Volkswagen Passat III (B3) gallery (1988–1993)

The third Passat broke design traditions with a grilles nose, transverse engine packaging, and the option of a powerful VR6 engine.

All photos 844 I (B1) 0 1973–1981 II (B2) 0 1980–1988 III (B3) 0 1988–1993 IV (B4) 0 1993–1997 V (B5) 15 1996–2005 VI (B6) 93 2005–2010 VII (B7) 7 2010–2014 NMS 146 2011–2022 VIII (B8) 414 2014–2023 IX (B9) 9 2023

The Volkswagen Passat B3 (Typ 35i) made its entrance in March 1988. Built on an in-house Volkswagen platform featuring transverse engine orientation, its design was noted for a smooth front fascia lacking a traditional radiator grille. Available exclusively as a four-door sedan and five-door Variant estate, the B3 offered unprecedented rear legroom and class-leading boot capacity.

Engine offerings encompassed four-cylinder fuel-injected petrol units (1.6 to 2.0 liters), a supercharged G60 motor producing 160 hp, 1.9-liter diesels, and the flagship 2.8-liter VR6 delivering 174 hp. All-wheel drive was available via the Syncro drivetrain. The B3 sold over 1.6 million units during its five-year model run.