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BMW Group South Africa (BMW SA) says the new BMW X3 has “strongly resonated” with local customers since its introduction in October last year, with all available stock sold, or on order
The X3 is produced at the German car maker’s Rosslyn site, in Pretoria, for the local and export markets.
BMW SA says about 10% of domestic sales are for the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) X3 30e xDrive model, which underscores “growing interest in electrified vehicles”.
The car maker believes the model has also driven a 45% increase in the monthly retail rate of PHEVs.
Driven by healthy local and global demand, BMW SA reintroduced a third production shift at its Rosslyn plant on January 8, while also expanding its production line to include internal combustion engine (ICE) variants.
“Producing both PHEV and ICE models on the same line demonstrates the flexibility and adaptability of plant Rosslyn, enabling us to effectively respond to global market demands,” says BMW SA quality GM Ernst Kohlmeyer.
The Rosslyn plant is projected to produce an average of 110 units a shift.
“These production milestones represent the culmination of years of planning and investment in plant Rosslyn,” adds BMW SA X3 project lead Anuk Maharaj.
“We are immensely proud to see the new BMW X3 come to life here, securing jobs and contributing to the South African economy.”
In addition to the X3 30e xDrive, which entered production first, the Rosslyn plant in January added the X3 20 petrol and 20d diesel variants to its assembly roster.
This is to be followed by the X3 40d xDrive in May.
Both the X3 30e xDrive and the X3 40d xDrive will be exclusively produced at Rosslyn for global markets.
The production rollout at Rosslyn follows a R4.2-billion investment in the electrification and digitisation of the South African production facility.
