BMW (SA) M3 Convertible: price, dates

White Lightning / Quickpic

135i Convertible in the Mix

BMW South Africa, manufacturers and exporters of 3 Series sedans to Japan, Australia, Singapore and other places, announced today the launch date of the new M3 Convertible.

Long spied and photographed - see side links - , M3 Convertible uses a hard folding top as opposed to the ragtop of previous models. It will launch in South Africa in May 2008, the same month as the appearance of the 1 Series Convertible. Not the best of months to let the cold breeze in, but South Africa does get a little warm around midday in winter in most parts, hence the sweaty convertible drivers who never know what time to close the top. Pricing for the sky-view is an “ouch”-inducing R744 500 (about USD 99,000).

Confirmed for the same time is BMW’s new M-DCT ‘box with its claimed quick changes that launch the vehicle 0.2 seconds faster than the manual. As was widely expected that M-DCT – M Double Clutch Transmission – will change seven times forward, while some competitors (codenamed Lexus IS-F) are even going for eight. M-DCT is a double-clutch system that works by pre-selecting the next gear before a driver selects it, thereby cutting the time it takes for changes to happen. Automatic mode can also be selected for slow traffic driving. The M-DCT option will set South Africans back some R783 500 (USD 106,000) for the Convertible, R702 000 (USD 94,800) coupe and R673 000 (USD 90,945) for the sedan.

We think a lot more South African dads will now be much happier transporting the kids to and from school than before.

- An edit error in the initial press release suggested M-DCT would be 6-speed forward. It has now been corrected.

Source: BMW (SA)

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csllover22b

one cannot compare these prices to US prices, the m3 is cheaper in the US than in the place it is made (germany), americans pay peanuts for cars. in south africa a BMW 335i is R400000, yet the equivalent model in australia, which recieves lower spec than south africans do equates to about R710000. so one cannot compare prices, that is why you never see nice cars in Aus they are way to expensive, they only drive rubbish holdens and the like. when i went to south africa last year, 90% of the cars there are top of the range models bmw, mercedes audis, porsche , you name it it is there. i even saw 2 zondas and a koenigsegg, plenty of lambos and ferraris. i think the only BMW i saw in Aus in two weeks was a crappy 116i ha ha ha. and i live in florida, where cars like these are abundant, yet i have not seen a zonda or koenigsegg here?????

January 31, 2008 8:29 pm

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2 replies

Bristol411S3

I think the Dollar values are given to add some perspective for those who don't know how the Rand exchanges.

January 31, 2008 9:15 pm

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zoofish

You are right with regards to Americans paying absolute peanuts for cars. But I do disagree completely with your analogy that Australia gets lower spec cars than South Africa does. I used to live in South Africa and now I live in Australia. Sure the cars are quite a bit more expensive on face value, (but on real earnings they're much cheaper in Australia), especially BMW's, but I'd check the spec lists - a 335i in Aus only has 8-10 options that can be add and comes standard with items like sat nav (A R19,900 option in South Africa), TV (A R6,500 option in SA), Bi-Xenon headlamps (A R7,200 option in SA) and the list goes on. The one thing that South Africa does do correctly is that all new cars come with a 'Motorplan' which includes 'x' amount of services that are built into the car's price. This is where BMW Australia can learn a thing or teo, but when they command such astronomical servicing fess they won't. I've only got 13 months to wait for my 4.8i X5, as the waiting lists are SO long and BMW Australia is delievering atleast 800 of them a month. SO there are quite a few of them around. And I agree who the hell would by a 116i? If only Australia had a company car culture like South Africa (83% of all new cars sales are attricubuted to company cars by the way)

January 31, 2008 9:34 pm

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Pentium

you can't compare US prices to everywhere else! here for example, BMW 335i Convertible cost 120,000$ - BMW M5 180,000$

February 1, 2008 1:24 am

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James

Well thats not true either, i am South Africana and I still here. The 335i comes standardw with sat nav, TV and Bi-Xenon Headlights. Those are standard for the 335i in all countries. The M3 does not come standard with these features though. Zoofish your facts are off about company cars too, you obviously dont know much about SA. I also agree with Pentium you cant compare prices,a hummer H2 costs about $180 000 standard, the same price as an Aston Martin V8 Vantage in South Africa.

February 1, 2008 3:34 am

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zoofish

hi James, I looked up the price and options list on bmw.co.za and it tells me that these are all optional. If I'm wrong I apologise. I'm just going off what BMW is publishing on their site. I'm glad things have changed with regards the number of company cars. Much seems to have changed in the 3 years since I left Standard Bank where I was head of Automotive Finance. Although I'm still with the bank in another capacity over here. Again, apologies if I got something wrong.

February 10, 2008 9:26 am

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wisp

South Africa has a sound finance sysytem that enables individuals self employed or employed with good credit rating to aquire finance through them. The claim that individuals in S.A drive company cars is way of the truth. I am South African and believe it or not, the brothers here push really good cars and the last time i checked those cars were theres (bank financed). You were right in any case on Motorplans and i can't just understand why that over sized Australian desert country dosn't have such service contracts. It sure is not right for a developed nation like Australia not to have Motorplans.

February 1, 2008 4:16 am

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zoofish

I agree with you wisp - it is ridiculous that Motorplans haven 't hit here yet. Given the high cost of servicing, something tells me that they're not going to change anytime soon.

February 10, 2008 10:51 am

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Ferrariguy

Damn, you guys get ripped on cars. Glad I live in the good o'l US of A, =)

February 1, 2008 7:11 am

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wisp

Well, for the moment the USA rules but i think i keep seeing the whole country looking over their shoulders. What are they looking out for in the not too far distant behind? China, India maybe even Germany. The fact of the matter however is that the USA has been atthe top of the food chain for long and that in my books is a damn good achievement. I'll rest in Africa (South Africa) where we say "howzit" to lions and pythons in shopping malls when we cross paths.

February 1, 2008 7:54 am

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Come to the Netherlands once.. You'll pay $145.000 for a M3 standard. A M5 is $190.000 A Golf GTI is almost $60.000 Man I live in the wrong country... :)

February 1, 2008 9:06 am

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Well James, unfortunately your facts are also not so straight. In South Africa only the 335i coupe comes standard with navigation, bixenon lights and the like, not the sedan. The only extras it has over a standard 330i are different wheels, an upgraded sound system, partial electric seats and a sport steering wheel. At 429k it is still an excellent all rounder and beats the excellent new C350 comfortably in just about all aspects besides looks maybe. Prices in the USA are low because of the massive volume there. More than 21 million cars are sold there annually as opposed to the 750 000 here in South Africa. Most of the big manufacturers here earn export credits for the cars that they export, and use that to subsidise local prices. The exotics suffer though as they don't earn any credits and are hit hard by import duties and taxes. Thats why Ferrari's, Lambo's and the like are hell expensive over here. Even so, we still sell sufficient of them to have had new Aston Martin, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini and even KoÃ«nigsegg and Pagani dealers open up here in Cape Town where I live and sell them babes.

February 1, 2008 11:54 am

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@James, I would love to know where you can pick up an AM V8 for R1.2mil ... its more like R1.6mil second hand!

February 2, 2008 9:29 am

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celladwella

We South Africans are car crazy which is why we get most new models straight after the Europeans. Make no mistake about it though, we pay very high prices for them.

February 5, 2008 1:43 pm

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fusion01

Yeah, it's all about earning and purchasing power and how they inter-relate. I haven't lived and earned in the US or Australia etc etc so am not sure how expensive cars are in proportion to one's earnings (obviously the same careers will pay differently in various countries too). Suffice to say some in SA have a fair amount of cash I see far too many X5's and other vile CO2-spewing, overindulgent vehicles on the roads. I reckon - no matter where in the world you reside - you've got to be earning serious dosh to afford this M3!

February 16, 2008 6:53 am

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zoofish

That is the real measure fusion01 - the earning and purchasing power - I could agree with you more

February 26, 2008 10:39 pm

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