The Volkswagen Golf 3 is thirty years old in 2021. With this generation, the Golf went from being a popular small car to that of a versatile compact capable of exciting more upscale competitors while remaining accessible thanks to a rich offer.
The third generation of Volkswagen Golf was launched in 1991. The compact is therefore celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2021, which allows the first copies to be registered as collector’s vehicles. The Golf 3 marked a saving turning point in the model’s career, after a first generation change which turned out to be very conservative. Despite the revival of the style, however, all was not won at launch for the third iteration which, like a great wine, has been enriched with various flavors over the years.
Golf is growing and becoming more bourgeois
At its launch, it is first by its appearance that the Volkswagen Golf third of the name stands out from its predecessor. No more round front lights and sharp angles; place for enlarged and almost oblong optical units in accordance with the smoother lines of the whole. The profile is less compact, especially because of the increased length since the three-door gains 4 cm to extend over 4.02 m.
The interior is more opulent, with radio cassette in the catalog, and Volkswagen is then at its best in terms of assemblies. A station wagon version is added to the three and five-door sedans in the range, which also includes a convertible. This generation of Golf is that of special series inspired by rock bands, from the Rolling Stones to Pink Floyd through Bon Jovi.
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TDI, GTI, VR6 … the Golf 3 engine side
It is an understatement to say that the range of engines of the Golf 3 breasts wide. The access offer consisted of petrol units of 60 hp and 75 hp, and diesel engines of 64 hp and 75 hp. To stay within the diesel department, the compact was entitled after a few years to the now widespread 90 hp and 110 hp TDI.
As for the sports versions, this generation started timidly. Its first version GTI, with a two-valve-per-cylinder 2.0L four-cylinder 115 hp, barely produced more power than its 8-valve predecessors, although it was significantly heavier. But Volkswagen corrected the situation in 1992 with a 16S variant of 150 hp.
In parallel, the Golf VR6 made its appearance. Powered by a compact 2.8 L V6 engine developing 174 hp, this variation boxed in a whole other category. It was offered with two or four-wheel drive and can be considered as the initiator of the line of Golf Rs which are now satisfied with four cylinders. Volkswagen even almost went further. The manufacturer was considering a rally engagement with a Golf 2 L turbo 4×4 with the code name A59, the road version of which would develop 275 hp. But only a prototype was produced. In a completely different register, a handful of electric Golfs named CityStromers were marketed.
The Golf VR6, powered by a shoehorn six-cylinder, offered 174 hp.
Used Golf 3s for all budgets
The Volkswagen Golf 3 was produced in nearly 5 million copies until its replacement in 1997, or even 2002 for the convertible which was restyled to accompany the Golf 4. It is therefore, overall, neither rare nor expensive in second hand. and there are decent cars between € 2,000 and € 3,000. However, the search for a specimen with few kilometers, with a clear history, or in excellent cosmetic condition, may require patience and more substantial means. Well-preserved original 16S GTIs and VR6s are starting to be scarce and those that have traveled less than 150,000 km are now priced at over € 10,000, a trend that their “official” status as collector cars could continue for some time.
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