More details on Tata’s new line-up in South Africa
Tata’s passenger vehicles made a return to the South African market with some interesting models. Let’s take a closer look at what is available and at what price.
- Product News
- 8 September 2025
BMW believes its fortunes in China will turn around with the introduction of its revolutionary Neue Klasse electric vehicle series, which took a major step forward this week with the launch of its first model.
The German premium carmaker's Chief Financial Officer, Walter Mertl, expressed confidence that the new range would help BMW regain its footing in what remained its most important global market.
With a 400kW charging rate, enough power to add up to 372 kilometres of driving in ten minutes and a range of up to 805 kilometres, the BMW iX3 50 xDrive will certainly get the attention of car buyers. It can also cover up to 805 kilometres on a single battery charge.
"We are more than competitive with this product," Walter stated in an interview with Reuters. "With increasing availability of the Neue Klasse, we will see growth in China again."
BMW, like other European luxury brands, has struggled in China amid intensifying pressure from domestic electric vehicle manufacturers and a sluggish property sector that has dampened spending among wealthy consumers.
The company's Chinese sales fell by 15.5% during the first six months of 2025.
However, Mertl struck an optimistic tone following Friday's launch of the Neue Klasse iX3 electric SUV, which is set to reach Chinese showrooms by summer 2026.
"Looking at our future model range, I'm not worried," he said.
The vehicle's debut comes ahead of Munich's 2025 IAA automotive exhibition, where established German manufacturers face mounting pressure from an increasingly sophisticated Chinese automotive industry.
A significant breakthrough for BMW lies in the cost reduction achieved with the new model’s battery technology, which is 40% to 50% cheaper than current offerings, according to Mertl. This improvement is expected to substantially boost the company's margins.
The iX3 50 variant could achieve profitability levels matching traditional petrol-powered vehicles, industry parlance for "margin parity", by 2026, the finance chief revealed.
BMW is targeting an automotive EBIT margin between 5% and 7% for 2025, with aspirations to reach 8% to 10% in subsequent years.
The company's strategy involves gradually retiring its current model line-up by 2030 as the Neue Klasse series expand across all segments.
On the subject of US trade policy, where BMW operates its largest manufacturing site, Mertl confirmed that import tariffs would trim the company's profit margins by 1.25 percentage points this year.
Under proposed arrangements, the European Union would drop tariffs on American industrial imports in return for reduced US duties on European cars, falling from 27.5% to 15%, with the automotive industry hoping for retroactive implementation from August.
Tata’s passenger vehicles made a return to the South African market with some interesting models. Let’s take a closer look at what is available and at what price.
South Africa will leverage the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025 in Algiers, Algeria, from 4 to 10 September to cement its position as Africa's automotive manufacturing leader.
Malaysia has taken a major step forward in its electric vehicle ambitions with the official opening of Proton's first dedicated EV-manufacturing facility. The plant launch represents a pivotal moment for both the automotive manufacturer and the country's broader electrification goals.
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You can't buy happiness but you can buy cars and that's kind of the same thing.
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Malaysia has taken a major step forward in its electric vehicle ambitions with the official opening of Proton's first dedicated EV-manufacturing facility. The plant launch represents a pivotal moment for both the automotive manufacturer and the country's broader electrification goals.
Volkswagen is abandoning its separate electric vehicle naming convention, opting instead to align its battery-electric models with established combustion engine nameplates. The German automaker announced that the strategy shift would begin with the ID Polo, set to debut in 2026.
Camera-based technology that watches drivers' eyes and alerts them to being distracted is proving surprisingly popular, new research suggests, with nearly 90% of users keeping the system active.