BMW 3 Series in motorsports

It's one of the world's biggest selling cars and allows BMW the creative freedom to build things like the M3, M5 and 1-Series M Coupe. We're not mentioning those other M cars. Those ones.

It is, of course, the BMW 3 Series. Tomorrow, BMW will announce an entirely new 3 Series and the importance of this cannot be underestimated. If BMW gets this wrong, its bye bye M cars. Get it right, and, well, lets just hope their enthusiasm and coffers don't encourage more of those.

Anyway, this is a perfect opportunity to look back on the Three's track guises. This is because a) they look smashing, and b) they're actually pretty handy.

Click forth, Hound of the Interweb, and check back tomorrow afternoon, Friday 14 October, when the full details and pictures of the new 3 Series will be revealed. For now, a little history.

Early 3 Series motorsport cars had a 300bhp 2.0-litre four pot under the bonnet, getting off to a fantastic start with a win at Zolder in 1977. It was later deployed in countless national championships, and in the 1978 German Racing Championship, a 400bhp, 1.4-litre turbocharged Three took overall victory.

Then came along the E30 M3 racing car, and all bets were off. This thing changed the landscape of touring cars. The 300bhp racing version pretty much won every accolade available and was untouchable. In the DTM alone, the M3 seized 50 victories and over 150 top three finishes.

The E36 Three came in two racing flavours, the saloon and coupe, with a 200bhp 2.0-litre four-pot and took victories in Germany, England, Italy, Asia, Australia and South America. And in the 1998 Nürburgring 24-hour race, a 320d crossed the line as the overall winner.

The four-door E46 racing 3 Series packed a 250bhp 2.0-litre straight six, and in 2005 helped BMW win the World Touring Car Championship. And in 2004 and 2005, BMW scored two victories with the M3 GTR at the ‘Ring 24hrs, as well as the American Le Mans Series. Successful, much?

The fifth generation 3 Series racer appeared as the 320si and the M3 GT2, focused again on touring car and endurance racing.

Both cars helped BMW to the Eifel Classic in 2010, the world championship title in 2006 and 2007, second place at the ‘Ring earlier this year, and third place at Le Mans. That, if you're unaware, is pretty impressive.

And this, dear readers, is what's coming next. Or at least, a taster. It is the the DTM concept car, and features a 480bhp 4.0-litre V8. And it is disturbed by your lack of faith. *Breathes heavily...