Skoda has confirmed at the Beijing motor show that the new MissionL concept will be dubbed Rapid when it goes on sale. For the Chinese market, however, the Rapid name will probably not be used.
First revealed at the Frankfurt motor show in September last year, the MissionL previews the crucial new Rapid model that will be key to the Czech firm’s ambitious growth plans when it enters production this year.
The new model will fill the large gap between the Fabia and Octavia in Skoda’s current range. It will be a five-door hatchback-come-saloon, similar in dimensions to the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf, and is described by Skoda as being of a “compact liftback design”.
The car will be sold in Europe, Russia and China, with a separate four-door version for India on sale by the end of the year. Each market will get its own regionalised version of the car that Skoda says will be one of the main contributors if it is to reach its annual worldwide sales target of 1.5 million units per year by 2018. Last year, Skoda sold a record 762,600 units.
Many of MissionL’s key design features will be taken from the similarly sized VisionD concept from the 2011 Geneva motor show. Autocar understands the concept is around 80 per cent production ready and is based on lengthened VW Polo mechanicals.
Skoda chairman Winfried Vahland says the MissionL shows “exactly the direction our brand is going to take”. Vahland also says the production version of the Rapid will be followed be a new model every six months for up to the next three years.
Elsewhere, Skoda’s expansion plans include launching and locally producing the Yeti in China in 2013, the same year it will launch a “new compact model” for China it has co-developed with Shanghai Volkswagen. Russia will also be producing the Yeti from 2012.
The European version of Skoda's Rapid will reach UK showrooms from late 2012, with a Chinese version - built and sold in China - available from 2013.
Join the debate
Foilball
Re: Skoda's Focus rival revealed
Cue the Monty Python gags.....
Love the smell of a V8 in the morning.
rodenal
Re: Skoda's Focus rival revealed
Confused....an Octavia is basically a Golf/Jetta is it not? I.e the Octavia is skodas Focus Rival....so what's this, a slightly different very slightly smaller octavia????
VAG are really confusing me these days
Maxycat
Re: Skoda's Focus rival revealed
[quote Autocar]The new model, reported by Autocar India to be taking the ‘Lauretta’ name for production and previewed here in this teaser image, will fill the large gap between the Fabia and Octavia in Skoda’s current range. It will be a five-door hatchback-come-saloon, similar in dimensions to the Ford Focus [/quote]As far as I can see the current Ovtavia is Focus sized as it is based on the Golf. I cannot see a larger gap between the Fabia and Octavia than their is between the Fiesta and Focus or indeed the Polo and the Golf.
Fidji
Re: Skoda's Focus rival revealed
VAG are boring me to death at the moment. A new W8 in the Passat or V6 in the Golf would wake me up a bit, but the EU wouldn't allow that.
SeeYou
Re: Skoda's Focus rival revealed
[quote rodenal]...so what's this, a slightly different very slightly smaller octavia????[/quote] In the Czech republic is this car replacement for second generation Octavia tour, which is prefacelifted current Octavia. I´ve heard, that it will have 1.3 in. longer wheelbase then current Octavia. Next gen Octavia will be slightly bigger car then.
jimcumming
Re: Skoda's Focus rival revealed
This looks like a 3rd hand design to me. Audi A4 - Seat Exeo - Skoda Lauretta
Awful name too, I have a terrible feeling I might end up buying one.
K_A
Re: Skoda's Focus rival revealed
The Octavia and Fabia are deemed "too large" to be a direct rivals for the Ford Focus/Volkswagen Polo, so in order to fill in the white gap, this car will be produced. It should measure no longer than 4.4 metres as the larger Octavia is 4.6m odd and the Fabia is under 4.1m.
Yes, essentially Škoda will have two models competing in the same segment but both will attract different buyers.
Mini1
Re: Skoda's Focus rival revealed
[quote Maxycat][quote Autocar]The new model, reported by Autocar India to be taking the ‘Lauretta’ name for production and previewed here in this teaser image, will fill the large gap between the Fabia and Octavia in Skoda’s current range. It will be a five-door hatchback-come-saloon, similar in dimensions to the Ford Focus [/quote]As far as I can see the current Ovtavia is Focus sized as it is based on the Golf. I cannot see a larger gap between the Fabia and Octavia than their is between the Fiesta and Focus or indeed the Polo and the Golf.[/quote]The Octavia is based on the Golf, yes, but it is a far larger car. Bigger boot, more rear passenger space, longer... in fact, it's more spacious than the 3-Series from the class "above". Apparently the next Octavia is going to be bigger (more like the current Mondeo) so I think this new car will be slightly smaller than a current Octavia. Confusing, yes... I'm sure it'll become clearer when we get some proper images and it's revealed on the show floor.
"The creative adult is the child who survived."
rodenal
Re: Skoda's Focus rival revealed
The 3 series isn't from the class above though lol, it's a focus sized car in saloon/coupe/estate form that costs a bit more - it's certainly not mondeo/passat/5 series sized.
The octavia also isn't that much larger than a golf btw, it's very close to the jetta, which is very close to 3 series size and very close if not identical to the golf....with a boot on the end.
Peter Cavellini
Re: Skoda's Focus rival revealed
Go on then!, tell me it's not an A4?
Peter Cavellini.
Pages
Add your comment