BMW has begun its next big chapter in South Africa, as the company is now preparing for the launch of the next-gen X3.
The fan-favourite SUV is manufactured right here in Mzansi, and it is scheduled to appear in showrooms before the end of 2024.
Production of the new X3 will commence in October, and President Cyril Ramaphosa will be in attendance to mark the occasion of this milestone for the local auto industry.
Embarking on a new chapter
BMW’s domestic production facility in Rosslyn, Gauteng, has been pumping out cars for decades.
The factory is most famous for the popular 3 Series, as a staggering 1,191,604 units were made over the course of 30 years before the company shifted to a new model in 2018.
That model happened to be the X3, as BMW pivoted its efforts from a sedan to an SUV in response to the growing global demand for the larger body type.
To accommodate the shift, the Munich-based automaker invested a total of R6 billion into Rosslyn to refit its production lines for the X3, and today the site is one of only three locations in the world where the SUV is assembled.
Since 2012, the factory has employed a three-shift cycle, ensuring that vehicles are built around the clock on a 24-hour loop with workers coming and going on an eight-hour timeline.
The result is that BMW has been able to fabricate an average of 76,000 models per year, the vast majority of which are shipped overseas to both right- and left-hand-drive markets.
It’s a business strategy that has evidently paid off, as the X3 was one of BMW’s best-selling vehicles around the world in 2023.
Fast forward to August 2024, and the carmaker finally ended the production of the current-generation X3, having produced a commendable 403,114 units during its six-year presence on the assembly floor.
The SUV isn’t going anywhere, however, as Rosslyn is one of the sites where the new fourth-generation X3 will be built.
BMW Group South Africa has already invested an additional R4.2 billion into its local factory for the incoming models, as the fourth iteration of the popular car features a plug-in hybrid powertrain, necessitating new facilities and equipment to install the advanced electrical systems.
The company’s local division said that it expects the hybrid investment will help to secure Rosslyn’s future for the next 50 years, given that much of the world is shifting towards new-energy transport.
The first batch of new models is scheduled to emerge in October, creating the initial stock that will go on sale to the public in the final quarter of 2024.
The pricing for the SUV was also recently unveiled, with the base 20d xDrive units starting at R1,136,417, while the flagship M50 is set at R1,545,446.
Getting help
Yanfeng Plastic Omnium (YFPO), an automotive component producer with a long-standing relationship with BMW, is investing an impressive R1 billion towards a new facility in South Africa that will supply the automaker with parts for the new X3.
The Chinese company specializes in interiors, manufacturing pieces for a car’s seats, steering wheels, dashboard displays, and lighting, though it also produces exterior fittings like bumpers, grilles, and tailgates.
The local branch will supply Rosslyn with the painted plastic exterior components for BMW’s new SUV.
YFPO is setting up its base of operations in the City of Tshwane, and is expected to create over 300 new employment opportunities.
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