BMW China mein past 10+ years se long wheelbase cars build or sell kar rahi hai. Pehle sirf sedans ko stretch kiya jaata tha so that rear seat mein zyada legroom mile. But aaj ke time par lineup mein X1, X3, or X5 ke bhi regional long wheelbase versions aa chuke hai. Ab next model jisko LWB treatment milega, wo hoga iX3 codename "NA6", jo China ke liye BMW ka first Neue Klasse model hoga.
Haan, thoda surprising lag sakta hai, but ye car sirf China ke liye exclusive nahi hogi. BMW plan kar rahi hai ki more spacious iX3 ko "selected international markets" mein sell kiya jaaye, or abhi ke liye unhone 4 countries ka name liya hai: Ismein sabse first India, Thailand, Indonesia or Malaysia. Abhi itna early hai ki confirm nahi kiya ja sakta ki ye regions both versions receive karenge ya sirf LWB version. Thailand or Indonesia mein toh BMW already standard wheelbase iX3 codename "NA5" ka promotion bhi kar rahi hai.
iX3 ka elongated version agar other markets mein bhi hota hai, then iska matlab ye hai ki production sirf China tak limited nahi rahega. Waise bhi ye first time nahi hoga. Just last year hi long-wheelbase iX1 bana tha, jo India mein build first electric BMW tha. Abhi ke liye BMW ne clear nahi kiya hai ki stretched iX3 Chennai plant mein build hogi ya China ke outside other factory mein.
So ye camouflaged iX3 actually how big is this? BMW ne iska wheelbase 108mm, around 4.2 inches increase kiya hai. Ab axles ke between total distance ho gayi hai 3005 mm, jo kaafi generous hai, or ye iX ke wheelbase se bhi thodi zyada hai. By the way in the coming years iX thoda irrelevant ho sakta hai, because BMW iX5 or iX7 launch karne wali hai.
Image Courtesy: BMWblogs
Yes, obvious hi hai ki China hi first market hoga jahan iX3 Long wheelbase launch hogi. Iski sales year ke second half mein start hogi, jab April ke second half mein Beijing Auto Show par iska world premiere ho chuka hoga.
Ye BMW ke liye China mein kaafi important model hai, because wahan sales continuously decline ho rahi hai. Last year demand around 12.5% fall ho gayi, or BMW or MINI ne jointly 6.25 lakh cars deliver ki. To Understand, BMW Group ki China mein sales 2021 ke peak (almost 8.48 lakh units) se zyada units down ho chuki hai.
Image Courtesy: BMWblogs
iX3 codename NA6 un 20+ new cars mein se ek hai jo BMW is year China mein launch karne wali hai. Iske saath-saath BMW ne 31 models par price cuts bhi lagaye hai, so that jo sales down ja rahe hai, unhe control kiya ja sake.