The BMW M Festival held at the Kyalami race track in Johannesburg promises an exciting weekend filled with high-speed thrills, powerful machines, and live performances. This is the second edition of the performance car-oriented event, and it’s themed around “M Town,” featuring various BMW models, including the new X3 and X4 M Competition models and the M Performance M340i xDrive.

Attendees will get to experience the impressive S58 engine, set to power the upcoming M3, in the new X3 and X4 M models. These models boast a 3.0-liter twin-turbo engine delivering 375kW and 600Nm, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.1 seconds. BMW M CEO Markus Flasch notes the increasing popularity of M SUVs, with 40-45% of M cars sold worldwide being SUVs.

The event also showcased the new X5 M and X6 M Competition models, featuring a potent 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with 460kW and 750Nm, set to arrive in South Africa in 2020.

Among the non-SUV models, the M340i xDrive and M135i xDrive were available for test drives, with the former providing an “entry” level performance option below the M3. It packs a 3.0-liter twin-turbo engine with 275kW and 500Nm, accelerating from 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds.

The festival offers high-speed passenger rides in M cars, a pop-up dealership with over 200 cars on display for sale, and a highlight being the recently restored 530 MLE, a significant model in BMW’s M history.

For G&G Productions, the organizers of the BMW M Festival 2019, this event exemplifies the excitement and performance-focused appeal of BMW’s M brand. It showcases the latest models and allows enthusiasts to experience BMW’s high-performance vehicles firsthand.