New limited-edition BMW 3 Series for South Africa – Pricing

BMW has taken the covers off a new 3 Series model called the 50 Jahre Edition.

The Jahre is a limited-edition model commissioned to celebrate the iconic sedan’s 50th birthday.

The 3 Series is one of BMW’s most popular models, with a long history rooted in South Africa.

First unveiled at the 1975 International Motor Show in Frankfurt, the sedan originally served as a replacement for the legendary BMW 02.

The 3 Series has endured to this day, spanning seven generations across a history that dates back 50 years.

Even more extraordinary is the fact that the second to sixth generations were built right here at the company’s factory in Rosslyn, located on the outskirts of Pretoria.

This led to the development of several South African-only versions of the car, which are now highly coveted by petrolheads around the world.

The 3 Series was the first vehicle to be exported from South Africa in 1994, contributing to the impressive 20 million sales racked up since its initial debut back in 1975.

To mark its 50th anniversary, BMW has announced that it will sell a limited-edition version of the 3 Series known as the 50 Jahre Edition.

Anyone who is interested will need to act fast, however, as only 50 units of the Jahre are being allocated to South Africa.

Marking the occasion

The Jahre Editions is based on the current, seventh-generation 3 Series and is available in two specifications – the 320 and the M340 xDrive.

The 320 has a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 135kW and 300Nm, letting it sprint from 0 to 100km/h in 7.4 seconds.

The M340i, on the other hand, is equipped with a 3.0-litre turbo plant good for 285kW and 500Nm, which cuts down its acceleration time to a scorching 4.3 seconds.

To distinguish these units from the rest of the family, the Jahre is being offered with a selection of exclusive colours inspired by the car’s past.

This includes Aegean Blue and British Racing Green from the third-gen models, Stratus Grey from the fourth gen, and Lime Rock Grey from the sixth gen.

The cabin has also been given a few stand-out features.

The British Racing Green version of the 320, for example, comes with perforated Sensatec upholstery finished in Cognac, while the M340 xDrive cabin have black Vernasca leather seats with blue contrast stitching.

These special-edition models also come standard with the M Sport package, which adds high-gloss black finishes to several exterior components, and aluminium interior trim with a CraftedClarity cut glass gear selector.

Additionally, the 3 Series is fitted with bespoke 19-inch alloy wheels, adaptive M suspension, Park Assist Plus, Driving Assist Professional, and a Harmon Kardon stereo.

The pricing for the new BMW 3 Series 50 Jahre Edition is as follows:

• BMW 320 50 Jahre Edition – R1,067,731
• BMW M340 xDrive 50 Jahre Edition – R1,422,607

This includes a 2-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and a 5-year/100,000km maintenance plan.