BMW Plant Rosslyn started producing automobiles in 1968 when Praetor Monteerders started putting them together using BMW drivetrains and engines mounted on Hans Glas sheet metal that had been pressed and delivered from Dingolfing, Germany.
BMW Group South Africa (Pty) Ltd was founded in 1973 after BMW AG acquired all of the company’s shares, making BMW Plant Rosslyn the BMW Group’s first production site outside of Germany.
Since then, the BMW Group has made significant investments in South Africa and its people, transforming BMW Plant Rosslyn from a small vehicle production facility that only assembled vehicles with a limited number of customisation options for the local market to a top-tier facility that can produce highly customized cars for clients around the world.
For instance, the BMW Group was the first OEM, prior to the 1999 completion of the Motor Industry Development Plan (MIDP), to modify its production strategy to capitalize on exports. Prior to the 2009 completion of this plan’s replacement, the APDP, the BMW Group was the first OEM to announce a new investment in South Africa.
With each successive generation, the BMW Group invested much more in South Africa and boosted manufacture of the BMW 3 Series at Plant Rosslyn.
This is particularly true now that a full-fledged export program was established in 1999:
From 1994 to 1998, Plant Rosslyn produced over 92,000 units of the third-generation BMW 3 Series (E36), or roughly 19,000 vehicles each year.
Between 1998 and 2005, Plant Rosslyn produced roughly 269,000 units, or about 38,500 vehicles per year, of the fourth generation BMW 3 Series (E46).
Between 2005 and 2012, the fifth generation BMW 3 Series (E90) was produced for approximately 342,000 vehicles, or 49,000 vehicles annually.
1,191.604 vehicles have been produced at Plant Rosslyn since the sixth generation BMW 3 Series (F30) began going into production in 2012.
Following the R6,1 billion investment announced in the previous three years for the construction of the BMW X3, customer vehicles have started to roll off the assembly line at Plant Rosslyn since April 2018.
As a result, BMW Group South Africa’s overall production volume has increased dramatically since 1999, while the number of vehicles it produces for export markets has quadrupled.
Over 49,000 people are employed directly and indirectly by BMW Group South Africa (4680 associates at the plant and at the national sales organisation, 4,956 dealer staff and 40,000 first-tier supplier employees). In the Universum Most Attractive Employer Awards for 2015, BMW Group South Africa was recognized as the best employer in the automotive sector for the third year in a row. Additionally, BMW South Africa received the distinction of Employer of Choice in the Automotive Industry from the South African Graduate Employers Association (SAGEA) Graduate Recruitment Awards for the third consecutive year in June 2015. Graduate trainees continue to favor the company’s Graduate Development Program greatly. And now that R73 million has been spent on the new BMW Group Training Academy, 300 apprentices are accepted each year.
In This Article...
THE BMW GROUP PLANT ROSSLYN WELCOMES YOU.
The beating heart of BMW South Africa operations has always been the BMW Group Plant Rosslyn. Over the past 40 years, it has transformed from operating as a Completely Knocked Down (CKD) vehicle production plant, assembling automobiles for the local market with few customization options, to a top-tier facility capable of constructing customized cars for affluent customers throughout the world.
BMW’s billion rand investment in the Rosslyn factory in the middle of the 1990s is largely responsible for this evolution. Rosslyn was given the name BMW Group Plant Rosslyn as a result of the investment, which was utilized to transform the production facility into one of the most cutting-edge in the world. In order to prepare the South African factory for the manufacture of future models, BMW continues to invest there.
The sixth generation of the 3 Series is now being produced at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn, which has a capacity of up to 75,000 vehicles annually.
The USA, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Australia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Canada each receive over 85% of the BMW 3 Series automobiles manufactured at the Rosslyn factory.
How many BMW X3s are produced there each year?
The X3 SUV is produced by BMW South Africa at its Rosslyn, Pretoria, manufacturing facility on a yearly basis in 75,000 units, 96% of which are exported.
The manufacturer exports vehicles to 30 foreign markets around the world, and has recently expanded its geographic reach into 16 African nations.
The first factory for the brand outside of Germany, the South African plant has been building BMWs since 1968.
More than a million BMW 3 Series have been produced since 1983. Future production of the BMW X3 at the BMW Group Plant Rosslyn +++
South Africa’s Rosslyn. Today at the BMW Group Plant Rosslyn in Pretoria, the final BMW 3 Series Sedan left the assembly line after 35 years of production. The factory has manufactured five generations and 1,191,604 units of the BMW 3 Series. BMW Group Plant Rosslyn produces one in four of the current generation’s BMW 3 Series Sedans.
“We are really proud of the exceptional career path that the production at Plant Rosslyn has taken. Over time, the growth of our production and export program has been the driving force behind our sustainable growth and economic contribution to South Africa “Tim Abbott, CEO of BMW Group South Africa, makes this statement.
The BMW X3 will begin production at Plant Rosslyn in the upcoming months. In the future, the new BMW Group facility in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, will also produce the BMW 3 Series Sedan.
One of the most significant achievements of the BMW 3 Series has been its ability to pioneer the modern sports sedan market, establish itself as the pinnacle of driving enjoyment in its class, and lead the global premium vehicle sales charts. The production team’s enthusiasm for this model series was contagious, and they honored their love of these cars by giving them eminent nicknames. The BMW 3 Series was manufactured in Plant Rosslyn, and each version was given a different moniker. The third generation, for example, was known as the “Dolphin” because of its graceful contours. The BMW 333i and 325iS, two limited edition BMW 3 Series cars, also came out of the factory.
The J.D. Power 2015 Initial Quality Study presented the Platinum Plant Quality Award to BMW Plant Rosslyn in June 2015. (IQS). Plant Rosslyn was crowned the greatest plant in the world in the 2015 Initial Quality Study thanks to this honor.
Plant Rosslyn will enter a new era with the manufacture of the new BMW X3 in the upcoming months. BMW Group South Africa announced in November 2015 that it would invest a total of R6 billion in Plant Rosslyn, reiterating its long-term commitment to South Africa. One of the largest investments in the regional auto sector has allowed Plant Rosslyn to prepare to manufacture the new BMW X3. The Rosslyn manufacturing facility received an additional R160 million investment in October 2017 to speed up the production line.
BMW Plant Rosslyn Director Stefan Hulsenberg explains: “The improvement increased the plant’s maximum production capacity to 76 000 units, giving it exceptional potential to produce the highest volume in its 45-year history in the future. With the largest infrastructure update in the facility’s history now complete and workers upskilled in cutting-edge technologies, plans to establish a center of manufacturing excellence at our factory are well underway.”
FIND OUT WHERE WE’RE LOCATED IN SOUTH AFRICA.
Welcome to South Africa, where our Rosslyn facility has been located since 1973. More than 3,000 coworkers worked tirelessly to produce our newest BMW X3 in our very first facility outside of Europe. We place a high value on sustainability, which is why 25–30% of the electricity required to run our plants originates from renewable sources. Additionally, the BMW Plant Rosslyn Choir, which was founded in 1989, promotes teamwork while fusing work with African culture. Even the choir makes studio albums on their own.
Over 600 coworkers live on our cutting-edge Midrand Campus, which lies halfway between Pretoria and Johannesburg and is home to the BMW Group South Africa’s corporate office. The Midrand Campus is also home to our colleagues from the South African BMW Group Financial Services branch and the Training Academy. The foundation of a balanced work-life is provided by this multicultural and welcoming atmosphere.
TRAVEL TO SOUTH AFRICA TO SEE WHERE BMW PRODUCTION IS FOUND.
Since 1973, BMW Group Plant Rosslyn has served as the hub of operations for BMW Group South Africa. Plant Rosslyn, the first BMW facility constructed outside of Germany, has evolved from being a Completely Knocked Down (CKD) vehicle assembly facility to a top-tier facility capable of building customized vehicles for affluent clients throughout the world.
This development is partly attributable to BMW’s sustained expenditures in the Rosslyn facility, which total more than R11 billion since 1994. With the help of the investments, Rosslyn’s production facility has been upgraded to one of the most cutting-edge in the world, putting it on par with other BMW Group factories across the globe in terms of productivity, sustainability, and flexibility. In 2015, the facility received the JD Power Platinum Award for Quality.
BMW Group also spent R6 billion upgrading Plant Rosslyn in 2015 in preparation for the start of the BMW X3’s manufacturing in early 2018. The Rosslyn plant of the BMW Group has a yearly capacity of up to 76,000 vehicles.
More than 90% of all BMW X3s manufactured at Plant Rosslyn are going to be sold in other BMW markets, primarily in Europe.
Welcome to the BMW Group Rosslyn plant.
TRAVEL TO SOUTH AFRICA TO SEE WHERE BMW PRODUCTION IS FOUND.
What BMW models are produced in South Africa?
This week, “The Legends of Rosslyn” tour is being held by BMW Group South Africa to highlight the great vehicles that have been created at its Rosslyn facility in Tshwane. The trip features the sought-after and recently repaired BMW 325iS (E30), commonly known as the “Gusheshe,” as well as the South African-only BMW 333i (E30), which underwent renovation in 2017. Two more unique vehicles will also join the tour.
The BMW 325iS is the most recent historic automobile to be restored, following the successful refurbishment of the BMW 333i (E30) and BMWM1 in 2017 by BMW Group South Africa’s Press Vehicles Technicians (part of the Group Communications Division).
The 325i Shadow line debuted in 1985. Five years later, in 1990, the sporty update (325iS) was released in two limited-edition models with 145kW and 155kW of power (both 2.7 litre naturally aspirated engines). Additionally, they had MSport suspension with Bilstein struts, 15″ wheels, a full electronic package, a 25% limited slip differential, and an easily recognizable “iS” body kit. The vehicle has a long history of success in local competitions, including victories in the Stannic Group N Class and Castrol Nine Hour races, among others.
Currently, the BMW M1, BMW 750Li Individual by Esther Mahlangu, BMW 325iS, BMW 333i, the last BMW 3 Series (340i) built by Plant Rosslyn, and the first BMW X3 (xDrive30d) to have rolled off the manufacturing line make up BMW Group South Africa’s history car collection.