BMW reveals long-wheelbase i3 and iX3 at Chengdu Auto Show

Legacy BMW prestige in China used to mean a throaty straight-six for way too many years. A kidney grille was somehow linked with the assumption that buyers in Shanghai and Beijing would happily pay a hefty badge tax. But the rules of engagement in the world's biggest EV proving ground have been rewritten, and Munich knows it. With its market share facing an uncomfortable squeeze from hyper-innovative domestic challengers, BMW decided that bringing an update to Sichuan wasn't enough. It brought a completely rebooted philosophy in the form of the all-new, long-wheelbase iX3 and i3.

Built on the bespoke Neue Klasse architecture (a historic moniker BMW previously used in the 1960s to rescue itself from financial ruin), this stretched electric crossover is a radical departure from the half-measured compromises of the past. The bean counters in Bavaria must have taken a long, hard look in the mirror, rolling out three distinct trims with pre-sale stickers starting at RMB 269,900 (around $39,700) and topping out at RMB 339,900 (roughly $50,000).

Visually, the iX3 throws out the gaping, beaver-toothed nostrils in favor of a crisp, retro-futuristic face that genuinely works. The signature kidney design is reimagined as a flush, three-dimensional illuminated panel flanked by "Digital Angel" light clusters packing 322 individual LED elements. Along the flanks, semi-hidden door handles blend a slick look with mechanical fail-safes. But the real talking point is the scale of the machine. The body stretches out to 192.3 inches in overall length, sits 74.6 inches wide, and rises to 64.4 inches in height, all sitting on a wheelbase of 118.3 inches.

The standard European iX3 is 188.3 inches long with a 114.1 inches wheelbase. The ubiquitous Tesla Model Y looks decidedly compact here - 187 inches in length with a 113.8 inches wheelbase. Even homegrown Chinese stalwarts like the Nio ES6 (measuring 191.1 inches in length across a 114.8 inches wheelbase) surrender the cabin real estate between the axles to this Bavarian stretch limo.

By carving out a footprint that nearly matches the wheelbase of the new iX5 (119.5 inches), BMW has prioritized executive-class rear knee room, catering directly to the chauffeured tastes of the Chinese elite without bloating the exterior into an unparkable barge.

The Neue Klasse vehicles use BMW's sixth-generation eDrive hardware running on a full-domain 800V architecture. Gone are the days when BMW slapped bulky battery packs into multi-energy CLAR platforms that carried dead weight and compromised floorboards. The new pack uses 4695 cylindrical cells arranged in a direct Cell-to-Pack layout, with a total 108 kWh capacity. That engineered density jump delivers a 20% boost in volumetric energy and a claimed 30% leap in usable driving range over its predecessor.

The top-of-the-range dual-motor iX3 50L relies on an asynchronous motor up front paired with an externally excited synchronous unit driving the rear wheels. Together, they send 351 kW - an honest 477 horsepower - to all four wheels, delivering immediate, spine-compressing thrust from 0 to 62 mph in 5 seconds.

Official efficiency lands at an impressive 15.1 kWh per 62 miles, promising a driving range of up to 559 miles on the CLTC cycle. When the pack finally runs low, the 800V charging system can suck down enough electrons in 10 minutes to replenish 249 miles of range, while a routine 10% to 80% fast-charge session takes just 21 minutes.

Practicality hasn't been sacrificed on the altar of design either - you get a handy 58-liter frunk to hide your charging cables and a rear luggage cavern holding 540 liters, expandable to 1,600 liters when you drop the second row flat.

Inside you'll find an interior that feels like a minimalist Scandinavian lounge curated by Silicon Valley. The centerpiece is the new Panoramic iDrive cockpit, which ditches conventional instrument binnacles entirely. Instead, a 3D head-up display uses ultra-short-throw projection to cast a razor-sharp 40-inch 4K interface directly along the lower base of the windshield, creating an unobstructed information horizon. Floating beside it is a 17.9-inch central infotainment screen, thoughtfully canted 17.5 degrees toward the driver in a continuation of BMW's classic driver-centric geometry.

Munich has swallowed its corporate pride on the digital front, acknowledging that a global infotainment suite is not good enough for a hyper-connected Chinese reality. Rather than forcing European navigation and voice assistants onto local buyers, the system uses Huawei HiCar alongside Apple CarPlay, while embedding Alibaba's large language model and DeepSeek's reasoning engine directly into the vehicle's cognitive stack.

On the driver-assistance side, BMW teamed up with autonomous specialist Momenta to co-develop an end-to-end AI driving system, specifically trained to navigate the chaotic scooter-weaving, lane-splitting realities of urban Chinese traffic.

But the iX3 wasn't the only unicorn on the Chengdu stage - BMW also revealed the cabin of the i3 Long Wheelbase electric sedan. With production starting in early 2027, the low-slung sedan mirrors the SUV's 800V underpinnings and stretched 118.3 inches wheelbase.

Draped in a stunning blue paint finish and featuring an illuminated M crest on the Hofmeister kink, the i3 packs the same 43.3-inch HUD display, a 31-liter frunk, and a 420-liter boot. With 0 to 62 mph dispensed in 4.7 seconds and the same 108 kWh pack promising a range between 563 miles and 567 miles, the electric 3 Series replacement is shaping up to be a great high-speed grand tourer.

Seeing both vehicles together brings BMW's strategic U-turn into focus. The German giant used to walk an electric tightrope for many years, hedging its bets by making battery models on shared internal-combustion platforms. That strategy provided financial padding during the early adoption phase, but it left BMW vulnerable when new generation of EVs arrived with superior packaging, faster charging, and unmatched software integration.

We are looking at a legacy titan finally playing the modern electric game on front-foot terms. By marrying proper rear-wheel-biased driving dynamics and advanced 800V cylindrical-cell engineering with genuine local software intelligence, BMW's Neue Klasse proves that Munich can evolve without losing its soul. The long-wheelbase iX3 and i3 show that the ultimate driving machine can still live up to its badge - even when the tachometer is replaced by 4K panoramic screens, and the petrol tank becomes a relic of history.

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