Share

Final BMW 3 Series Sedan rolls off SA production line, makes way for X3

• Over 1.1-million 3 Series sold since 1983 
• Current BMW 3 Series to be produced by other plants within the BMW Group production network. 
• Rosslyn readying for the start of production of the new X3. 

Rosslyn, Pretoria - The final BMW 3 Series Sedan rolled off the production line at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn. The plant has produced a total of 1 191 604 five generations of the 3 Series and will begin a new era of producing the new BMW X3 in the coming months.

The 3 Series will continue its current lifecycle and be produced by other plants within the BMW Group production network. In addition, it will now be imported into South Africa.

Massive investment of R6-billion for X3 production

Tim Abbott, CEO of BMW Group South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa said: "We look back with great pride over an extraordinary career path of the production of the five generations of the BMW 3 Series at Plant Rosslyn."

In November 2015, BMW SA announced that it will invest a total of R6-billion at Plant Rosslyn. The investment - one of the biggest in the local automotive industry - has enabled Plant Rosslyn to get ready to produce the new X3, which will be sold locally and exported to Europe.

Then, in October 2017, an additional R160-million was pumped into the Rosslyn manufacturing facility to enhance production line speed.

                                                                           Image: BMW SA

Stefan Hülsenberg, Director of BMW Plant Rosslyn, says that the enhancement has raised the maximum production capacity by almost 10%, from 71 000 units to 76 000 units, leaving the plant with excellent potential in the future to produce the highest volume ever in its 45-year history.

"Plans to create a center of production excellence at our plant are well under way with the largest infrastructure upgrade in the history of the facility now completed and staff upskilled in state-of-the-art technologies. Supplier development and localisation strategies are in progress, and we are confident that the new BMW X3 will be more localised than the BMW 3 Series we've produced. We are continuing to build our future together," Hülsenberg adds.

One in four 3 Series sedan models was built in Pretoria

The 3 Series Sedan is currently produced at Group Plants in Munich, Regensburg, Araquari (Brazil), Chennai (India), Rayong (Thailand) and Mexico (from 2019). It is also produced at the BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) Joint Venture in China as well as partner plants in Russia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Egypt.

To date a total of 382 658 sixth generation 3 Series models have been produced at Plant Rosslyn while over two million vehicles have been sold worldwide - one in every four BMW 3 Series Sedan sold globally was produced at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn. In 2013, the BMW 320i was a finalist in the Wesbank / SAGMJ Car of the Year Competition.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE