[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

Bye Bye BMW 3 Series: After 35 years, the BMW 3 Series Sedan rolls off the production line at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn for the last time

95
COMMENTS

Tweet

February 21, 2018

Rosslyn, South Africa. After 35 years, the last BMW 3 Series Sedan rolled off the production line today at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn in Pretoria. The plant has produced a total of 1,191,604 units and five generations of the BMW 3 Series. One in four BMW 3 Series Sedans of the current generation come from BMW Group Plant Rosslyn.

“We look back with great pride over an extraordinary career path of the production at Plant Rosslyn. Over the years, the development of our production and export programme has been the catalyst for our sustainable growth and contribution to the South African economy,” says Tim Abbott, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BMW Group South Africa.

In the next few months, Plant Rosslyn will launch the production of the BMW X3. In the future, the BMW 3 Series Sedan will also be manufactured at the new BMW Group plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico.

Bidding farewell to the BMW 3 Series at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn

One of the key milestones of the BMW 3 Series has been the success in founding the segment of the modern sports sedan, establishing itself as the embodiment of driving pleasure in its segment and becoming the world’s top-selling premium car. The enthusiasm for this model series was also shared by the production staff who expressed their passion for these cars by giving them legendary nicknames. Each generation of the BMW 3 Series produced at Plant Rosslyn had its own nickname: the third generation, for instance, was called “Dolphin” for its elegant contours. Limited edition models of the BMW 3 Series, such as the BMW 333i and 325iS, also emerged from the plant.

In June 2015, BMW Plant Rosslyn was awarded the Platinum Plant Quality Award in the J.D. Power 2015 Initial Quality Study (IQS). This award made Plant Rosslyn the best plant in the world in the Initial Quality Study 2015.

BMW X3 instead of BMW 3 Series

With the production of the new BMW X3 in the coming months, a new era will begin at Plant Rosslyn. In November 2015, BMW Group South Africa reaffirmed its long term commitment to South Africa by announcing that it will invest a total of R6 billion at Plant Rosslyn. The investment – one of the biggest in the local automotive industry – has enabled Plant Rosslyn to get ready to produce the new BMW X3. In October 2017, an additional R160 million was invested into the Rosslyn manufacturing facility to enhance production line speed.

Stefan Hülsenberg, Director of BMW Plant Rosslyn, explains: “The enhancement has raised the maximum production capacity to 76 000 units, leaving the plant with excellent potential in the future to produce the highest volume ever in its 45-year history. Plans to create a center of production excellence at our plant are well under way with the largest infrastructure upgrade in the history of the facility now completed and staff upskilled in state-of-the-art technologies.”

[newoldbeemer]

The title is a little misleading, I thought there's going to be no more 3 series. I guess its just no longer made at that factory. More like, bye bye Rosslyn.

[IK6SPEED]

I still do not understand why BMW had to ship these cars to Germany prior to heading to USA. Delay for several additional weeks and has to be unnecessary added cost.

[SBM1206]

Originally Posted by IK6SPEED

I still do not understand why BMW had to ship these cars to Germany prior to heading to USA. Delay for several additional weeks and had to be unnecessary added cost.

To fix various build quality issues, I guess.

[IK6SPEED]

Originally Posted by SBM1206

To fix various build quality issues, I guess.

They don’t pass the dock in Germany.

Build quality has not been an issue...as the article documents.

[bimmer456]

Are they still making the x3 in the US?

[skw]

Originally Posted by IK6SPEED

I still do not understand why BMW had to ship these cars to Germany prior to heading to USA. Delay for several additional weeks and has to be unnecessary added cost.

They don't get shipped from the SA plant to Germany before coming to the US. Some of the boats pick up cars in SA, then pick up more in Germany, then cross over to the US. Some of the boats, like the one my car was on, pick up cars in SA, then come straight across to New Jersey.

[Blubaron79]

Originally Posted by SBM1206

To fix various build quality issues, I guess.

Not true. They do not even leave the boat.

[Blubaron79]

Couple of questions: Will the X3 still be made in the US also?

More of a statement: Quicker delivery times for the G20 being made in Mexico.

[DrifterX]

So North American 3 Series will now come from Mexico?

[ska///235i]

Originally Posted by DrifterX

So North American 3 Series will now come from Mexico?

Hahaha, good luck future buyers

[Domotron]

good ! not a big fan of that dump anyways

[cosmicdebris48059]

Originally Posted by DrifterX

So North American 3 Series will now come from Mexico?

Oh No!?... Say it isn't so!!! :

[wdeerfield]

Originally Posted by DrifterX

So North American 3 Series will now come from Mexico?

Originally Posted by ska///235i

Hahaha, good luck future buyers

from a brand new factory with brand new equipment with workers trained solely on the brand new equipment? whats the problem there?

[ZuluBoy]

Originally Posted by Domotron

good ! not a big fan of that dump anyways

well... that "dump" will be making the new X3.

[JayPichardo]

These are highly automated plants, no worries there.

[Mr. Tasty]

Originally Posted by newoldbeemer

The title is a little misleading, I thought there's going to be no more 3 series. I guess its just no longer made at that factory. More like, bye bye Rosslyn.

Title isn't misleading, it reads fine.

Sad, Rosslyn built the African Market E30 333i, factory turbo m30 car.

[ceedawg]

Originally Posted by Domotron

good ! not a big fan of that dump anyways

Mexico?

[Blubaron79]

Originally Posted by Domotron

good ! not a big fan of that dump anyways

My last two BMW's came from there with 0 issues.

[BimmerMat135]

I wonder if these new 3 serie will have import tax in USA.

[DML]

Originally Posted by DrifterX

So North American 3 Series will now come from Mexico?

My reaction exactly, might as well purchase a freakin VW.

[eMvy]

And your new 3 series just may come with a brick of dope, marijuana, et al. Just look at Ford when they moved their production there.