BMW is playing its trump card for China — long-wheelbase versions of the new X5 and the fully electric iX5. No half measures here: these are standalone factory variants with the internal code G78, built specifically around what local buyers want. Production starts in 2027.
The headline feature is the wheelbase. Engineers stretched it by 130 mm, to 3,165 mm. And almost all of that extra space went straight to the rear passengers — this cabin belongs to them now.
Inside: specially designed seats, a panoramic iDrive system built on BMW Operating System X, and a dedicated front-passenger screen. But the real showstopper sits above the heads of rear-seat passengers: a new version of the ceiling-mounted Theatre Screen that streams 8K video, runs games, and handles video calls. Adaptive two-axle air suspension isn't an option here — it's standard.
The electric BMW iX5 gets the sixth generation of eDrive technology, plus a promise that's hard not to gasp at: over 1,000 km of range on China's CLTC cycle. Battery capacity, output and charging speed for the Chinese version remain BMW's secret for now. For comparison, the global iX5 60 xDrive is rated at up to 845 km on WLTP — but that comparison limps. The test cycles are different, and the figures shouldn't be compared directly.
There's another card up BMW's sleeve: a driver-assistance system for the Chinese models developed together with local partner Momenta. It's meant to handle driving from point A to point B without human input. The catch — BMW hasn't yet revealed the automation level or which roads the feature will actually work on.
A long-wheelbase X5 for China isn't new territory. The previous generation was already built at the BMW Brilliance joint venture in Shenyang, going all the way back to 2022.
Earlier we reported that the BMW iX3 became Brazil's longest-range electric car.
