Close Menu
Zero2Turbo
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram RSS
    Zero2Turbo
    • Home
    • Contact
    • Videos
      Featured

      BYD Yangwang U9 Track Edition Is Unofficially The Fastest EV In The World

      By Zero2TurboAugust 26, 2025
      Recent

      BYD Yangwang U9 Track Edition Is Unofficially The Fastest EV In The World

      August 26, 2025

      Ford SuperVan Beats Mustang GTD At The ‘Ring

      August 19, 2025

      Tailor Made Ferrari Daytona SP3 Sold For Over R450 Million At Auction

      August 18, 2025
    • South Africa
    • Zero2Turbo Telegram
    Zero2Turbo
    Home»News»BMW South Africa Complete Legendary 530 MLE Restoration
    News

    BMW South Africa Complete Legendary 530 MLE Restoration

    By Zero2TurboOctober 8, 2019No Comments
    Facebook Email Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp
    Share
    Facebook Email Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram

    Just over a year ago we reported that BMW South Africa had embarked on restoring a 530 Motorsport Limited Edition (MLE) and now, after a year of painstaking restoration, BMW SA unveiled the track-inspired BMW 530 MLE at the “Home of BMW Legends”, BMW Group Plant Rosslyn.

    This classic project car was a limited edition “homologation” special developed specially by BMW Motorsport for South Africa and has been shown to four BMW Group South Africa employees who were on hand to build the original more than four decades ago.

    Powering this gem is a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine boasting figures such as 147 kW, 277 Nm, a 208 km/h top speed and a 0 to 100 km/h sprint time of 9.3 seconds. It proved to be an early step of BMW’s ventures into track-oriented cars for the road.

    The long road back to recognition*

    When BMW South Africa wanted to go racing in the mid-1970s, the company sought out famous racing driver and Head of BMW Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch. Shortly thereafter, two of the first generation BMW 5 Series (E12) race cars were prepared to compete in the flagship Modified Production Series in South Africa.

    The BMW 530 Motorsport Limited Edition (MLE) rolled up to the starting line in the Modified Production Series in 1976. Fifteen wins from 15 consecutive starts followed, and BMW stamped its authority on the racing series with three championship titles in three years. The BMW 530 MLE was the most successful racing BMW 5 Series in history when it was retired in 1985.

    To qualify for entry, however, BMW South Africa had to sell 100 road-going versions of this first generation BMW 5 Series, known as the 530 Motorsport Limited Edition (MLE), to the public. Developed by BMW Motorsport as a limited edition “homologation” model for South Africa, 110 units of the Type 1 were produced in 1976, while 117 versions of the Type 2 rolled off the production line at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn in 1977. The six cylinder engine was a factory tweaked version of the same motor found in the 3.0L, boasting figures such as 147kW, 277Nm, a 208km/h top speed and a 0 – 100km/h sprint time of 9.3 seconds. It proved to be an early step of BMW’s ventures into track oriented cars for the road.

    Car number 100

    After years of searching, BMW South Africa in 2018 acquired one of the only BMW 530 MLEs known to have endured beyond its 70s heyday. Car number 100 came with a particular pedigree – it was owned by race driver and the racing 530 MLE’s team manager Peter Kaye-Eddie, and its engine and chassis numbers are a matching set.

    Unique in the world, the Rosslyn-produced vehicles saw weight-reduction measures that included bodywork and pedals drilled by hand, manual windows with no air conditioning, and Mahle wheels.

    South Africa enjoys a long history of rare and storied BMW special editions. In 1973, BMW Group Plant Rosslyn was the very first BMW plant established outside of Germany and several models were specially built for the local market until 1990. A growing list of these have been methodically restored by BMW South Africa in later years, including the cult classic BMW 333i.

    *taken verbatim from BMW South Africa press release

    BMW
    Share. Facebook Email Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram
    Previous ArticleLamborghini Plotting Electric Four-Door GT For 2025
    Next Article BMW M8 Gran Coupé Competition Revealed

    Related Posts

    Manhart Crank BMW M5 Up To 897 HP (669 kW)

    September 8, 2025

    BMW South Africa Reveal 50 Jahre Edition 3 Series

    August 25, 2025

    Report: BMW Could Supply Mercedes With Engines

    August 21, 2025

    ALPHA-N Corse Turns The BMW M2 Into Track Ready Toy

    August 20, 2025

    BMW M850i Edition M Heritage Limited To 500 Units

    August 15, 2025

    Report: BMW Planning Rugged Off-Road Seven Seater SUV

    August 14, 2025
    Popular Posts
    • Merc AMG Black Series Collection Up For Sale In Florida
    • FIA Has Confirmed It Will Allow Hypercars To Enter LeMans
    • Hot Wheels Fearless – World Record
    • Quality Control: Why Your Cheap Car Batteries are destined to Fail
    • 5 Tips For Finding The Right Type of Carport For Your Car

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube RSS
    Designed by Zero2Turbo.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.