With the launch of the 3rd generation of the Golf, the Mk3 in August 1991, Volkswagen heralded a new era of safety. The VW Golf Mk3 was the first car in the Golf series to have front airbags (as of 1992), while major advances in the area of car body construction also resulted in significantly improved crash safety qualities. Looking back it can be said that with this Golf Volkswagen truly democratised passive safety, as the improved protection benefited millions of car drivers all over the globe.
However, there are also numerous other Golf milestones associated with the Mk3. Many new features made their debuts in this new Golf: the first six cylinder engine (VR6), the Ecomatic transmission, cruise control, the first oxidation catalytic converter for diesel engines (1991), the first direct injection diesel engines (TDI in 1993 and SDI in 1995.
Of course this models did not see Malaysia) and the first side airbags (1996). Also in September 1996, ABS became a standard feature on all Golf models. In 1993, based on the Golf Mk3, Volkswagen had also introduced a new cabriolet, a new four-wheel drive model (Syncro II) and the first Golf Variant (an estate). A year later, in May 1994, Volkswagen celebrated production of the 15-millionth Golf. In 1997, after having made 4.96 million of the cars, the 3rd generation Golf came to the end of the line.
