China’s Growing Influence on BMW’s Lineup

As the previous-generation 5 Series bows out, let’s dissect the sales stats. BMW’s G3x lineup, introduced in 2017, has surpassed two million units. If we include the mechanically related 6 Series Gran Turismo (G32), the number climbs to over 110,000 cars.

The breakdown shows that the 5 Series Sedan (G30) contributed 820,000 units, and the 5 Series Touring (G31) found 230,000 buyers. The rest of the sales? They belong to the 5 Series Li (G38), a Chinese-made, elongated sedan that notched up 950,000 sales.

China’s significance to luxury automakers is undeniable. BMW has tailored its offerings to this market, even extending wheelbases for models like the X1 and X5. The new 5 Series Sedan (G60) now includes a spacious Li variant (G68) for conventional and electric versions. 

With the production of the iX3 electric crossover and upcoming models like the electric MINI 3-Door hatch and Aceman small crossover, China has solidified its role as a major manufacturing hub for the BMW Group.