Skoda bringing back the ‘Octavia’ name

Laura name will be dropped altogether. New car based on VW Group’s MQB modular platform

Skoda is planning to bring the Octavia brand back to India in 2013, and will in the process replace the current Laura. This all-new model, codenamed A7, is expected to make its debut at the Geneva motor show next year. It will be built on VW’s modular MQB platform and will be substantially bigger than the Laura.

Skoda India plans to drop the Laura name altogether when it is launched, and the new car will be called the Octavia, bringing it back in line with the nomenclature used in international markets.

“I like the name Octavia, it’s the best-selling car for Skoda and will definitely come back to India,” confirmed Professor Winfried Vahland during the Auto Expo.

Skoda launched the first-generation Octavia over a decade ago and the car established Skoda as a luxury and upmarket brand in India. The company continued to produce the Octavia even after its successor was launched as the Laura. After BS IV emission norms came into effect in 2010, Skoda discontinued the Octavia in the major cities and production eventually stopped in July

Test Drive and Review of New Skoda Rapid

Design and Engineering

The VW Group is serious about deploying its diverse portfolio of brands in India. Keen to leverage economies of scale that come with such a strategy, the question VW and Skoda must have asked themselves is why make two specially engineered compact saloons when you can make do with one? Why indeed? And so what was born was the Vento, basically a stretched version of VW Polo, with a boot tagged onto the rear. Ideal for emerging markets like India, Russia, Brazil and future markets like China and Malaysia, this relatively compact saloon delivers mid-sized luxury for small-car money; in short, exactly what Indian customers want. What we have here isn’t the Vento however, but its near-Siamese twin, the Skoda Rapid, possibly the most Volkswagen-like Skoda ever. Sure, VW and Skoda  share platforms and engines, but their cars differ considerably too. The Fabia is a completely different car from the Polo; the Jetta has very little in common with the Laura and the same holds true for the Superb and Passat as well. In comparison, you could justifiably call the new Rapid a ‘badge-engineered’ Vento, and you wouldn’t be too far off the mark.

So, under the skin the Rapid is a VW Vento. Which, of course, means it has the same long 2552mm wheelbase, the same 1699mm width and the same widened front and rear track. The Rapid, however, is marginally longer than the Vento, but that’s just down to the larger nose of the Skoda. Also identical is the suspension the Skoda uses; MacPherson struts up front and non-independent coil springs in the rear. And the brakes and steering system are identical too. Skoda however has tuned each of these components a bit differently which, as we will see later, makes this car drive quite differently from the Vento.

The Rapid may look at first like a Vento with a Fabia nose stuck on it, and in a way it is, but the Skoda looks much more attractive in the flesh. The large nose balances the elongated body nicely; Skoda designers have done a fabulous job of seamlessly merging some of the disparaging lines. The new larger fenders and mildly altered chin complete what must have been a difficult styling exercise. While the flanks of the car remain the same, down to the use of an identical mirror, Skoda has altered the boot-lid, taillights and rear bumper too. But the changes are so subtle; you’ll only spot them if you look hard.

Interior

The cabin, like the exterior, is derived from the Vento with plenty of Skoda overtones. The basic architecture of the dash is the Vento’s and the simple layout, slender central console and the large glove-box with the poor-fitting lid are all shared. Also carried over unaltered from the VW are the headlight switch, climate control, and the low quality air-con vents that, as we’ve found, have a tendency to break easily. And the seats are identical too. The front seats have good bolstering and thigh support, making them comfortable on long drives, the steering can be adjusted for height and reach and the driver’s seat can be raised and lowered too. So finding a good driving position is easy. The Rapid however comes


with slightly coarser seat fabric and some missing chrome highlights, such as the ones found around the VW’s vents.


There are plenty of Skoda parts on the inside though, and these change the character of the cabin quite a bit. Skoda’s chrome-lined steering wheel looks and feels good, the gearlever is similar to the one on the Fabia, the instrument panel comes from the Czech Republic rather than Germany and there is a Skoda audio system as well. Unlike VW, which uses a deep shade of brown, Skoda uses black for all these bits and that does cause some amount of dissonance in the cabin. Still, if you are not familiar with the Vento, you’ll find that these Skoda parts actually blend surprisingly well. Except for the gearlever, which looks like the chrome has been added as an afterthought.


With its extended wheelbase and additional width, the rear seat of the Rapid is also a good place to be. There’s plenty of legroom, the seat is wide and you get a nice airy feel when sitting in the rear. And the seat is reasonably comfortable too. You climb out feeling fresh even after a long drive and this is also true if you are tall. But it could have been nicer. You sit a bit low, the backrest is a bit vertical and there is that huge tunnel in the centre of the cabin, which makes it difficult to get in and out if you are the third passenger in the back. Still, like the Vento, you get the large rear air-con vent and that clever lever that allows you to push the front passenger seat forward.


The Rapid is sold in three variants — Active, Ambition and Elegance. The Active gets body-coloured bumpers, central locking, power windows and air-conditioning. The Ambition adds ABS, driver airbag, remote locking and driver’s seat height adjustment. The Elegance, the one you see here, has alloy wheels, climate control, a CD player with aux-in, electrically adjustable mirrors and a front passenger airbag. 


Engine and perormance

Power to the Rapid’s front wheels comes from a pair of 105bhp, 1600cc motors, shared with the Vento. While both the petrol and diesel make the same amount of power, it’s the common rail diesel’s extra 10kgm ◊ ∆ of torque that makes it the more effortless of the two. It’s also tuned slightly differently from the VW, and initial progression is smoother and more immediate. Throttle responses are relatively crisp, the motor revs more easily from medium engine speeds and there seems to be more punch in the mid-range. So driving in traffic is really much nicer, with only some turbo-lag present. The Rapid also lacks that big spike in power you get on the diesel Vento, and this makes it even nicer in traffic. You do miss the thrill of that sudden burst of power and the Rapid doesn’t pull as willingly at the top of its powerband, but we still found it to be just as quick. It matches the Vento to 100kph and by 140, it’s even ahead.

Skoda has made the petrol version better to drive as well. The 1.6 Mpfi engine isn’t the most modern motor around and doesn’t feel as light and responsive as some of the Japanese units. Still, with shorter gearing and altered tuning, we could have sworn that there was a different engine under the hood. It’s slightly boomy at some points in the powerband, and it moans a bit near the 6200rpm redline as well, but the petrol Rapid still feels better to drive. It’s faster to respond to a tap on the throttle, it pulls slightly harder throughout the rev range and pedaling this car quickly is actually enjoyable. The Rapid is considerably quicker than the Vento in a straight line with 100kph reached approximately one second quicker. It’s still not close to the City though, the performance king of the segment almost three seconds quicker to 140kph.

VW has always made some of the nicest manual gearboxes, and this one is no different. It is light to use, the throw is short and this makes it one of the slickest boxes around. 

Verdict

From the outside, the Rapid looks like nothing more than a VW Vento with a Skoda nose and Skoda badges. And that's what it undeniably is. However, dig deeper and Rapid proves to be much more than a Volkswagen clone. Yes, some of the shortcomings of the Vento remain. These are not the most refined cars to come out of Planet VW, the Rapid doesn't seem to adhere as closely to global build quality standards as something like a Fabia and this car is still nowhere as well equipped as some of the competition. However, on the plus side, Skoda has ironed out many of the Vento's other shortcomings. The diesel engine is more linear but just as punchy, the shorter geared petrol now works much better and ride and handling are much improved as well. Spacious, fast, frugal, reasonably well-built and good value, the Rapid has a lot going for it. We're going to see a lot of them.


Tech Specs

From the outside, the Rapid looks like nothing more than a VW Vento with a Skoda nose and Skoda badges. And that's what it undeniably is. However, dig deeper and Rapid proves to be much more than a Volkswagen clone. Yes, some of the shortcomings of the Vento remain. These are not the most refined cars to come out of Planet VW, the Rapid doesn't seem to adhere as closely to global build quality standards as something like a Fabia and this car is still nowhere as well equipped as some of the competition. However, on the plus side, Skoda has ironed out many of the Vento's other shortcomings. The diesel engine is more linear but just as punchy, the shorter geared petrol now works much better and ride and handling are much improved as well. Spacious, fast, frugal, reasonably well-built and good value, the Rapid has a lot going for it. We're going to see a lot of them.
Overall Rating  

Fabia Monte Carlo, RS 2000 at the Expo

The Skoda hall unveiling seemed to have gotten overshadowed by all the glitz and glamour elsewhere at the Auto Expo. Although no new models or variants were launched, the attractions at the Skoda stall were the Fabia Monte Carlo and the RS 2000 concept that was earlier unveiled at the Wörthersee motor show last year.

The Monte Carlo Fabia is a tribute to 100 years of the Monte Carlo rally and 110 years of Skoda in motorsport. This special edition Fabia features piano-black body trim and black coloured roof, door mirrors and radiator grille as well as smoked headlights and black 17-inch lightweight alloy wheels. Interior touches include either black or red-and-black sports seats, and red-stitched leather steering wheel, handbrake and gearstick boot.

Success in the S2000 rally series prompted Skoda to make a celebratory concept car. Skoda has the enviable distinction of being the manufacturer with the most number of rally victories especially in the non-modified or N category. Of late, their S2000 rally cars have also been a big success and the RS 2000 concept car is something of a celebration. The RS 2000 has four doors and four seats, interestingly, despite being a convertible. The concept roadster has some unique styling bits like the tapering windscreen blending with the windows all the way back to the rear.

Also displayed at the Skoda stand were the company’s Rapid and Laura RS saloons.

FIRST DRIVE Skoda Yeti 4X2 review, test drive

 Like its Himalayan namesake, the Skoda Yeti is a rare sight. Its problem is that it is too much of a crossover — too small to be an SUV, too big to be a hatchback and priced well above many mid-size luxury cars. Skoda hopes this new more affordable 110bhp, front-wheel drive version will lead to more Yeti sightings on our roads. Priced at Rs 14.32 lakh (ex showroom, Delhi) for the top Ambition variant (the lower Active is Rs 13.46 lakh), the Yeti 4x2 is approximately Rs 2.5 lakh cheaper than its all-wheel-drive sibling. Certainly worth a look, then.

Key differences between the front-wheel and all-wheel-drive versions are that the former comes with afive-speed manual instead of the 4WD version’s six-speeder. By deleting the all-wheel drive gear, the Yeti sheds 98 kilos too. So, despite being 30bhp down on its all-wheel-driven sibling, you’ll never feel the need for more power. There’s little lag to speak of, the engine is pretty free-revving and pulls hard all the way to the redline, and the 25.5kgm of torque (down from 32.6kgm) is more than adequate for the Yeti’s 1445kg kerb weight. The 0-100kph time of 11.76sec is entirely respectable and only one second off the more powerful 4x4’s time. There’s little difference in refinement too, the engine remaining quiet at low and cruising speeds with a bit of a growl when you accelerate hard.

It’s only when you try a Formula 1 start from the lights that you get a hint that it is a two-wheel drive. You also get a bit of torque steer as the turbo kicks in, and under extreme cornering, you will miss the extra grip and stability the 4x4 gives you, especially in the wet. Still, ESP is standard, and cuts in before you have any unintentional off-road excursions. A welcome improvement is how this Yeti doesn’t stall as easily as the 4x4 version when you get off the clutch and this makes it infinitely easier to drive in traffic.

The rest is the Yeti as we know it – high-quality interiors, practical, sorted ride; it is genuinely one of the best Skodas for India. There’s no differentiation on the outside either, not even 4x2 badge. The Ambition is well equipped too — there’s two airbags, a CD player, hill descent control, parking sensors at the rear and powered everything, but doesn’t get the extra kit that helps make the Yeti special. The lower-spec Active doesn’t get as much kit, but gets alloys, ABS and two airbags.

We also think Skoda missed an opportunity to introduce a DSG auto gearbox. Considering the Yeti’s city-friendly nature, an automatic would be very appropriate. Also, a small irritant is how all new Skodas, the Yeti included, get a shrill horn rather than the old ‘parp’ horn that sounded so much more expensive.

Speaking of which, the Yeti still isn’t a value proposition and remains a niche product. It is for people who understand its vast range of talents, all packed into a compact footprint, and don’t mind paying a premium for it. So, does it really make sense to offer a less talented, cheaper version? We think it does. The Yeti 4x2 doesn’t give away much in terms of its on-road abilities, which is what most owners will it use for. The build quality is really special too and is what distances the Yeti from bigger, cheaper and more practical SUVs, and the price is now more realistic for its size. If only it had an automatic.

Fact File
Price Range (in lakhs)*
Ex-showroom price 13.4-14.3 lakh
Engine
Fuel Diesel
Type 4-cyls in-line, 1968cc, common-rail, turbo-diesel
Power 110bhp at 4200rpm
Torque 49kgm at 1500-2500rpm
Transmission
Gearbox 5-speed manual
Dimensions
Length 4223mm
Width 1793mm
Height 1691mm
Wheel base 2578mm
Chassis & Body
Weight 1445kg
Brakes
Front Ventilated discs (front),
Rear solid discs (rear)
Performance
0-20 1.15
0-40 2.56
0-60 4.81
0-80 8.05
0-100 11.76
0-120 17.04
0-140 25.57

Skoda Fabia Scout pictures

Monte Carlo edition celebrates 110 years of Skoda's motorsport program.

New pictures of Skoda VisionD

New pictures of the Skoda VisionD concept car have been released by the Czech manufacturer. These latest images of the VisionD, which was first unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March 2011, highlight the design cues that will inform all future Skoda cars.

The concept is a mid-size fastback with crisp lines and a new grille that Skoda’s chief designer, Josef Kaban, described as “proud, confident, but not arrogant”. Several cues, including headlight and foglight locations that resemble a four-leaf clover and rear lights that look like “bohemian crystal”, will make it onto production cars.

See the latest pictures of the Skoda VisionD concept

The long wheelbase design with short overhangs also allows for greater interior space. The futuristic interior includes clear glass on the centre console and a reduction in the amount of switchgear. The dials, seats and steering wheel form part of the futuristic look, while most of the interior controls appear to be carried out by a small touchpad facing the driver and positioned on the edge of the centre console.

The VisionD shares key design features with the MissionL concept that was unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2011. The VisionD could reach production as a hatchback version of the MissionL.

Skoda is planning to unveil a new car every six months as it overhauls its model range. The new executive saloon, which will be Skoda’s biggest-selling model in the new range when it’s launched in late 2012 - early 2013, will grow in size to fit between MissionL and the Superb.

Skoda launches Yeti 4x2

Skoda Auto has launched the 4x2 version of the Yeti soft-roader. This model features a de-tuned version of the 4x4’s 140bhp, 2-litre common-rail diesel engine with peak power now a significantly lower 108bhp. This model is, however, a whole 98kg lighter than the 4x4 car. The 4x2 also gets a 5-speed manual transmission in place of the 4x4’s 6-speed manual gearbox.
What remains unchanged is the Yeti’s sophisticated all-independent suspension, so it should be comfortable in its 4x2 avatar too. The Yeti will be available in two variants, namely Active and the better-specced Ambience that gets ESP and rear parking sensors.
Prices start at Rs 13.2 lakh (ex-showroom, Maharashtra) and go up to Rs 14.05 lakh. In comparison, the base Yeti 4x4 costs Rs 15.5 lakh.