Stretched BYD Qin saloon spotted outside without camo

Chinese automaker BYD will add a long-wheelbase “L” version to its affordable Qin sedan lineup soon. Following a series of official pre-production photos published in January, Car News China has now obtained spy shots of the same car with hardly any wrap left on the body.

Compared to the regular BYD Qin Plus, the L version has a differently styled front fascia with reshaped headlights and radiator grille, as well as two side vents around the central air intake in the bumper. The sides sport new stamped panels on the doors, and the rear end is also original with redesigned taillights, a sportier bumper and a new diffuser.

The interior with its three-spoke steering wheel and standalone dash/infotainment screens seems largely unchanged. The biggest novelty so far is a wireless charger for two phones located below the display in the middle where the air vents used to be.

According to the China Ministry of Industry and IT, the car is sized 4,830 x 1,900 x 1,495 mm with 2,790 mm of wheelbase. This make it 65 mm longer and 63 mm wider than the Qin Plus with 72 mm of added wheelbase.

For the powertrain, the Qin L will get a fifth-generation DM-I hybrid system composed of a 1.5-liter engine and a single electric motor. The engine delivers 101 PS (100 hp / 75 kW) and the motor comes in two versions rated at 163 PS (161 hp / 120 kW) and 218 PS (215 hp / 160 kW).

The entry-level car uses a LiFePo4 battery sized 10.08 kWh large and the top spec gets a bigger 15.87-kWh pack. The all-electric range amounts to 60 km (37 miles) for the former and 90 km (56 miles) for the latter. The fuel consumption averages at 3.9 liters per 100 km (60 miles per U.S. gallon).

BYD has yet to announce the pricing details, but the media in China expect the Qin L to start from 120,000 Yuan ($16,900).