BMW has been selling a long-wheelbase 3 Series in China since 2012 to bridge a gap until the 5 Series. Predictably, that won’t change with the next-generation 3er scheduled to come out in 2026. An elongated version will be available under the “G58” internal codename. The stretched derivative will be sold locally alongside the standard-wheelbase sedan the rest of the world will get as the “G50.”
BMW intends to sell another long-wheelbase, fully electric i3 sedan, but it will likely not be based on the CLAR platform anymore. Instead, the more spacious EV will switch to the Neue Klasse architecture and adopt the “NA8” designation. Our sources have told us that China will also get the globally available standard-wheelbase (“NA0”) model. It means there will be four different 3 Series flavors in China. Who said sedans were dead?
Chances are the bigger 3 Series “G58” won’t be exclusive to China. As a refresher, the current “G28” is also made and sold in India. In recent years, BMW has been expanding its LWB lineup beyond sedans by offering elongated versions of SUVs as well. The X1, X3, and X5 have all been engineered with an LWB version for China, with the X1 also available in India. The stretched cars are typically more luxurious, offering more goodies for rear passengers beyond the additional legroom.
We’re not expecting major design changes between the standard- and long-wheelbase models. There could be a handful of China-specific tweaks, but the most significant modification will be the adoption of bigger rear doors to accommodate the stretched wheelbase.
Before the current 3er retires, BMW has just launched a 50 Years Edition in China. It celebrates half a century of the 3 Series, during which more than 20 million units have been sold. The limited-run special version comes with both wheelbase options and a choice between a four-cylinder gas engine and the electric i3. Given the major milestone, we expect other anniversary versions for different markets throughout the year.
