BMW Brilliance opened presale on the New Generation BMW iX3 long-wheelbase at the 29th Chengdu International Auto Show, which runs August 21 through 30, 2026 at the Western China International Expo City with a media day on August 21. The extended-body SUV is the first long-wheelbase pure-electric SAV built on BMW's Neue Klasse platform and is being marketed as a car developed specifically for the Chinese market.

The long-wheelbase body stretches the platform's wheelbase by 108 mm to 3,005 mm, exceeding that of the current BMW X5, according to a regulatory filing that lists the model as the iX3 40L. Overall dimensions come in at 4,885 mm long, 1,895 mm wide and 1,635 mm tall, and the filing lists a curb weight of 2,255 kg in five-seat configuration. BMW says the added length benefits second-row knee room exclusively rather than altering front-seat packaging.

The extended iX3 is built at the BMW Brilliance joint-venture plant in Shenyang, and BMW has said roughly 70% of the source code for the China-market BMW Operating System X was developed by its local engineering team. It previews technology BMW intends to spread across its China-market Neue Klasse lineup, which also includes the BMW i3 Long Wheelbase sedan and a next-generation 7 Series carrying Neue Klasse technology for the first time, both shown alongside the iX3 at April's Beijing auto show.

BMW teased the iX3 Long Wheelbase prototype ahead of the Neue Klasse model's global premiere in China. Source: BMW Group.

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has rated the tested long-wheelbase configuration, badged iX3 50L xDrive, at 919 km of CLTC range, above BMW's earlier public estimate of "over 900 km" and equivalent to roughly 571 miles. BMW cites an energy consumption figure of 13.6 kWh per 100 km for that rating, and a dual-motor output of 351 kW (477 hp) for the tested variant. That figure puts the iX3 long-wheelbase ahead of the CLTC-rated range of Xiaomi's YU7, whose longest-range trim tops out at 835 km, a comparison Chinese outlets have drawn as BMW positions the car against homegrown electric SUV rivals.

The car draws on a sixth-generation, 108.7 kWh usable-capacity battery pack built from newly developed large-format cylindrical cells using cell-to-pack construction, running on a full-domain 800V electrical architecture. BMW Group says the pack delivers roughly 20% higher energy density, 30% more range and 30% faster charging than the outgoing iX3's battery, and that peak DC charging of up to 400 kW can add about 400 km (249 miles) of range in 10 minutes, or take the battery from 10% to 80% in 21 minutes.

BMW put those numbers to a real-world test in June, driving a long-wheelbase iX3 more than 800 km (497 miles) around Qinghai Lake on a single charge, according to a BMW Group statement. The route climbed from roughly 2,200 meters to about 4,000 meters in altitude, crossed temperatures from 1 to 21 degrees Celsius with snow and rain, and was driven in the car's efficiency mode; the vehicle averaged 12.6 kWh per 100 km and finished with 2% battery remaining, implying a full-charge potential of roughly 835 to 840 km (519 to 522 miles) under those conditions.

Inside, the long-wheelbase cabin gets a 17.9-inch central touchscreen and a head-up display BMW describes as projecting a 4K, roughly 40-inch panoramic image. Rear seats recline up to 121 degrees, and combined front and rear cargo volume reaches 1,900 liters with the rear seats folded, about 150 liters more than the standard-wheelbase iX3.

Chengdu visitors will also see the related iX3 Flow Edition on BMW's stand, a concept built on the standard-wheelbase iX3 that debuted at April's Beijing show with an animated hood using E Ink electrophoretic paint. The panel can display eight selectable patterns, including outlines of notable Chinese buildings, by flipping electrically charged black and white pigment capsules; BMW has said the color-changing panel "demonstrates the technology's readiness for series production" and could also help manage cabin temperature by lightening or darkening the body panel.

BMW displayed the production iX3 Long Wheelbase together with the color-changing iX3 Flow Edition concept. Source: BMW Group.

BMW has not disclosed a price for the long-wheelbase iX3. The brand says it is instead selling the car under a fixed-price model that removes traditional dealer haggling from the purchase process, with the flat pricing to be confirmed once presale figures are finalized at the show. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, with a national roadshow of dealer events to follow the Chengdu debut.

The Chengdu launch matters for BMW's broader China strategy: the brand's China sales fell 30.2% in the first half of 2026, and Neue Klasse products like the iX3 long-wheelbase, the i3 long-wheelbase and a China-exclusive BMW M3 Edition 40 Jahre are central to the automaker's effort to reverse that slide at a show where BMW is devoting its entire Hall 14 presence to the new generation of electric models, alongside a preview of the 2027 BMW X3.

MINI, also part of the BMW Group's Chengdu presence, is taking a different approach to the show: rather than confining its cars to the exhibition hall, the brand plans to deploy customized MINI vehicles around Chengdu's shopping districts and landmarks starting August 21, extending the Group's presence into the city itself for the duration of the show.

Beyond China, BMW has said the long-wheelbase iX3 is also planned for at least four additional right- and left-hand-drive markets, including India, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, though it has not given launch timing for any of them.

Whether the fixed-price sales model and the car's range figures translate into orders will become clearer once Chengdu presale numbers, and eventually an official price, are confirmed.