The BMW X3's Landmark Win in South Africa
The BMW X3 rolling out of BMW Group Plant Rosslyn just landed the 2025 South African Car of the Year, a splashy title that solidifies its spot at the top of South Africa's auto market. BMW made this announcement on May 7, 2025, and you could almost hear the cheering from their local plant. This win is anything but routine—it's a celebration of local engineering that really connects with South Africans shopping for both confidence and comfort in their rides. Plant Rosslyn has been in the game for decades and seeing one of its products get picked as best of the best says a lot about the attention to detail happening behind those factory doors.
BMW didn’t just walk away with one trophy. The BMW 5 Series took home gold in the Executive category—a nod to luxury, tech, and effortless curb appeal—while the BMW M5 bulldozed its way to the top of the Performance category and finished third overall. The M5 even snagged the Juror’s Choice Award, as if being fast and fun to drive wasn’t enough.
Bigger Picture: BMW's Winning Streak and Local Dedication
The company’s leadership is clearly proud. Danny Bester, who leads BMW Group Plant Rosslyn, pointed right back to the team and the factory’s legacy as reasons for the trophy haul. The enthusiasm is shared by Peter van Binsbergen, BMW’s local CEO, who talks about these awards as validation for staying consistent—whether that means keeping standards sky-high or listening to what local drivers actually want in a car.
This isn’t a once-off thing for BMW, either. Their trophy shelf is practically sagging by now. They broke their own South African Car of the Year record again—dating all the way back to when synthpop was still topping the charts in 1988. BMW keeps racking up these wins because their cars seem to tick all the right boxes for people here: high-tech, sharp design, and the kind of drive that feels both practical in traffic and fun on a weekend getaway.
2025 has been a banner year for BMW in South Africa. When CAR Magazine unveiled its Top 12 Best Buys, BMW's 7 Series grabbed the Luxury Car spot while, once again, the X3 nabbed the Premium Midsize SUV award. And then there’s Cars.co.za’s Consumer Awards. MINI Countryman S ALL4 snagged the Premium Crossover category, the X3 30e xDrive M Sport ruled the Executive SUV space, and the sturdy X5 xDrive30d M Sport ruled in Premium SUV. Didn’t stop there. The punchy BMW M2 took Performance Car and the MINI Countryman SE ALL4 led the Electric Vehicle field.
But it’s that X3, the local favorite, that got the spotlight this time. The South African Guild of Mobility Journalists, basically the people with the keys to the sharpest pens in the auto world, rated the X3 high for design, performance, and innovation. If you’re wondering why BMW keeps getting these wins, it all comes down to perfecting the balance between luxury and local relevance. For folks on the hunt for value and a badge with heritage, the BMW X3 now stands an inch taller than the rest of the pack in 2025.
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