I didn’t realize they are called “Beijing Benz”:
http://www.bbac.com.cn/Default.aspx?alias=www.bbac.com.cn/en
I didn’t realize they are called “Beijing Benz”:
http://www.bbac.com.cn/Default.aspx?alias=www.bbac.com.cn/en
US spec looks the same no?
“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.