BMW rolled out all nine paint options for the long-wheelbase i3 Sedan at the Chengdu Auto Show this week, and the rest of the world got to do nothing but look. The stretched electric sedan, codenamed NA8, is built for China and will stay there, at least for now.
The color palette includes Isle of Man Green, marking the first time a Chinese-built BMW has worn that shade. Fire Red, Alpine White, Black Sapphire, Eucalyptus Green, Space Silver, and a Frozen matte variant from BMW Individual round out the lineup. It’s a strong spread for a market that increasingly demands visual differentiation at the curb.
But color is the least interesting thing happening here.
BMW added 4.2 inches (108 mm) between the axles, pushing the wheelbase to 3,005 millimeters. Nearly all of that stretch went into the rear doors and, by extension, rear legroom. The result is a sedan that looks subtly different in profile but feels substantially different from the back seat, which is exactly where Chinese luxury buyers spend their time.
The doors themselves tell another story. China’s i3 swaps the flush pop-out handles found on the global car for a semi-enclosed design lifted from older BMW models. This wasn’t a stylistic choice. A new Chinese safety regulation effectively bans pop-out handles, and BMW made the switch at the last minute.
There’s also an illuminated M logo tucked into the Hofmeister kink near the rear pillar. Don’t get excited. This isn’t an M Performance model or any kind of electric M3 preview.
It’s a standard i3 wearing the M Sport Package. Whether BMW will sell the car without that package in China remains unclear, and the question of whether the M badge disappears in that scenario is one BMW hasn’t bothered to answer.
Inside, the cabin carries over from the standard-wheelbase i3 in layout and design. The difference is felt, not seen. More rear legroom transforms the perception of the space, and the stretched iX3 already proved that the formula works.
BMW’s Chinese-market long-wheelbase cars consistently feel a tier above their global counterparts without requiring a single unique interior part.
Deliveries won’t begin until the first quarter of 2027, and pricing hasn’t been announced. The long-wheelbase iX3 starts at roughly $40,000 in China for the base 30L model and tops out around $50,500 for the 50L xDrive. Expect the i3 sedan to slot just below those figures.
A long-wheelbase electric BMW sedan, starting under $40,000, with a premium interior and nine color options, sold exclusively in the world’s largest EV market. BMW is clearly playing to win in China, where domestic competitors like BYD, NIO, and Xiaomi are relentless. The company opened order books for the stretched iX3 this same week.
For buyers in Europe and North America, the message is less encouraging. The standard-wheelbase i3 is what you get. No stretch, no extra legroom, no semi-enclosed handles.
Whether BMW eventually exports the NA8 remains pure speculation, and nothing in the company’s current posture suggests it’s even under consideration. China keeps getting the better car.
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