny enough.
Well if that is what the market wants, can't blame them.
Though I am tired of how big the midsize class keeps getting, another reason I like the 3GS, only 190 Inches long


mercedes E class is only 189 inches

i still have no idea how this will work.... i can understand 7 series lwb, but 5 series lwb?? doesn't that conflict with the 7 series swb?

just imagine the lwb gs, having the same size as the ls460 swb. same with the is350 lwb, having the same of the gs swb. what's the point?!
I' ve heard they have been building the BMW 3 and 5 series in China for the local Chinese market for some time now, but the 7 series is still imported.
So I suppose a Chinese built LWB 5 series will have a pretty significant cost/price advantage over the 7 series in the Chinese market ?

i still have no idea how this will work.... i can understand 7 series lwb, but 5 series lwb?? doesn't that conflict with the 7 series swb?

just imagine the lwb gs, having the same size as the ls460 swb. same with the is350 lwb, having the same of the gs swb. what's the point?!Supposedly a LWB 5 is narrower than a SWB 7 and will therefore be able to weave through the narrow Asian streets with better ease. That's my theory.:)

BTW the car is still ugly. :egads:

Supposedly a LWB 5 is narrower than a SWB 7 and will therefore be able to weave through the narrow Asian streets with better ease. That's my theory.:)

BTW the car is still ugly. :egads:
ummm, i guess that's one possible answer huh? just a very funny idea imho

Supposedly a LWB 5 is narrower than a SWB 7 and will therefore be able to weave through the narrow Asian streets with better ease. That's my theory.:)

BTW the car is still ugly. :egads:


Hmm.... narrow car with long wheel base? Sounds like the car Ace and Gary drive!

What are you rolling in these days? Still "shopping for" an IS? What's it been? 6 months of shopping? It's easy to be a critic.. at some point you need to step up.


:egads: :egads:

I should save what I have to say.

chrysler 300c has a LWB version coming out in 2007, so I guess bmw is doing the same

http://www.carros.nl/foto/foto2377.jpg

mercedes E class is only 189 inches
I know, I like the E-class too.

still doesnt change the fact that the car is still hideous

LMAO, I'm still not impressed either.

chrysler 300c has a LWB version coming out in 2007, so I guess bmw is doing the same

http://www.carros.nl/foto/foto2377.jpg

but for some reason the LWB 300 makes more sense to me. It's very fitting for that styling. Also there is no bigger Chrysler 300 or Chrysler for that matter(Imperial is years away). Whereas BMW obviously already offers the 7er in various trims. I hope I'm making sense to you guys.

Makes no sense considering that it's a "sports sedan" :uh:
And doing this will encroach on the 7 swb :uh:

CLICK :

Hi-Res Pic (http://images.leftlanenews.com/content/1-bmw-530li-525li-523li.jpg)

Hi-Res Interior Pic (http://images.leftlanenews.com/content/2-bmw-530li-525li-523li.jpg)

BMW today unveiled the long-wheelbase version of its 5-Series sedan, designed for the Chinese market. The new BMW 530 Li, BMW 525 Li, and BMW 523 Li could theoretically be offered in other markets, but so far China is the only country where the cars will be sold.

The new models are powered by straight-six power units ranging in output from 177 hp to 258 hp. The car's overall length has been extended by 5.5-inches. All the length gains are between the B- and C-pillars, meaning rear seat room is considerably greater than on the standard model.

The 525Li and BMW 530Li come standard with a newly developed rear console complete with an integrated entertainment system with a DVD-player, eight-inch screens fitted in a console on the back of the front seats, as well as a cooling box.
source : leftlanenews

its simple : pricing and market segmentation.

In china, people who drives the A6 and the 5 series often have drivers, and their transportation needs are often paid for by the company. They often sit in the backseat, and would like to stretch their legs a little.

These people would be VPs or GMs, but not the top level CEO. Therefore, you cannot get these people the 7 series or the A8, which would dilute the 'status' of the big boss.

Prices of cars outside USA is much much more expensive, and not everyone can afford a 7 series or an A8. The 530i there can easily pay for a 750li here.
If I can afford a 7 series back in Asia, I would have to be driving at least a Flying Spur here.

Regarding the comment of small and narrow streets, I would have to disagree on that. The roads in the major cities of China are among the widest that I have ever seen. The road leading to the airport in Guangzhou is 6 lines wide! Compared to just 3 lanes to JFK or 4 lanes in LAX!!

There are long wheelbase versions of A6 & BMW 5 series in China...
A6L:
http://img.hc360.com/auto/info/images/aodiA6L.jpg
http://www.mycar168.com/upload/uploadart04/20056121502438300.jpg
http://www.audiworld.com/news/05/chinaa6/chinaa607.jpg
http://www.cheshi.com.cn/news/images/17900/17939_1.jpg
http://www.chinabright.com.cn/gotone/g09/images_sub/img_fever15.jpg
530Li:
http://www.hexun.com/Images/20/29/202998.jpg
http://auto.shangdu.com/news/150012/2006/09/06/images/self_20060906_297.jpg
http://photocdn.sohu.com/20061011/Img245724806.jpg
http://www.autoblog.nl/images/wp/bmw_530Li_China_03.jpg
http://www.autoblog.nl/images/wp/bmw_530Li_China_02.jpg

can't seem to remember, i wonder how much "shorter" they are compared to the 750i and the a8

Length:
A6L: 197.3 in
A8: 199.3 in
530Li: 196.1 in
750i: 198.4 in

umm...... so..... for people there who can afford the car, why not get the a8 and 750i instead?

umm...... so..... for people there who can afford the car, why not get the a8 and 750i instead?
If you read the first post in this thread, those LWB bimmers are made in China, & I think I've heard they only make the 3 & 5 series in China, not the 7 series, so my guess is maybe the Chinese made 5 series are a lot cheaper compared to the German made 7 series ? (i.e. the price difference is much larger than the normal price difference between German made 5 & 7 series ?)

yeah i know they are only available in china, but i didn't know they don't have 7 series in china at all? that's seomthing new to me

yeah i know they are only available in china, but i didn't know they don't have 7 series in china at all? that's seomthing new to me
No, I think they can get the 7 series in China, but they would be a lot more expensive than the Chinese made 5 series.

The 5 series price start at 648800 RMB in China = to $87557 USD in today exhange rate. Not that cheap....

http://cn.autos.yahoo.com/base/trim.html?trim=1191

On the 7 series. Price in China starting at 940000- 1770000 RMB. In today's rate= to $126855 - $238866 USD

http://auto.sohu.com/20050621/n240123606.shtml

import taxes on socialist countries are huge hence the high prices

ah ic. well i guess by comparison on the prices, it makes a lot more sense for them to get the 5 series lwb then

import taxes on socialist countries are huge hence the high prices
Some capitalist places impose huge import taxes too either for protecting their own industry or discourage vehicle ownership except for the rich to reduce congestion & encourage the use of public transport . . .

import taxes on socialist countries are huge hence the high prices

Are you saying non-socialist countries have low import taxes then?

Some capitalist places impose huge import taxes too either for protecting their own industry or discourage vehicle ownership except for the rich to reduce congestion & encourage the use of public transport . . .

That's exactly happening in Hong Kong! The cars are so expensive because the government encourages the use of public transport to reduce traffic jams & air pollution. Here's the price of some cars in USD in Hong Kong:
Carmy 3.5: $39k
ES300: 51k
RX400h: 72k
LS430: 108k
BMW M3: 107k
760Li: 267k
S600: 305k
S65 AMG: 411k
Maybach 62: 936k