SA-made BMWs are tops

SIMPLY PUT, BMW SA’s plant at Rosslyn, near Pretoria, is building the best cars in the world, according to the 2004 J.D. Power and Associates Quality Study. The study, in its 18th year, is considered the industry’s benchmark for new-vehicle quality and from it come the Worldwide Assembly Plant Quality Awards.
BMW SA’s plant is included in the “Europe” section of the evaluation so is measured against all manufacturers’ plants in Europe. It won the gold award for being top in construction quality. The average industry initial quality was calculated at 133 problems per 100 vehicles, 14 better than 2003, but the products from South Africa scored 75.
Silver went to BMW’s Munich plant (87 faults) and bronze to DaimlerChrysler’s Sindelfingen plant (94 faults). Toyota fared best in the Asia-Pacific region with scores from 91 to 93 while GM won in the North and South America region with scores from 93 to 100.