BMW Group South Africa is celebrating a major milestone as the locally produced BMW X3 has been crowned the 2025 South African Car of the Year, an accolade awarded by the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists and sponsored by Old Mutual Insure. Now in its 39th year, the prestigious competition honours vehicles that redefine standards across various categories, and the X3’s triumph reaffirms BMW’s dominant presence in South Africa’s automotive landscape.
The award not only highlights the BMW X3’s class-leading design, performance, and innovation, but also marks a moment of pride for the Rosslyn-based production facility, which began manufacturing the latest iteration of the X3 in October 2024. As a key contributor to both local and global markets, the plant now produces plug-in hybrid and internal combustion variants, showcasing BMW’s commitment to powertrain flexibility and sustainable mobility.
The win comes during a period of strategic growth for BMW Group Plant Rosslyn, which recently reintroduced a third production shift to meet increasing international demand. This operational boost reflects the global appeal of the X3 and underscores the plant’s evolving role within BMW’s worldwide manufacturing network.
“Our amazing achievements in the 2025 Car of the Year competition reflect the commitment of our teams at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn and across BMW Group South Africa, as well as the trust our customers place in our brand. The overall Car of the Year win for the locally-produced BMW X3, as well as strong performances by the BMW M5 and 5 Series, reinforce our efforts to remain focussed on delivering quality products that resonate with South Africans and to continue striving for engineering excellence.”
Peter van Binsbergen, CEO of BMW Group South Africa, remarked:
BMW’s success extended beyond the X3 at this year’s awards. The BMW 5 Series Sedan took top honours in the Executive category, while the BMW M5 dominated the Performance segment, secured the Juror’s Choice Award, and placed third overall.
With this latest recognition, BMW continues to hold the record for the most South African Car of the Year titles, a streak that began in 1988. The 2025 win not only strengthens BMW’s heritage in South Africa but also reflects its unwavering dedication to innovation, craftsmanship, and customer satisfaction.