German premium carmaker BMW is kicking around the idea of developing more special versions of its cars specifically for the Chinese market, the company said Tuesday.

"There are various ways to approach this," a spokesman said, noting BMW already offered a long version of its top-end 7-Series car in China. But he added: "Adjustments to our product offerings are not on the cards at the moment."

He was responding to a report in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper quoting a management source as saying BMW planned to launch a 5-Series version in China later this year with a longer wheel base and more luxury features than the European model.

It said BMW's Chinese partner Brilliance would make the car.

China has become an important outlet for high-priced BMWs. In the first quarter, BMW sold 1,680 BMW 7-Series cars here, making China the second-largest market for the model after the United States.

Editor: Yan