It’s barely been a month since BMW ended production of the X3 “G01” in South Africa. On October 1, its successor, the “G45”, hit the assembly line. Plant Rosslyn will be the only factory in the world to produce the plug-in hybrid model, the X3 30e xDrive. The first vehicle to roll off the assembly line was built for an export market, specifically a right-hand-drive country.
When the final previous-generation X3 rolled off the assembly line on August 28, BMW counted 403,114 units assembled at Plant Rosslyn since 2018. Time will tell whether its successor will match the popularity of its predecessor. The German luxury brand believes it’ll be a commercial hit considering production is done in a three-shift operation.
Painted in Fire Red (Vegas Red in the United States), this first X3 is a plug-in hybrid. However, BMW will also make conventionally powered X3s in South Africa. The M50 won’t be produced at Plant Rosslyn; only the Spartanburg site in South Carolina, US will assemble the M Performance model. Lest we forget there’s now a long-wheelbase version as well, but that will be made only in China for the local market.
The “G45” lineup has been simplified compared to the old “G01.” For starters, BMW has dropped the rear-wheel-drive versions badged sDrive. In addition, the X3 M40d isn’t getting a replacement, but there will be a six-cylinder diesel in 2025. As previously reported, a full-fat X3 M with a gas engine is not planned. The China-made iX3 isn’t returning either, at least not on the CLAR platform. Its successor will be built at the Debrecen plant in Hungary and will sit on the Neue Klasse platform.
Speaking of China, the previous-generation X3 is still in production as the iX3. BMW Brilliance Automotive’s (BBA) Lydia plant in Shenyang will continue to make the “G08” until the second quarter of 2025. However, BMW told us earlier this week the electric crossover can’t be configured anymore since the order books are full.
Source: BMW South Africa