BMW to Launch Long-Wheelbase X5 in China by 2027 with Co-Developed ADAS from Momenta

BMW plans to launch a China-specific long-wheelbase version of the X5 in the Chinese market in 2027, equipped with an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) co-developed with Momenta. Codenamed G78, the model will be produced at BMW’s Dadong plant and may share the same production line as the all-electric iX5, which is expected to feature BMW’s largest battery pack to date for its EVs—148 kWh. This China-exclusive X5 represents BMW’s tailored offering for its largest single market globally, continuing the strategy initiated in 2022 when the current-generation X5 (G05) was introduced in China with a long-wheelbase variant (G18). The global fifth-generation X5 is expected to debut in summer 2024 under the codename G65, with the China-specific long-wheelbase version arriving three years later. In addition to the X5, BMW unveiled two new NEUE KLASSE all-electric models exclusively developed for the Chinese market at the Beijing Auto Show—the long-wheelbase i3 and iX3—both featuring ADAS systems co-developed with Momenta. BMW stated that by the end of 2027, it will introduce more than 40 new models, including a Touring (estate) version of the all-electric i3 and the yet-to-be-officially-revealed iX4, which is highly likely to enter the Chinese market. Currently, most BMW models sold in China are locally produced, with only a few—including the 7 Series, the entire iX lineup, and the XM—still manufactured overseas. The 7 Series and iX are produced at BMW’s Dingolfing plant in Germany, while the XM is built at the Spartanburg plant in the United States. Although long-wheelbase models have recently expanded beyond the Chinese market, it remains uncertain whether the G78 will be exported elsewhere. If not, the next-generation X7 (codenamed G67) and its all-electric counterpart, the iX7, will remain BMW’s sole large flagship SUV series.