Chengdu Auto Show Observation: Chinese-style innovation of BMW/Volkswagen

"Home in China" is BMW's development slogan in China, which means that BMW wants to read China, understand China, and take root in China; Volkswagen Group, which shares the same development concept, also has the slogan. In China, for China, showing Volkswagen's determination to change for China. At the 2024 Chengdu Auto Show, both brands brought their brand-new products, which have indeed changed dramatically compared to the past, and are even stunning. This time, we got to experience the new products up close at the Chengdu Auto Show and chat with the booth staff to gain a deeper understanding of the overseas brand's Chinese-style innovations.

● BMW is still leading the change in fuel vehicles, and its products are deeply integrated with China's market demand

As a luxury brand, it is necessary to have forwardthinking and technological strength to truly stand in the global market, and what a luxury brand has to do is to lead the times, not follow the times. When the new generation of models based on the Neue Klasse platform is launched,BMW will realize the production of fuel cars, hybrid cars, and electric carson the same production line.

"BMW booth at Chengdu Auto Show 2024"

While competitors have fully embraced the era of electrification and made public the timetable for fuel-vehicle withdrawals, and in some cases no longer have new iterations of the technology, BMW has not made plans accordingly and still takes the fuel-vehicle market very seriously. BMW Group Chairman Zipzer said, “If only one power option exists, it will be a dangerous thing. There are 1.2 billion fuel vehicles in the world, and it would be illogical to let these vehicles disappear from the roads overnight.”

The Chinese market is at the heart of BMW, and Zipzer has said, "China is where the future lies and is the BMW Group's largest market in the world. Our continued success in China cannot be achieved without the continued growth and development of our footprint in China." Gao Xiang, President and CEO of BMW Group Greater China, said "We have spent 30 years proving that ‘Home in China’ is more than just a slogan, it means reading China, understanding China, and taking root in China." Every product BMW launches in China in the future will be more focused.

"BMW New Generation X Concept"

The BMW China R&D team currently has more than 3,000 experts in various fields working together with the German team on the development of the new generation of BMW models, with full consideration of the opinions of Chinese users, to fully meet the needs of Chinese users for the future mobility experience. For Chinese consumers, the key areas of digital experience of the new generation models are also designed by the Chinese R&D team together with the Munich team. In the area of Smart Driving, the Chinese R&D team has begun localized R&D and testing of the L2 and L3 autonomous driving functions equipped in the new generation models. In the field of Smart Manufacturing, AI technology is widely used at the Shenyang production base, with about 100 AI applications already online, and in April this year, BMW increased its investment in the Shenyang production base by RMB 20 billion. The new BMW X3 Long Wheelbase Edition, which debuted at the Chengdu Auto Show, is also a product that deeply integrates the needs of Chinese consumers.

The new BMW X3 Long Wheelbase Edition is even flashier than Mercedes-Benz and incorporates the needs of Chinese consumers in the early stages of the project.

Hoytunker, Senior Vice President of BMW Group Design, said, “The design of the BMW X3 Long Wheelbase Edition and the Standard Wheelbase Edition were developed in tandem, incorporating the needs of Chinese consumers from the early stages of the project, which ensured that the importance of the Chinese market was fully reflected in the design. Our goal was to focus on a simple yet powerful expression based on the heritage of BMW's classic design, de-cluttering without losing details.

By reinterpreting the classic proportions and lines, the new generation of X3 remains visually recognizable as unique to BMW, while matching the Chinese consumer's dual demand for luxury and modernity.” This, to a certain extent, ensures that the design of the BMW X3 Long Wheelbase Edition is original, rather than being re-improved at a later stage and destroying the design concept of the entire vehicle.

"The new BMW X3 Long Wheelbase Edition"

It should be noted that, at the Chengdu Auto Show, the new BMW X3 Long Wheelbase Edition was not fully publicized, and was limited to an exterior display for the public. The automobile house is fortunate to open the door to see the new BMW X3 long wheelbase version of the car inside the situation, however, the car machine system still can not experience, also not allowed to get on the car ride, limited to stand outside the car to view the interior.

"The new BMW X3 long-wheelbase version of the rear seat tilt angle increased, cushion thicker, growth"

The rear space performance of the previous generation of domestic X3 is not ideal, and even the rear space is not as good as the domestic X1 Li. After this domestic lengthening, the rear space is quite considerable. The front seat backrest even specifically to cater to the rear leg space and design, the rear seat targeted design of the extended leg rest, can provide better leg support, at the same time the headrest increased cushion. Officially, the new BMW X3 long wheelbase version specifically for Chinese consumers will be the rear seat tilt angle increased, cushion thickening, growth, and in the rear center armrest to provide wireless charging board.

"The supporting frame structure can be seen inside the front grille of the current BMW X3."

"The interior of the current BMW X3 is sporty, but it lacks the luxury of a Mercedes-Benz."

"The current BMW X3 has average rear space and comfort performance"

The new BMW X3 long wheelbase version has also become more refined, the previous generation BMW X3 was very careful in the places that could not be seen, but it ignored some intuitive feelings, and there is a big difference with Mercedes in details, such as inside the front grille, you will see quite obvious support frame structure, although this design may be talked about by some fans, but not everyone can accept it, after all, BMW X3 is still a mass consumer product, not a niche consumer product like the M series.

The interior also lacks some emotional elements, with too much emphasis on sporty attributes, which makes it difficult to compete with Mercedes, especially for Chinese consumers, which is a minus. BMW X1 can win Chinese consumers with a rare space magic weapon in the same class, but the previous generation BMW X3 not only has no space advantage, but also does not have enough luxury, and its sales are inferior to Mercedes-Benz GLC (for example, in the past six months, BMW X3 has sold 51,665 units, and Mercedes-Benz GLC has sold 74,119 units).

 

"The front grille of the all-new BMW X3 Long Wheelbase Edition is semi-enclosed, and the electronic components are hidden inside"

The all-new BMW X3 Long Wheelbase solves these problems, and in my opinion, the car is more refined in terms of both exterior and interior. There were even a lot of articles on the front of the car alone, and the product manager told me the details. The front of the all-new BMW X3 Long Wheelbase Edition adopts a semi-closed grille design, which not only perfectly solves the previous problem of exposed internal components, but also demonstrates BMW's new design language with a grille. In this semi-enclosed structure, electronic components such as cameras and radars are also integrated. At the same time, each rib line on the engine cover can be connected to the line on the middle grid. The product manager also said that the edges of the engine cover are hidden, making it difficult to see these gaps if you look down from above.

It's hard to imagine that BMW has already begun to pick out such fine details, and BMW is trying to change for the sake of consumers. With the headlights, the whole front face is familiar and unfamiliar, you can recognize it at a glance as a BMW, but it is no longer the BMW you are familiar with, it has really changed a lot.

"Every detail of the interior of the new BMW X3 Long Wheelbase Edition reveals a sense of sophistication, style and innovative design"

The interior brings even more surprises, the ambient lighting flowing from the center console, and front and rear doors is a sight to behold, something that pictures cannot express, it will constantly change, and the color scheme is well thought out, using complementary colors to ensure aesthetics. The panoramic star-rail canopy is also a China-exclusive design, further enhancing the beauty of the details. Every detail of the interior also displays a sense of refinement, which was completely absent from the previous generation of X3. This refinement is not a refined luxury in the traditional sense, nor is it a one-size-fits-all design style, but rather, it is full of a sense of style and individuality. For example, a simple wireless charging panel has ambient lighting on its outer border and a trendy irregular pattern design on the inside, as well as an irregular border, a design that has never been seen on any model before, and the same example is also found on areas such as the door handles, the crystal shifter, and the rear air conditioning vents.

"The new curved dual screen has a very high resolution"

Intelligent level, the new curved dual screen must also have a lot to do, at least from the color resolution, far more than the previous BMW car system, it also has unprecedented smoothness. Unfortunately, this time has not been able to publicly. It is understood that the new car is equipped with the latest generation of BMW's operating system. The new car is also equipped with a head-up display, and it is not known if some of the features can be found in the innovative technology that appears in the new generation models. The product manager told us that the new BMW X3 Long Wheelbase Edition will have an even better experience in terms of intelligence, and we look forward to the subsequent details to be revealed.

Overall, the new BMW X3 Long Wheelbase Edition will find some of the innovations found on previous BMW EVs, such as the front and center console design of the previous iX, but it builds on it with a new design that continues to break new ground.

Although BMW's new design has become more sophisticated, it never forgets the driver-centered philosophy that is the soul of the brand. You'll still feel the urge to drive when you see the sporty steering wheel. Maybe the ambient lighting will all turn red and get your blood pumping. The new BMW X3 Long Wheelbase will still be equipped with the familiar B48B20 series engine, but the engine power has been optimized. The 30L xDrive is equipped with a 2.0T turbocharged engine with a maximum power of 258 hp (190 kW), which is coupled with the 8-speed manual transmission and the BMW xDrive Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system, and even though the vehicle has been lengthened, it will still have a high level of power in the ninth generation of the Transverse Dynamics Management system and the ARB-X anti-drive system. Even if the vehicle is longer, with the cooperation of the 9th Generation Lateral Dynamics Management System and ARB-X Anti-slip Stability Control, it can still handle winding roads with ease and bring driving pleasure. It is reported that the new BMW X3 Long Wheelbase Edition will be delivered in the first quarter of 2025, and we look forward to bringing you a more direct sensory experience through test drives before delivery.

● Volkswagen embraces changes in the Chinese market with a more open attitude

In recent years, Volkswagen has been trying to adapt to the changes in the Chinese market and actively cater to the new demands of Chinese consumers, keeping pace with new energy and intelligence. Volkswagen executives have expressed their determination of “in China, for China” on many public occasions, and although there are always setbacks in the transition, as long as they work hard, there will always be results.

Volkswagen in China still adopts the strategy of fuel vehicles and new energy vehicles to go hand in hand. In the fuel era, Volkswagen's lead in technology has made them always adopt the idea of closed-door research and development in R&D. However, when the new energy and intelligent era comes, this is not Volkswagen's strong point, and this way and method have been constrained, and the products have been questioned constantly.

"CEO of XPENG in the Volkswagen Group"

And more openness has become a new idea that Volkswagen is able to rapidly transform at the moment. In terms of intelligent cockpit and smart driving, it has cooperated with CCTV, Horizon, and DJI, and in terms of new energy, it has cooperated with SAIC and XPENG. The cooperation between Chinese and foreign shareholders will no longer be a simple technology introduction, but resource sharing and mutual benefit. Under the new Volkswagen speed, by 2030, Volkswagen will launch about 35 smart new models in China, covering all power types and relevant market segments, further strengthening the product matrix. And the Volkswagen Passat PRO shown at the Chengdu Auto Show is just the beginning of the prologue.

The new Volkswagen Passat PRO can also be driven by boys and girls on a date, and the rear luxury is as good as that of Huawei's products.

The new Volkswagen Passat PRO gives me an impression of fashion and technology on the one hand, and rear luxury on the other, both of which are designed to meet the needs of Chinese consumers.

"The Passat is black in color in everyone's mind, and the picture shows the current Passat"

When it comes to the Passat, everyone must have the stereotypical impression that it is a standard business reception car in China, and there won't be any young people driving the Passat to go on a date with their girlfriends, but the new Passat PRO seems to change this stereotypical impression.

In everyone's mind, the Passat comes in only one color, black. But the Passat PRO on display at the Chengdu Auto Show comes in lilac and light blue, two colors that were not even common in past Volkswagen models, and the bold use of color proves that the new Passat PRO is going to break through everyone's impression.

"The new Volkswagen Passat PRO Star Edition"

"The new Volkswagen Passat PRO Vanguard Edition"

The new Passat PRO Star Edition model has a completely blacked-out sporty design with low wind resistance wheels and this time it's not called the R-Line version but has a more grounded Chinese name - Star Edition. The business style model is also retained, called the Pioneer Edition, with a chrome center mesh and multi-spoke chrome wheels in front, which is very premium and even reminds me of the flagship Passat with a V6 engine back in the day.

The entire side of the body is still the classic body proportions of the Passat, slender body, extra-long rear doors, and trunk, it is still a model that focuses on rear business travel. The length, width, and height of the new Passat PRO are 5006/1850/1489mm, with a wheelbase of 2871mm, compared to the current model, the length of the car increased by 58mm, the width of the car increased by 14mm, the height of the car increased by 20mm, and the wheelbase remains unchanged, so the space is definitely bigger.

"The new Passat PRO's rear legroom is quite exaggerated"

"Rear seats have headrests"

"The new Passat PRO's trunk space"

The most impressive thing is the back row of the new Passat PRO, in the front row you can fit a driver with a height of 1 meter 8, and in the back row, there is still an exaggerated legroom, subverting your perception of a midsize car. This time Volkswagen is also very attentive to the rear row, the second row of seats can be electrically adjusted backrest angle, the seats have heating, ventilation, and massage functions, and there are headrests audio (the whole car has 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio), the second row set up privacy sunshade, the passenger seat provides the boss button, the cloud feeling seat inside the increase of 10mm sponge padding, softer. The configuration of the second row, in addition to the refrigerator with the rear screen, is not inferior to the rear row of the current Huawei series models. In addition, the trunk space of the new Passat PRO is also enough to surprise, especially its longitudinal height and depth, far beyond the traditional sedan.

"New Passat PRO Dashboard"

"The new Passat PRO supports a wide range of cell phone connectivity"

"The new Passat PRO has a simple menu interface"

"The new Passat PRO passenger entertainment screen"

"The new Passat PRO features 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio"

The front row is also equally luxurious, fully taking into account the needs of young consumers for the front row. The main driver seat memory, steering wheel heating, front seat heating, ventilation, and massage are not absent, the center of the front row is equipped with a 15-inch floating center control screen, 2K high-definition resolution, equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip, although the experience of the car machine is still not as high-level feeling as the Chinese brand, it supports a variety of car interconnection such as CarPlay, CarLife, HiCar, etc. The practical attributes are not bad. , as well as the car Tencent ecology, etc., practical attributes are not bad. At the same time, the passenger side also provides an 11.6-inch entertainment screen, supporting gesture control, to meet the entertainment needs of long-distance travel passengers. The driver has a 10.3-inch full LCD instrument cluster in addition to the w-HUD flat view display system, which displays information such as speed, navigation, driver assistance, snow mode, and warnings. The LCD instrument cluster also allows for AR live navigation.

"The new Passat PRO uses white as the main color for the interior"

The interior is also boldly colored, with a blue and white color scheme that you wouldn't have thought of in the past. The ambient lighting is not absent either, supporting 30 colors and allowing you to set 5 preset modes: Soothing, Pleasant, Smooth, Enthusiastic and Tranquil.

The new Passat PRO also comes with the IQ.Pilot Smart Driving System, a system developed by DJI that allows for toggle lane changing (automatically changing lanes by hitting the turn signal), intelligent obstacle avoidance (recognizing cones, tidal lanes), automatic following, and auto parking and memory parking.

Power, the new Passat PRO is still equipped with the third-generation EA888 high-power 2.0T turbocharged engine, with a maximum power of 220 hp (162 kW), maximum torque of 350 Nm, 0-100km/h acceleration of 7.6 seconds, and a comprehensive fuel consumption of 6.87L/100km, which is paired with the DQ381 DSG seven-speed wet dual-clutch gearbox. The power level is still the same familiar system, consistent with the previous generation of Passat high end models.

『New Passat EXECUTIVE declaration map, rear headrests are wider and more luxurious』

I also consulted the sales at the VW booth on the site, and he said that the new Passat PRO will be sold in the same hall as the current Passat, so the pricing will be more expensive than the current Passat, and I'm guessing that its starting price will be more than 200,000 RMB. Sales also confirm that a more premium four-seat version of the Passat will follow. The Passat EXECUTIVE has been seen in previous MIIT filings, and it's clear from the rear window that the car will have two more luxurious seats in the back, or at least it has noticeably wider headrests than the current model, and I'm guessing that it may feature the same kind of plush individual seating found in MPVs. So the new Passat may have big tricks up its sleeve to follow. After all, SAIC Volkswagen has more experience in Chinese-style innovation, and in the future, it will form a product lineup of Passat, Passat PRO, and Passat EXECUTIVE, with a wider price coverage to satisfy multiple needs.

● Conclusion:

Although the Chengdu Auto Show is not one of the largest auto shows in China, Chengdu is the city with the largest number of cars in China and has great influence in western China. BMW and Volkswagen are well aware of the importance of this market and have launched several new heavyweight models at the show, which is enough to show that the two brands attach great importance to the domestic market and will not miss any opportunity to showcase their products.

Whether it's BMW, or Volkswagen, the new products have made leaps and bounds, fully demonstrating unprecedented Chinese innovation. This is just the beginning of the change of the two brands, along with the launch of BMW's new generation models, as well as Volkswagen Anhui customized models for the Chinese market, the road of Chineseization of the two brands will be further revealed.

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