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China getting Long Wheelbase BMW 5-Series
BMW is set to debut a new stretched wheelbase version of its 5-Series sedan at the Chinese Auto Show next month. The Peking show will see the introduction of 530Li, 525Li and 523Li versions of the midsize Bimmer. Developed specifically for the Chinese businessman, it should combine traditional BMW driving dynamics with a larger, more comfortable interior.
With an extra 140mm (5.5") between the wheels (with all of the added interior space behind the front seats), the additional length actually makes it an inch longer than the 7 Series sedan. Corinthian leather is nowhere to be found, but the standard "sumptuous Dakota leather" gives the larger interior a more luxurious ambience. Standard rear-seat entertainment systems on the 525Li and 535Li models will feature a DVD player and 8-inch monitor mounted to the front center console. The monitor is capable flipping down out of the way when not being used. A refrigerated storage box is also included in the rear of these models.
[Source: MWerks]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
GhostDoggy 2:57PM (10/28/2006)
Poor man's 7-Series? Or did a lot of Chinese suddenly sprout long legs?
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Aki 3:04PM (10/28/2006)
The more I look at this car, the more I think the previous 5-series looked better. I can't help but think "Pontiac" when looking at this Bangled mess. E34 5 series = classiest design ever.
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John 3:26PM (10/28/2006)
Wow, I like how GhostDoggy starts off with a racist post. Thx GhostDoggy, cuz most white people that drive A8Ls and other long wheelbase are 6'10" right? Anyway, this move by BMW makes sense since Audi only sells A6 Long wheelbase in China and they want to compete.
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Disco Stu 4:27PM (10/28/2006)
They've made something ugly, longer.
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toot 5:05PM (10/28/2006)
Actually, the E39 5-series looks the best. :-P
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Will 5:19PM (10/28/2006)
Yao Ming, your car has arrived.
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Tom Design 5:52PM (10/28/2006)
Along Boston's infamously congested I93 South, there is a larger than life picture of the new stretched Lexus. It is a complete clone of this car, with a little Mercedes look in the wheels. I'm just bullshit over the lack of ingenuity on the part of Lexus, and wonder why luxury car buyers even consider such a cloned, non-distinctive look. Okay the quality thing is outstanding, but, the 7 series isn't exactly a Kia. Why would you ever want a mushy riding Lexus that imitates the look of a BMW? Oh, wait, for 8 years people have bought the Lexus that looked just like the last gen Mercedes. But, Lexus is copying BMW now, because Mercedes went so far overboard with their wedge design it scared the conservative, copycat Lexus. Good for Mercedes, and pity poor BMW with the Jap design stealers now taking their look instead.
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Tom Design 6:06PM (10/28/2006)
here's the lexus clone...the 460L
http://www.ce.cn/cysc/auto/csjj/csxw/200610/08/W020061008493019859931.jpg
it's just amazingly unoriginal and copied...too bad BMW can't sue for design infringement.
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Ron 6:49PM (10/28/2006)
Tom you should go back to your hole. It is the BMW which is turd and copies the lexus day in and day out.
lexus should have multiple lawsuits worth billions against BMW.
You have no idea what you are talking about. Neither design, nor writing etiquette is to be found in your posts.
lexus is the sexiest and the most original design and by far the leader among luxury flagships.
You are behaving just like that fox who cried the grapes are sour.
Now finish feeding your large belly with pepsi and whoppers and finish your homework.
Regular homeworks and good manners might land you in a good job so might be able to afford that LS you are so jealous about.
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Ian 7:40PM (10/28/2006)
That should provide a pimpin' way to kick back and relax as you run down pro-democracy activists on your way to Starbucks before meeting with your fellow communist party cronies.
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Jc 8:14PM (10/28/2006)
The E34 was definitely the best. My dad had a 1995 540i 6 speed, and it was beautiful. This does look exactly like the new Lexus. It's interesting that now that BMWs are ugly, Lexus switches to copying them over copying Mercedes.
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JON 8:39PM (10/28/2006)
Lexus copied Mercedes s-class last round.It was shameless.But it was a great car.just not "it's own",to use a term.
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JON 8:47PM (10/28/2006)
It's too bad they copy so much.Lexus is such a great car in it's own right.They should just establish their own definitive design.Lifting from BMW and MB shows that they lack confidence.Lexus designs should be confident ,because the car is incredible.
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Ron 9:13PM (10/28/2006)
Lexus designs are the most original. Unfortunately BMW and benz fanboys lack confidence and accuse lexus just to feel good.
if bmw and benz fanboys are so confident why do they buy bmws in the first place. Why are they hiding behind those badges.
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Tom Design 7:42AM (10/29/2006)
Oh, yeah Ron. Thanks for reminding us of all those beautiful Japanese designs the rest of the world has been copying. I can think of one, the Miata. I'm so glad you gave us a view of your reverse fantasy world. Okay, back to design reality...Lexus copied MB. Now it's copying BMW because MB got too edgy. Anyone else disagree with that? Care to show us some early bustle back Lexus that predate the BMW bustle back? You could lift the side profile from the BMW Taillights and photoshop them onto the Lexus. The front light profile on the Lexus went from a cut and paste from the old Merc S, to a paste of the BMW 7. Even the little quarter window in the rear door has the accent mark in the lower rear corner copied. Lexus is too good a car to be doing this cheap steal.
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Nastinupe 7:10AM (10/29/2006)
#1's comments aren't exactly racist. I mean, the first thing that I thought when I read this article was, "Damn, I guess those poor portly Chinese needed a bigger car in those overly congested streets?" I mean come on BMW, now that the SUV craze is over here in the US, why wouldn't you give US buyers, who are "on average" taller and wider than the Chinese consumer an opportunity to own one of these cars?
My last 4 door car purchase was focused on the amount of rear leg room and I ended up purchasing an 05 TL over the Lexus IS because of it. I looked at the 5 Series and would have probably bought it instead if this option were avaliable... for a decent price of course.
I don't think that it's racist to look at FACTS about a group of people when making corporate decisions. I work in the medical field and the race factor comes up all the time. If people of asian decent don't respond well to ACE inhibitors, then we give them an alternate treatment. That's not racist, just a fact that is being used to make a decision. If Chinese people are on average shorter, then why make a car with more leg room SPECIFICALLY for that country? Why not send this car to the Netherlands? (Was that racist?)
Just my two cents.
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trader 9:50AM (10/29/2006)
#15
There are alot of taller Chinese people in China...especially in the Northern part of the country (where Yao Ming comes from). So unless you come up with some statistic that race has anything to do with height, you are pretty racist by generalizing that the WHOLE Chinese population in general is SHORTER than an average American.
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tariq 2:53PM (10/29/2006)
it IS true tht an average chinese is shorter than an average person from netherlands. But does it matter? the chinese are still tall.
let me explain in car language.
an 'average' enzo is SLOWER than an 'average' veyron. So enzos are slow? no of course not.
In the same way just because an average chinese is shorter than an average dutch, they are still tall, tall enough to think that the legroom in the rear seats of the cars 5 series-E class-A6 isnt enough for their tastes.
its just their preference. this is wot the market wants so this is wot automakers give them. thts marketing
u might argue that ppl in usa would like such cars too. maybe. but how many ppl? would the profits be enough to cover the extra costs and time? i read somewhere that A6 was the highest selling luxury sedan in china,the fastest growing car market in the world, so it makes perfect sense for BMW to compete with AUDI, more sense than it did to make a tahoe in usa
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D. 12:41PM (10/29/2006)
Hey, maybe BMW knows a lot more than you dunderheads.
If you ever get a passport, or get out of the basement for that matter, you will learn that in China, you don't drive the car, you get driven in it.
If I'm shopping in the 5-series price bracket in China, I'm looking at rear seat room before I care about driving dynamics. My rich, cushy ass is gonna be taken care of before the driver gets to play with the SMG. That's why the long wheelbase makes a whole lotta sense in that market.
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Critic 8:36AM (10/31/2006)
Just another nice, overpriced car utilizing 1990's Chrysler architecture and styling. When will the industry abandon this now long-in-the-tooth look?
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