BMW only reveals its sales figures for the South African market four times a year, giving us a glimpse at which of its cars local buyers are the most fond of, and which ones they’re not that crazy about.
In September, the German automaker gained 1,037 new customers, with the majority of them opting to go for the locally-produced X3 SUV.
The all-new X1 with its angular looks and electrified options was the second favourite BMW to roll out of showrooms in September, followed by the iconic 3 Series Sedan that recently underwent a major Life Cycle Impulse (LCI) update.
The fact that two SUVs are now sitting above the manufacturer’s most famous model illustrates local consumers’ propensity for the more practical body style in the luxury-car segment.
Another rather surprising performer from last month was the BMW XM, which saw six buyers take home the super SUV at R3.4 million a pop. The XM is touted as the first M Original in 45 years and is also the first plug-in hybrid model to be born out of the company’s high-performance department.
The least popular BMWs in September were the 8 Series and Z4, both achieving two sales.
Open-top driving has become highly dangerous in South Africa in recent times which could have played a role in the Z4’s sales numbers, whereas the R2.2-million-plus price tag of the 8 Series combined with its low-slung body likely impacted its potential as well.
South Africa’s favourite BMWs
The below ranking shows the best-selling BMWs in South Africa from September, according to Naamsa.
Click on the underlined prices for more information.
1. BMW X3 – 222 units
- Starting price – R981,224
- Number of models – 10
2. BMW X1 – 138 units
- Starting price – R788,045
- Number of models – 6
3. BMW 3 Series – 121 units
- Starting price – R827,894
- Number of models – 8
4. BMW 1 Series – 112 units
- Starting price – R691,072
- Number of models – 8
5. BMW X5 – 88 units
- Starting price – R1,706,850
- Number of models – 8
6. BMW X4 – 56 units
- Starting price – R1,187,894
- Number of models – x
7. BMW 2 Series – 53 units
- Starting price – R716,072
- Number of models – 10
8. BMW 4 Series – 42 units
- Starting price – R947,742
- Number of models – 8
9. BMW X6 – 26 units
- Starting price – R1,826,850
- Number of models – 4
10. BMW X7 – 19 units
- Starting price – R2,017,457
- Number of models – 3
11. BMW 7 Series – 10 units
- Starting price – R2,237,751
- Number of models – 5
12. BMW 5 Series – 7 units
- Starting price – R1,247,894
- Number of models – 1
13. BMW XM – 6 units
- Starting price – R3,400,000
- Number of models – 1
14. BMW i4 – 5 units
- Starting price – R1,293,300
- Number of models – 2
15. BMW X2 – 5 units
- Starting price – R747,286
- Number of models – 3
16. BMW iX – 4 units
- Starting price – R1,735,000
- Number of models – 3
17. BMW i7 – 3 units
- Starting price – R2,935,000
- Number of models – 2
18. BMW 8 Series – 2 units
- Starting price – R2,252,922
- Number of models – 3
19. BMW Z4 – 2 units
- Starting price – R993,045
- Number of models – 2
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