Certain cars in the current new car market will offer what is called a long wheelbase (LWB for short) version in their range. These are predominantly offered with luxury cars.
But why do some new cars even offer a long wheelbase alongside a standard one in the first place? This guide explains the reasoning.
Just to be clear, ‘wheelbase’ is the term used to describe the distance between the front and rear wheels of a vehicle.
Some manufacturers will offer a variation of an existing car which will be modified so that the front and rear wheels are further apart, therefore meaning a longer wheelbase. Current cars which offer a lengthened wheelbase include the Jaguar XJ, Range Rover and Mercedes S-Class saloon.
Benefits of long wheelbase
One of the most common reasons a car is offered with a long wheelbase variant is to allow it to offer greater loading capacity, or more cabin space at the rear, or even possibly both of these reasons.
Luxury saloon and 4x4s are the cars which most commonly include a long wheelbase variant and both type of vehicles do place a lot emphasis on practicality. The difference in length between a standard and long wheelbase can vary. For some cars, a long wheelbase may be long enough to transform the car into a limousine.
