BMW releases videos 'outlining' 3 Series history

The BMW 3 Series has been a mainstay within the range for nearly 40 years, embodying the values and design direction of the German brand to become the perennial bestseller in markets worldwide.

Over the course of the last four decades, the company has launched an all-new model fitted with advancements in not only mechanical componentry, but also design and safety, to coincide with the needs and desires of customers at the time. The compact executive class car, available in no less than five different body styles at one point, is still considered the benchmark in many design studios, not to mention those thriving to replicate its dynamic driving attributes.

So, with the start of a new decade, BMW is once again poised to reveal an all-new 3 Series model, the sixth generation F30, but it won't be doing so in the constraints of a specific motor show venue.

In just three days time, on Friday October 14th, the latest addition to the 3 Series family tree will be unveiled via live video stream on BMW's Facebook page. Those looking to see the new 3 Series in the metal will need to wait until the model's debut at the 2012 Geneva motor show.

In light of this forthcoming event, the Bavarian manufacturer has released a series of video shorts that sketch out the previous generations – from the E21 of 1975, through the iconic E30 of the 1980s to the E90 generation of the late 2000s. Each video ends with the tagline "To be continued", raising the anticipation levels for the next generation model.

Save for a profile teaser sketch on the launch page, details on the next generation vehicle are thin on the ground. While a hatchback model is also set to be resurrected amongst the product offerings and the model will undoubtedly increase slightly in size, we expect the new car to echo the design language and themes of its bigger 5 Series brother, yet continue to remain the most conservative vehicle in the BMW range. 

For more information and to witness the unveiling, tune into the BMW Facebook page this Friday: BMW Facebook

By John O'Brien and Eric Gallina