BMW could reveal new car as it kicks off its 100th birthday celebrations

BMW has hinted at showcasing a new car on its 100th birthday. The centenary celebrations will kick off today (7 March), under a campaign called The Next 100 Years.

While the car may not be a future production vehicle, it is expected to be a visionary concept to highlight BMW's vision for future mobility. The car, whose teaser image was shared by BMW, is expected to be a rather unique concept that challenges the boundaries of automotive design and engineering.

The teaser of the concept displayed on the website comes with a statement from Harald Krüger, BMW's chairman of the board of management, "The company has continually evolved and, in some cases, reinvented itself. That will continue in the future."

The centenary celebrations that BMW is hosting at the Olympiastadion in Munich will start at 2pm GMT. A promo for the event on its website says, "Over the course of its history, time and again, the BMW Group has proven its versatility and confirmed its role as a future-orientated, innovative company. Since the company was formed 100 years ago, the BMW Group has always set its sights on the future and been a consistent, innovative force for progress. This is what defines the company and forms its employees' sense of identity. We live and shape change, acting in a responsible manner towards society and our environment. We overcome challenges and emerge stronger than ever."

Munich is also the German car maker's home city, where it houses its iconic headquarters, a complex dubbed the BMW four-cylinder. BMW is also the city's main private employer with a total of 41,000 staff, across its vast plant, offices and museum situated in the city.

In total, however, the company which began operations during World War I, employs more than 116,000 staff and has manufacturing plants across 14 countries, while clocking €80bn (£61.87bn, $88bn) in annual sales. Today, it makes cars and motorcycles and is the proud owner of brands such as Rolls-Royce and Mini.