Beijing Benz - new E-Class for China

I didn’t realize they are called “Beijing Benz”:

http://www.bbac.com.cn/Default.aspx?alias=www.bbac.com.cn/en


(from New Mercedes E-Class China debut at Chengdu Motor Show |<!-- ab 17249615 -->Motoring<!-- ae 17249615 --> |chinadaily.com.cn)

US spec looks the same no?
Screen Shot 2013-09-03 at 7.31.15 PM.jpg

“L” is for Limousine.

No self respecting E class owner would have less leg room than his driver.

2.875 meter wheelbase on non-China E300’s.

Luxury Automobiles: At the Auto China 2010 Show, Mercedes-Benz debuted the E 300 L, a long wheelbase E-Class sedan. The E 300 L is actually the first model that Daimler developed specifically for the Chinese market.

The rear passengers get 14 cm more leg room. The E 300 L also has a wheelbase of 3.014 m and has an overall length of 5.008 m. The extended wheelbase variant will also come as an E 260 CGI model. There’s now an emerging trend in China for extended wheelbase variants of premium brand vehicles.

Mercedes considers this market to be a highly important one, especially after its sales grew 112% in the first quarter of this year. The E 300 L will be produced locally by Beijing Benz Automotive Corporation, a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Company (BAIC).

It is common for car makers to make a longer special edition sedan just for China, as mentioned to get more leg room in the back. I know for sure Volvo has been doing that with s80 for years, were definitely not the only nor first.

Volkswagen even did an elongated version of the Passat, which is a rather mundane
base for our standards. These China Versions look like the children of the american
Vegas Limousine Town Cars. Or like teckels.

mo-i

Pretty smart move by Mercedes. The ‘genuine’ Mercedes owner can view their car as superior to the Chinese made one (European styling, German engineering etc.) , the Beijing Benz owner can view their car as superior, as it’s designed to have a driver.