What's all this about?

This badly-lit car you can only just about see is one that is vital to Hyundai's continuing success. It's the third generation of its impressive C-segment challenger, the i30, and it's due out in 2017. So this is a sneak preview of its appearance.

I can't see much - what can you tell me about it?

Wearing a look that's much more premium than the outgoing car, which was first launched in 2011 and then updated in 2015, it might seem obvious to say it, but the i30 very much follows the stylistic trend set by two more Hyundais launched last year: namely, the all-new i20 below and the facelifted i40 above. There are the same angular headlight clusters, the dominant hexagonal grille (now fashioned into something the Korean firm refers to as the 'cascading grille'), a couple of strips of eye-catching LED daytime running lamps and a very tidy rear end, albeit one that looks similar to that of a BMW 1 Series.

OK, how about the mechanicals?

We can't say much at this stage, but we can give you some educated guesses. Such as there will likely be an estate version of the five-door hatch, while engines should include the 1.0-litre three-cylinder GDI petrol, both the 1.7- and 2.0-litre CRDi units, possibly even a hybrid drivetrain borrowed from the Ioniq and something nice and potent for a hot i30 'N' performance version; no more lacklustre i30 Turbo, we hope.

Has Hyundai said anything else about the car at this stage?

It was designed, developed and tested in Europe, and the company promises 'state-of-the-art' safety and connectivity, as well as excellent value for global customers' needs.

When will we get our first proper look at it?

It's going to be at the Paris Motor Show in October, but before then there will be a global reveal of the i30 Mk3 on September 7.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Let's hear from Peter Schreyer, president and chief design officer of Hyundai Motor Group, who said: "The new generation i30 is a car for everybody. From a design perspective, we haven't just considered one customer; we have focused on a wide range of different people. This model showcases an evolution of Hyundai Motor's design language with natural flowing lines, refined surfaces and a sculpted body to create a timeless appearance. We are also introducing our further developed grille: the Cascading grille."