At the recent M-Fest media day, BMW SA shared which of its models are the most popular in South Africa.
BMW M Fest is a three-day celebration of the Bavarian brand’s performance division and will feature demonstration laps, opportunities to purchase new vehicles as well as the local debut of all-new offerings like the locally-built BMW X3, BMW M5 hybrid as well as the BMW M3 Touring.
At the media preview event, BMW Group SA confirmed which of its M-branded models were the top sellers and the below list is a blend of pure M models like the M2 and M3, as well as M high performance derivatives.
Unfortunately, the supplied info does not mention a time period or specific numbers of units sold. But, it’s an interesting look at which vehicles are proving the most popular. Sadly, BMW do not give individual model sales figures monthly, but rather follows a strange strategy of sharing a month’s worth of sales data every quarter.
What are most popular BMW M cars for sale in South Africa?
1: BMW M2
Its looks were not initially well received, but there’s no denying the M2 is anything but a purists M car. Thanks to a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline 6 petrol engine, there’s 338 kW and 550 Nm driving the rear wheels. Customers have the choice of either an 8-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual gearbox.
2: BMW X5 M60i
With a slightly detuned V8 turbocharged petrol engine from the X5 M, it makes sense to get 90% of the performance for a bit less money than the full-fat BMW X5 M Competition. Outputs of 390 kW and 750 Nm are enough to see this luxury SUV hit 100 in 4.3 seconds.
All you need to know about the BMW X5
3: BMW X3 M40i
The M40i follows a similar strategy to the M60i X5, by offering potent performance but not quite to the same level as the full-fat M Competition models. It has a 3.0-litre inline 6 cylinder petrol engine making 265 kW and 500 Nm, driving all four wheels via an 8-speed gearbox. BMW claimed 0-100 kph in 4.9 seconds. This X3 is being replaced by the all-new X3 M50.
What is the BMW X3 M40i like to live with?
4: BMW M3 Sedan
The classic M3 Sedan manages to outsell its M4 Coupe sibling, although its not clear by how much or whether the split is between rear-wheel drive or the xDrive all-paw setup. As a reminder, the 3.0-litre turbocharged inline 6 cylinder makes 390 kW and 650 Nm, and can hit 100 kph in 3.5 seconds.
The BMW M3 Competition was recently facelifted, here’s pricing
5: BMW M340i
The M340i xDrive is one of our favourite cars, offering blistering performance without the immature image of being overtly sporty. It follows the traditional BMW recipe of a 3.0-litre turbocharged 6-cylinder but in this application, outputs are rated at 285 kW and 500 Nm.
Want to purchase a new or used BMW M car? Find units for sale
