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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Classic convertibles and roadsters by Škoda

The Škoda Works were established as an arms manufacturing plant in 1859. Škoda Auto (and its predecessors) is one of the five oldest companies producing cars and has an unbroken history alongside Tatra, Daimler, Opel and Peugeot.

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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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New Octavia Combi 4x4

Following the world premiere of the new Octavia Combi at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, Skoda has released information about the 4x4 variants of its station wagon that are now fitted with an updated AWD system featuring the latest-generation Haldex 5 clutch.

Of the 124,500 Skoda Octavia estates sold last year in Europe, almost 20 percent were all-wheel drive versions, with the ratio being even higher in Scandinavian and Alpine countries (61 percent in Norway, 55 percent in Switzerland).

The upgraded all-wheel drive system has an intelligent distribution of torque between both axles and individual wheels. Under normal driving conditions, most of the power will go to the front axle. As soon as more torque is required or the wheels need more grip, the rear wheels are seamlessly activated. The Octavia Combi 4x4 also comes with a standard EDL (Electronic Differential Lock) which acts as a transversal lock allowing for stable starting-off on surfaces with uneven grip.

The Octavia Combi 4x4 is offered with a choice of three engines, one petrol and two diesels. The 180PS (177hp) 1.8 TSI petrol is the most powerful, with the base engine being the 105PS (103hp) 1.6 TDI diesel. There’s also the more powerful 150PS (147hp) 2.0 TDI on offer. All three versions come with start-stop and an energy recuperation system as standard. Skoda says fuel economy and emission figures have been improved by an average of 14 percent over the preceding model.

Combined with a six-speed manual gearbox, the 1.6 TDI averages 4.5 l/100 km (52.2 US mpg) and emits 119 g of CO2/km, while the 2.0 TDI has a combined fuel consumption of 4.9 l/100 km (48 US mpg) and CO2 emissions of 124 g/km.

The gasoline 1.8 TSI, available exclusively with an automatic six-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission, averages 6.7 l/100 km (35.1 US mpg) and emits 156 g of CO2/km. It is, however, the fastest, with 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) taking 7.5 seconds, while topping out at 227 km/h (141 mph).

Sales of the Octavia Combi 4x4 will begin in Europe in June, a month after the launch of the front-wheel drive model.

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