Long wheelbase cars are all the rage at the 2016 Beijing Motor Show as Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz reveal stretched versions of their respective models.
Chinese luxury car buyers have a thing for long-wheelbase cars. Surprisingly though, it’s not big and expensive luxury cars that they are after. In fact, they like elongated versions of smaller cars like the Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class etc. And there’s a reason, or two, for that – first, cars in China are taxed based on the engine capacity and not on the real estate they cover. Second, the Chinese like being chauffeured around than to drive themselves.
To cater to the aforementioned demands, luxury car manufacturers have been producing China-specific long-wheelbase models for quite a while. And we are going to witness more such cars in the coming time. At the 2016 Beijing Motor, several long wheelbase cars were unveiled for the market including the Audi A4 L, BMW X1 Li, Mercedes-Benz E-Class L and Jaguar XF L. Let’s take a quick low-down on each one of these –
- Audi A4 L – Based on the latest A4 sedan, the stretched version is 4,810mm long in comparison to the regular model’s 4,720mm. This also makes it around 400mm longer than the older A4 L, while its weight has also been reduced by 110kg. Two engine options are offered on the A4 L in China. Both are 2.0-litre TFSI petrol engines available in two different states of tune – 187bhp and 249bhp. A seven-speed S Tronic dual-clutch automatic gearbox sending power to front-wheels is standard. Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive is optional.
- BMW X1 Li – The X1 is one of the most successful BMW models sold in China. The entry-level crossover has been stretched by around 121mm for the Chinese market. Badged the X1 Li, it is 4,560mm long, 1,820mm wide and 1,620mm tall. Three petrol engine options are available - a 136bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder and two 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines developing 190bhp and 228bhp, respectively. The 1.5-litre unit comes mated with a 6-speed auto whereas the 2.0-litre engines come with 8-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive are offered.
- Jaguar XF L – The XF L has a wheelbase of 3,100mm, which is 140mm more than the standard model. As per Jaguar, this has resulted in an increase of 116mm and 157mm of rear knee-room and leg-room, respectively. The XF L weighs 200 kilograms more than the regular model. Three petrol engines will be offered including two turbocharged 2.0-litre with 197bhp and 236bhp and a 3.0-litre supercharged V6 motor producing 336bhp. Power is transferred to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox.
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class L – The fifth-gen E-Class is barely here, and Mercedes-Benz has introduced a long wheelbase version of the sedan in China. The stretched version’s wheelbase has increased by 140mm over the standard model, resulting in an extra rear legroom of 134mm. Mercedes has also revamped the interior of the vehicle in order to make it more “luxurious”. Engine options have not been revealed as yet, but it’s expected to feature a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol powertrain. The cabin has also been updated with the rear occupants getting a revised centre armrest, along with the option of having it customised with features such as wireless phone charger and a touchscreen display. While Mercedes did not reveal any details regarding the car’s engine, it did reveal that the car would be badged 'E 200 L', indicating the possibility of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. The engine will be paired to Mercedes’ new nine-speed automatic gearbox.
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