The Chinese may not be known as the tallest nationality on the planet but in China the longer your wheelbase the higher you status so BMW is to introduce an extended version of the 3 Series specifically for the Chinese market.
Set to be unveiled at Auto China in Beijing at the end of this month, the big 3er will be 11cm longer than its European counterpart and be available in 320Li, 328Li or 335Li guises all powered by BMW's latest TwinPower Turbo engines. The long wheelbase 3 Series follows on from a similar 5 Series model that BMW produces for the market and will compete with an extended Audi A4 that has been offered since 2009. The new car will be built at BMW's plant in Shenyang, China.
The Beijing motor show will also mark the Asian debut for the regular 3 Series saloon and the latest ActiveHybrid 3, as well as the likes of the 6 Series Gran Coupé, M6, X6 and X3 xDrive 28i.
It's thought that the extended 3 Series could form the basis of a new BMW 3 Series Gran Coupé or 3 Series Gran Turismo.