Skoda Superb vRS

We're all familiar with Skoda's vRS line-up by now. It includes the Fabia (even though not the current gen yet) and the Octavia in both hatchback as well as Estate form. But what about the Superb?

Skoda will be the first to tell you that their buyers haven't shown an inclination of wanting to own a considerably faster Superb family car, perhaps because the Superb already comes with a more powerful engine than the one you'd find in the Octavia vRS TSI - the 2.0 liter 220 HP turbocharged in-line four.

Heck, you could get a 3.6 liter V6 in the current gen Superb, good for 260 HP and a faster sprint time to 62 mph (100 km/h) than the Octavia.

Well, the all-new Superb, is set to sport an even beefier power unit of 2.0 liters and 280 PS which should take it's 0-62 time down to about 6 seconds flat or maybe even less. And no, it won't be called the vRS, it will be just a regular model with a very capable engine.

So then it's not looking good for those of us who maybe wanted to see an even quicker version of the Superb, sporting a vRS badge, just like in this beautifully crafted rendering.

But we can still dream, since this is one good looking car thanks to those sporty rims, aggressive spoilers and dual exhaust tips.

Renderings courtesy of X-Tomi Design

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Skoda Superb Coupe

There’s no coupe in Skoda’s current lineup and there hasn’t been a single one in the company’s post-VW history. But the Czech brand used to sell coupes, both before and during the communist period.

Obviously, Skoda’s current positioning as a more affordable alternative to the VW brand means we won’t see a coupe made in Mlada Boleslav too soon (if ever). But for those who are curious what a Skoda coupe would look like, automotive manipulator X-Tomi provides the answer. 

Using the all-new Skoda Superb as a starting point, he transformed into a coupe and the result is not half bad. 

Like the Superb cabriolet we posted a week ago, this rendering has been made just for fun, but it shows the design language of the the Superb would work on a coupe body style as well. In real life, however, the only body style the Superb will get besides the sedan is the estate. 

Renderings courtesy of X-Tomi Design

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2017 Skoda Superb

You might be surprised to know that Skoda is not a stranger to convertible cars, which occasionally dotted its lineup in the previous century. It even did a few roadsters too. That’s why, while this latest Superb convertible rendering is not realistic in any way, it is a nod to cars the company used to make many decades ago.

Like the Superb sedan, it’s not bad looking, and losing its roof and two of the doors does add to its elegance; picture it in black with a beige interior if you have trouble spotting it, as that’s a surefire way to add more premium into the mix.

The rendering is quite realistic and up to the usual standard of quality that we’re used to from Theophilus Chin.

We also took the liberty to accompany the renderings with a selection of old photos of Skoda cars that have no roof; they’re in the second gallery below.

Via Theophiluschin 

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Skoda Posts Record-Breaking Sales for 2014

As it turns out, 2014 has been a huge year for Skoda, as they managed to sell more than 1 million cars for the first time over the course of a year.

Specifically, they sold no fewer than 1,037,200 vehicles (up by 12.7% compared to 2013), while also achieving record financial results, with sales revenue increasing by 13.8% to 11.8 billion euros and operating profit increasing by a massive 56.5% to 817 million euros.

Skoda's CEO, Prof.Dr Winfried Vahland said that "By delivering more than one million vehicles for the first time in a single year, we have sustainably established ourselves as a volume manufacturer on the international markets with our modern model range. It is on this basis that our brand will be perusing our growth strategy."

It's also great news for those who were hoping to see more from Skoda than just a lower-budget alternative to owning a VW.

As for this year, Skoda sales had already risen by 7.9% by the end of last month (when compared to Jan-Feb 2014). And at 163,000 sold over the first two months of the year, its also a new record for the Czech manufacturer.

Even though 2015 will definitely be marked by the arrival of the all-new Superb, Skoda will also be releasing a few other versions of their current model lineup such as the Skoda Octavia RS 230, the Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo and other 'Edition' models for Fabia, Rapid, Octavia and Yeti.

Skoda also plans to increase their sales to at least 1.5 million cars within the next few years - which isn't at all far fetched considering the fact that they've already crossed the million mark and they're expanding their production plants both in the Czech Republic as well as across the world.

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3rd Generation of Skoda Superb

March 12 was a very special day in the Czech Republic, as the first ever 3rd gen Skoda Superb rolled off the line at the Skoda plant in Kvasiny.

This model is wearing 'Business Grey' and it looks like it's on its way to a very proud and tasteful owner. Or at least we hope that's the case. By the looks of it, it's definitely not an entry-level model, its steering wheel is on the proper side and we're also very fond of the wheel design.

Luckily, the Kvasiny production facilities have already been modernized in preparation for the production of the new Superb. A new "Body Production" facility was also put into operation, while other production buildings and production areas were simply expanded.

The new body facility alone cost Skoda 1.7 billion Czech Koruna which is a little over $66 million - but it was clearly an investment they had to make.

Skoda seems to think that the new Superb is (already) setting the standard in the mid-class segment. We'd love it if that was the case, which is why we're glad that we can't argue against them, at least not yet.

We like its looks and all its new tech, and we're sure it's going to do great on the European market.

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2014 Skoda Superb

The Superb, just like all other current Skoda models, represents very good value for money. You get a car which is almost the same size as an Audi A6, but only costs about as much as a Volkswagen Passat. However, that is only part of the car's appeal, and now with a refresh for the 2014 model-year, the Superb has been sharpened up.

When this generation of Superb came out, it took us a while to get used to the shape of the car, and in particular that of the headlights. The years have passed, and now that they are commonplace on the roads of Europe, people have grown accustomed to them. The facelift brings about a restyled front end, which now features the new "family face" as well as a different rear end. It also gets bi-xenon headlights, with integrated LED daytime running lights.

At the rear end, the liftback/sedan version gets new tail light graphics, as does the estate, or Combi, as they like to call it. The exterior changes are complimented by two new colors (metal grey and moon white).

The vast interior has also been restyled to match the rest of the range, and buyers can choose from a total of nine possible variations, including three- or four-spoke steering wheels. Top-spec cars also get a new brown-ivory leather interior – for that upmarket feel.

The range of engines is carried over from the previous model, but some engines reportedly use 19 percent less fuel. Given as an example is the 1.6-liter TDI (diesel) Greenline, which now uses 4.2 l/100km (67.2 mpg UK). However, the best-selling engine is expected to be the 2.0-liter TDI, which gets a manual transmission for the all-wheel drive model for the first time.

The Superb retains its ability to carry passengers and way too many of their bags – both body versions are still "class leading" in this respect, thanks in part to the long wheelbase, the square-ish overall shape, clever packaging and use of interior volume. It gets ABS and ESP as standard (of course), with active adaptive lights (self-dimming) and hill-hold assist being available as options. A tire pressure monitoring system, as well as a total of nine airbags complete the list of safety kit currently offered.

I say that the only thing that lets the 2014 Superb down is the actual restyling job. It could have been more thorough, especially since even this facelifted version doesn't look as fresh as the new Octavia

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