BMW SA celebrates its 50th year

In March 1973 the newly established plant of BMW SA started to produce the first BMW vehicles, laying the foundation for a South African icon.

Located in Rosslyn, outside Pretoria, it was the first BMW production site outside Germany and has over the years produced iconic cars unique to SA  including the BMW 2000 SA, BMW 745i, BMW 530 MLE and BMW 333i, as well as the BMW 325iS.

More than R12.6bn has been invested into the production facility by the BMW Group since 1995.

To date, more than 1.6-million cars have been produced in the Rosslyn plant, including nearly 1.2-million BMW 3 Series over five generations, before changing to BMW X3 production in 2018. More than 300,000 BMW X3s have been produced at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn, the bulk of them exported to more than 40 markets, including 14 African countries.

Celebrating its 50th year, BMW Group SA directly and indirectly employs close to 23,000 people. In addition to the factory, the business includes a national sales company that sells and distributes BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad; a financial services company established in 1990; and a software company providing IT services for BMW in more than 50 countries.

In 2018, the company opened a R73m training academy at Plant Rosslyn and, in April 2019, a new R109m retailer training centre was opened at company’s Midrand headquarters to support its retailer partners.

Peter van Binsbergen, CEO of BMW Group SA and the first South African to occupy this seat, said: “Plant Rosslyn represents a cornerstone of the BMW Group’s global production network of more than 30 sites in 15 countries. We built BMW 3 Series here for more than 30 years; a period that included production of the iconic 333i and the cherished 325iS Gusheshe”.

Milan Nedeljković, member of the board of BMW AG for Production and chairman of the board of management, BMW Group SA, said: “As the first plant outside Germany, the emotional link to SA is very strong. It was our first step to internationalise BMW.

“Plant Rosslyn has over the past 50 years proven itself to be an essential member of our production network, consistently improving quality and productivity. The passion for the brand is clear, and the right teams with the right spirit are in place to direct its growth for the next 50 years.”

BMW Group SA supports local artists via its partnerships with The Southern Guild, and the BMW Young Collectors Co, among others. The longest-standing relationship, however, has been forged with Dr “Mam” Esther Mahlangu, a global icon of traditional Ndebele art. In 1991, Dr Mahlangu became the first African, and the first female, to adorn a BMW Art Car. The relationship with Dr Mahlangu continues as she embarks on a retrospective exhibition taking place in SA the USA, and Europe from 2024 to 2027.