
Asian brands, EVs dominate 2025 Best Buy Awards
The 2025 Best By Awards, announced by Kelley Blue Book, reflect the rapidly shifting landscape of the automotive market not only in the USA, but also elsewhere.
- Industry News
- 17 April 2025
Celebrating Heritage Month during September at BMW and Mini Bedfordview means bringing icons of the past to re-connect with their current siblings.
In this regard, visitors to the dealership can see astonishing BMWs and Minis of yesteryear creating a nostalgia for petrolheads.
Guy Kilfoil, Dealer Principal at Bedfordview, says they did something similar in 2017. “This time round, we decided to put the icons of the past next to their modern-day counterparts on the BMW side. We might add more surprises during the current month, but I cannot say more at this stage.”
The legendary machinery includes BMWs like the E36 M3 4-door, the E28 M5, the E30 333i (unique to South Africa), the E31 V12 850CSi and the BMW Z3 roadster. All these cars are paired up with their modern-day versions.
On the Mini side, there are true jewels like an original Morris Mini, a replica of the rally version of the Mini Cooper S Monte Carlo and a Mini Cooper S Estate. Also on show is the hot rocket Mini Cooper GP, which was the third quickest production car at the recent Knysna Simola Hill Climb with the legendary Regard Roets behind the wheel.
Guy says that three of the old timers on the BMW side have one owner with two of the Minis belong to one person.
The last words come from Guy: “Using the rear view-mirror is never the best tool for dynamic driving, but it’s always important to know where you come from!”
In the face of a shifting premium automotive market, Audi South Africa is also currently re-aligning its retail operations according to the new reality where the premium vehicle sector has contracted to nearly a third of its size compared to a decade ago, with 2024 marking the lowest level yet.
The Halfway Group has opened the doors to a brand-new Lexus dealership, located in Lynnwood, Pretoria, with Chris Jones as the Dealer Principal.
Stellantis has announced the expansion of its multi-franchise dealer network with the addition of the Fiat and Jeep brands to the existing CMH East Rand dealership in Boksburg, Gauteng.