Present: Vento - The Story

[deemoE36]

Mark 3

Again following the precedent of naming cars for winds, the "Vento" (as it was known in most of the world) debuted in 1992 while the JettaIII debuted in North America in 1993 after production delays and quality problems at the Volkswagen plant in Puebla, Mexico.[32] The name Vento means wind in both Portuguese and Italian. Because of the success of the second generation in North America, VW decided to keep the Jetta nameplate. However, in Europe the car was given its new name to appeal to a younger market.[33]

Interior

Styling was penned by a design team led by Herbert Schafer, and again the car became more aerodynamic than the previous generation. Although visually similar to the Mark 2, there were many refinements underneath. Aerodynamics were improved, with the car now having a drag coefficient of 0.32.[34] This included a new structure which now met worldwide crash standards.[35] Suspensions were an evolutionary rather than revolutionary refinement of the setup on previous editions. In addition, the car became more environmentally friendly with the use of recycled plastics, CFC-free Air Conditioning systems, and paint that didn't contain heavy metals.[36]

This generation of the car is widely credited for keeping VW from pulling out of the North American market.[37][38] At the time of its introduction in 1993, Volkswagen of America's sales hit a low not seen since the 1950's. The division sold only 43,902 cars in that year. Sales began slowly due to the aforementioned issues at the Puebla plant.[39] However, sales rebounded dramatically in the following years, mostly based on the strength of the Jetta, which continued to be the best selling VW in the USA.[40]

Safety


When equipped with dual air bags, the Mark 3 received three out of five stars in a 56 km/h (35 mph) frontal crash test carried out by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.[41] In a 64 km/h (40 mph) frontal offset crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the car received a score of "Marginal".[42]

Testing and Review

Newly available on the third generation was Volkswagen's 1.9 L TDI (Turbo Direct Injection) 67 kilowatt (90 hp) diesel engine. Fuel economy was a strong point with ratings of 5.7 L/100 km (41 mpg [US]) urban cycle and 4.8 L/100 km (49 mpg [US]) extra urban. In top trim lines, the 2.8 L VR6 DOHC six-cylinder engine was available. In one car magazine's test, the 128 kilowatt (172 hp) power plant was able to accelerate the car from 0 to 97 km/h (60 mph) in 6.9 seconds.[43]


Reviews were generally positive with testers praising the crisp handling and comfortable ride as well as a greater level of refinement compared with the previous generation.[44] However, some reviews noted that the more sporty suspension tuning found in some trims made the car bouncy, especially on the expressway.[45] The manual transmission shifted crisply, however the automatic transmission reduced acceleration noticeably. Some critics complained that the controls had some quirks, including a cryptic windshield wiper control. If equipped, power window controls had the unusual arrangement of the front buttons located on the door, while the rear buttons were located on the center console. As with previous generations, the luggage compartment provided generous space. However, unlike previous cars, the rear seat was able to fold forward in order to expand luggage space further. In earlier build cars, the glove compartment was deleted if the car was equipped with dual air bags. There were also some complaints about the lack of cup holders in the earlier cars, as well as the lack of a safety interlock which would require the driver to press the clutch pedal prior to starting the car.[46]

[DerSubtileVento]

Where's this information from? I might like to use it on my site, www.mk3love.com

[phaeton]

Wikipedia