50 Years of BMW in South Africa : Official Video Series (Part 1)

In this new six-part video series, Cars.co.za collaborated with BMW Group South Africa to take a deep dive into the history of this iconic brand in South Africa, and in the process of filming this series, we assembled a never-seen-before gathering of classic BMWs.

This series represents an unprecedented attempt to visually showcase, for the first time, the South Arican BMW story, as told by the people and the cars that turned the brand into a local icon.

BMW is a brand that has woven itself into the fabric of South African motoring as well as our culture. We even have our very own proudly South African nicknames for iconic BMWs.

In many ways, South Africa has played an important role in the story of BMW itself, with a number of unique models developed and sold in our market which went on to inspire the development of models for the global market. In this first episode, you will learn about the 1800 SA and 2004 SA, for example.

Presented by radio and motoring personality, as well as Cars.co.za Consumer Awards Judge, Jacob Moshokoa, the series also features interviews with key players in history of BMW in South Africa, including ex-CEOs residing in Germany, all of whom played pivotal roles in building the brand and the cars themselves.

Future episodes will delve into the brand's extensive use of motorsport as a marketing tool, as well as its often controversial (but always effective) advertising campaigns.

The launch of the series coincides with the introduction of an officially sanctioned book, featuring some never-before-seen images and exclusive interviews as well as production data. Published by Vantage Fine Automotive Art, two versions of the 260-page book will be available - 2 000 standard books printed on the finest Magno Plus Silk, 170gsm paper, and 333 limited-edition leather-bound books.

The book can be pre-ordered here.