KIT246 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF MK3 KIT CAR MCRAE, LAUKKANEN - 35. MANX INTERNATIONAL RALLY 1997

Volkswagen Golf (other names: VW Rabbit or VW Caribe) is a German compact car, which was first presented to the public in 1974. Its production started the same year and is still going on. It took place or is still taking place in several cities around the world, including: Wolfsburg, Germany or Puebla, Mexico. The Golf model was developed and put into production by the Volkswagen AG concern in order to replace the legendary Beetle in the commercial offer. Despite the considerable popularity that this model gained, the company's authorities in the late 1960s began to realize the need to create a successor with a newer style and, above all, a more technically advanced one, dedicated primarily to the Western European and North American markets. The new model, from its predecessor, differed in many elements. Ital Design, led by Giorgietto Giugiaro, was responsible for developing the styling of the 1st generation. The car also received new power units, richer equipment, also ensured greater travel comfort and - especially - a higher level of passenger safety. The car turned out to be a great success - in the period 1974-1978 as many as 3 million copies of this car were made! This determined the continuation of production and construction development. To date, seven generations of the base model have been created, the last of which was presented in 2012 (VW Golf VII) at the Paris Motor Show. Production of this generation takes place in several cities around the world (including Zwickau in Germany or Foshan in the PRC). The design is also based on a new floor plate, and engines with a capacity of 1.0 to 1.8 liters are used as a drive.