India Now Has A Long-Wheelbase BMW 3-Series

Chinese buyers absolutely love cars with extended wheelbases, and in mid-February, BMW launched a lengthened version of the X3 there. Now, the German brand has premiered a long-wheelbase 3-Series, although it hasn’t been developed for China and, instead, has been built for the Indian market.

The new model is known as the 330Li M Sport and will be manufactured at the BMW plant in Chennai. Compared to the 3-Series sold in global markets, this model is 4.17 inches (106 mm) longer, stretching to 189.7 inches (4,819 mm). More importantly, the wheelbase has grown by 4.33 inches (110 mm) and now measures 116.5 inches (2,961 mm). This makes it the longest car in its segment and gives the sedan heaps of legroom. Curiously, BMW India has yet to publish any photos of the car’s back seats.

Read: BMW’s First Long-Wheelbase X3 Gives China The Legroom It Craves

Beyond adding some extra length, the brand has added its aluminum rhombicle anthracite finish to the cabin and fitted the Curved Display now found across much of the BMW lineup. It also comes standard with a flat-bottomed M leather steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof, and ambient lighting.

All long-wheelbase 3-Series models sold in India come with the same engine. This is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 258 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque between 1,550 and 4,400 rpm. BMW’s eight-speed automatic transmission comes standard and sends power to the rear wheels, helping the 330Li M Sport hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.2 seconds.

Luxury vehicles are not cheap in India, and this is reflected in the price of the 330Li M Sport. It starts at INR 6,260,000, which is roughly the equivalent of $71,500.

BMW has been building vehicles at its Chennai plant since early 2007. Its Indian factory has manufactured a slew of models over the years, such as the 4-Series, 5-Series, 6-Series, 7-Series, X1, X3, X5, X6, X7, and several EVs, including the iX1, iX, i4, i5, and i7.