BMW Group South Africa hails the end of an era as BMW Group Plant Rosslyn ended production of the third-generation BMW X3.
On 28 August, the last vehicle of this model was produced, thereby manufacturing 403 114 BMW X3 cars built over the period.. This historic moment was celebrated by the organisation’s members of management and employees. The last vehicle – a now memorable Carbon Black BMW X3 – will be shipped to a customer in Germany.
At the heart of BMW Group South Africa’s operations since 1973, BMW Group Plant Rosslyn is a cornerstone of its global production network of more than 30 sites in 15 countries. It was the first plant established outside of Germany, building more than 1.7 million cars since its inception.
In a key move, BMW Group Plant Rosslyn produced the BMW 3 Series for 35 years until 2018, manufacturing more than 1 million units and increasing production with each model.
In 2015, the BMW Group announced a R6 billion investment into South Africa by preparing BMW Group Plant Rosslyn for the production of the BMW X3 in 2018. The investment upgraded the facility into one of the most modern in the world and placed it in line with the efficiency, sustainability and flexibility of BMW Group plants across the globe.
BMW Group Plant Rosslyn has been producing the BMW X3 in a three-shift operation for South Africa and more than 50 African and global markets. Approximately 96% of the units produced at the plant are destined for export. With a planned maximum capacity of 76 000 units of the BMW X3, and additional investments, the plant can flexibly match volumes to demand and build more cars.
In 2023, BMW Group South Africa announced R4.2 billion in investment to equip its Rosslyn plant to build the next-generation BMW X3 plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV). The investment is in line with BMW’s iFACTORY master plan for future production, marking a significant next-step in advancing the development of efficient, digitalised and resource-friendly production.
The new BMW X3 will be built at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg and Plant Rosslyn using a production process that prioritises the conservation of resources and circularity. Production will begin with the PHEV model, exclusively manufactured in Rosslyn for the world.
As of October 2024, BMW Group Plant Rosslyn will build the fourth-generation BMW X3, continuing the success story of the production of this model in South Africa and securing the future of the plant for the next 50 years.
This decision further ensures the livelihoods of more than 20 000 people directly and indirectly employed at BMW Group South Africa’s facilities and within its supply chain.
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Volvo has confirmed that its vehicles will now integrate Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence system. This development builds on the company’s existing collaboration with Google, which already provides Android Automotive OS and Google services in Volvo models.
New vehicle sales in 2026 continued their positive trend in April, with the 47 979 units sold marking the best April figure since 2013. This represents a remarkable performance by local automotive retailers despite a host of economic headwinds and a challenging trading environment.
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