![25 Polo Cup1](/imager/gallery/64102/25PoloCup1_ac4358fb135aa81dd484ffed19f8ae96.jpg)
Racing cars for Germany to be built by VW in Kariega
South Africa is exporting one of its most successful racing formulas to Germany.
- Industry News
- 7 February 2025
The BMW XM and M2 have finally made their way to South Africa and if you’re wondering how much they’ll set you back, then fasten your seatbelts.
The German manufacturer just released the pricing of the XM and M2, both models that featured at the BMW M Fest celebrating the M division’s 50th birthday at Kyalami towards the end of last year. At this event, the M2 made its world debut, and it was the XM’s first showing in Africa.
The XM SUV-like will cost you R3.4 million while the smaller M2 sports coupé will set you back R1 503 975 to be precise.
The XM is BMW’s biggest and boldest SUV yet.
In the case of the XM Sport Activity Vehicle, a 145 kW-electrical system added to the company’s 4.4 litre V8 and 480 kW with 800 Nm result in this plug-in hybrid capable of reaching 100 km/h in only 4.3 seconds and has an astonishing top speed of 270 km/h.
The BMW XM represents a complete reimagining of the high-performance car segment. It underlines the ability of BMW M GmbH to break with established conventions and push boundaries to offer fans of the brand the ultimate driving experience. The BMW XM is also the first standalone BMW M model since the legendary, mid-engined BMW M1.
The new BMW M2 follows a more traditional approach with a reworked three litre turbo in-line six-cylinder engine, rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual gearbox as an option above the eight-speed M Steptronic transmission.
The six cylinders will deliver a mouth-watering 338 kW and 550 Nm and outguns its predecessor by 66 kW and is capable of reaching 100 km/h in 4.3 second and 4.1 for the Steptronic transmission.
To get a proper picture of the M2’s proportions, it measures 214 mm less in exterior length than the BMW M4 Coupé models and has a 110-millimetre shorter wheelbase. At the same time, the vehicle and track widths exceed the figures for the new BMW 2 Series Coupé by a considerable margin.
Volkswagen has added two new derivatives to its T-Cross line-up for the 2025 model year. The T-Cross has been the best-selling Volkswagen SUV with over 36 000 cars sold since its launch in 2019.
Volkswagen found a gap in it SUV line-up between the range-topping Touareg and the Tiguan and will fill it with its new Tayron set to arrive locally in the second half of 2025 when pricing and engine specifications will be announced. The Tayron will launch with two equipment lines - Life and R-Line.
If you think Golf in South Africa, you think GTI or even the quicker Golf R. Volkswagen, however, has just introduced a new entry-level Golf consisting of four models slotting in below its twin performance siblings.