Skoda has unveiled a new version of its Octavia that could help to boost demand for used Skodas as well.
The brand new Octavia vRS is set to be a limited edition, with just 500 models in production, but the hype surrounding the new car will no doubt raise the profile of other models of used Skodas.
The new car also has another perk for drivers, because the company has said it will pay the VAT on the vehicle, helping hard-pressed motorists to make the purchase.
That means the new models will be over £1,000 cheaper than other Octavias on the market – despite having extra features such as Italian leather seats, a touchscreen audio unit and alloy wheels.
"The vRS is already astonishingly good, and for a select number of drivers we’ve made it even better," a Skoda spokesman told Auto Express.
One reviewer at Channel Four described the new car as being "as impressive as ever" – something that is sure to please used Skoda dealers, as the interest in older models of the Octavia is likely to flourish once these 500 new vehicles have been snapped up.
Written by Barry Oakey
Skoda has trumped chancellor Alistair Darling by taking steps to ensure its customers do not have to pay VAT on Octavia purchases.
Last Monday (November 24th), Chancellor Darling announced that the rate of VAT paid on goods and services would be reduced from 17.5 per cent to 15 per cent for a limited time, effective from Monday, 1st December.
However, instead of passing on the rate cut Skoda has decided to sell its Octavia cars to customers VAT-free in the month of December.
The offer also applies for the purchase of options and vehicle delivery, meaning that a prospective car-buyer could save up to £3,000 by buying an Octavia next month.
"As car buyers scour the market in search of great deals we are responding to their needs and covering the cost of VAT on any Octavia purchased in December," commented Robert Hazelwood, brand director at Skoda.
"The current Octavia has won a series of car industry top prizes for its driveability, flexibility, spaciousness and the great value it offers, so this is a rare opportunity to buy one of the best brand new hatchbacks on the market at a very attractive price."
The Octavia brand was revived by Skoda in 1996.
Skoda has livened up the hot hatch market yet further by increasing its standard specification on the sporty Octavia vRS.
From the beginning of September, all Octavia vRS ordered will be fitted with more items as standard.
These will include 18 inch Zenith Alloy wheels and dual zone climate control.
New Skoda owners will also be able to take advantage of jumbo box central arm rest with 3.5mm auxiliary in socket, rear electric windows and cruise control – all without placing additional orders.
Over £1,100 worth of equipment will now be available on both petrol and diesel models as standard thanks to the upgrade. The company hopes that this will give the Octavia vRS a competitive edge over rivals during a time when motorists are increasingly prioritizing value for money.
Warren Richards, product marketing manager at Skoda commented: “Skoda has always pledged to give motorists more car for their money.
"This generous equipment offer is sure to attract drivers looking for great performance, great looks, great driving experience and now even greater value.”
Written by Emily Heskey
Once reviled for its marque, the Skoda has a brand to celebrate as the two millionth Octavia rolled off the Czech production line in Vrchlabí back in April last year.
Then the Octavia won the 2007 Auto Express Driver-power survey ‘Car of the Year’.
The Czechs started to produce the Skoda Octavia (Tour) in 1998 and added a parallel production line to construct the 2004 Octavia alongside the traditional Octavia Tour.
There are now production lines in India, China, Russia, the Ukraine, Bosnia and Kazakhstan.
For those who enjoy pub-quizzes, the Octavia is called ‘Laura’ in India and ‘Ming Rui’ in China.
Business News also described Skoda as one of the greenest car makers, with average CO2 emissions of 152g/km.
What Car? magazine has hailed Skoda’s Octavia estate vehicle as the Best Buy Estate under £15,000.
The model beat the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Kia Cee’d to the gong at a ceremony held at the Grosvenor House hotel in London.
Available to customers from £12,995, the Octavia 1.6 FSI Classic proves that motorists do not "need to have a large budget to buy a practical estate with loads of room".
What Car? editor Steve Fowler added that the vehicle is an "attractive proposition".
"As an overall package, the Octavia is still ahead of its rivals. The boot is large, free from intrusions and quick to expand to its full size, thanks to its easy-to-fold rear seats," he said.
This comes as the Ford Mondeo took three prizes at the 2008 BusinessCar awards.
Estate Car of the Year, Upper Medium Car of the Year and Business Car of the Year were all picked up by the firm.
A motor magazine has handed awards to two of Skoda’s larger models.
The Octavia 4×4 and Scout vehicles were acknowledged with three awards at by the Planet 4×4 publication.
Judges deemed the Octavia 2.0 TDi 4×4 – which picked up the Best Crossover and Best Budget Crossover gongs – to be appealing to those who find other SUVs "too macho".
Similarly, the Scout was praised for having on-road dynamics as good as any real sports car.
But the accolades are not a surprise to Chris Craft, head of Skoda UK.
"The Octavia 4×4 and Scout not only represent excellent value for money, but are also very practical and capable off-road," he said.
Meanwhile, Skoda has named its Design Writer of the Year.
Glen Smale picked up the prize, a unique trophy sculpted for the occasion, at the Guild of Motoring Writers’ annual dinner, at the RAC Club.
Czech car manufacturer Skoda has received a number of honours at this year’s Towcar of the Year awards.
The firm gained recognition for several of its models at the prestigious award ceremony held at the RAC club, winning three out of seven possible categories.
The Octavia Scout won the awards for the £20,000 to £25,000 category and the all-wheel drive under 1,800 kg prize, while the Roomster Scout 1.9 TDI also took home the honours in the under £16,000 class.
"Costing from £14,070, the Roomster Scout 1.9 TDI will appeal to more than just the caravanning fraternity, however, thanks to an impressive 53.3mpg combined and zero to 62mph time of 11.5 seconds," Skoda said.
Now in its 25th year, the Towcar of the Year awards are organised by the Caravan Club which provides services for more than one million caravan and trailer owners.
Ford’s Mondeo Titanium X Estate was named the overall winner of the competition.
The Skoda Octavia has been voted into the top spot in the Auto Express car reliability and satisfaction survey for 2007.
Tens of thousands of British drivers took part in the study, which covered all aspects of car ownership, including dependability, maintenance costs, performance and comfort.
A number of rivals to Skoda’s family car were beaten to the number one position, including models from BMW, Mercedes and Audi.
The other cars to feature in the top five were the Lexus RX, the Honda S2000, the new Honda Civic and BMW’s latest 5-Series.
BMW’s old version of the 5-Series still appears to be popular with drivers, in sixth position, followed by the Mazda 6, the new Toyota Corolla, the latest version of the Volkswagen Golf and the Honda Jazz.
Japanese cars’ popularity with British buyers was once again evident in the survey, with the Mazda 3, the Lexus IS, the Honda Accord and the Toyota Rav4 all making an appearance in the top 20.
The only British brands to feature in the top 20 were Rover, with its 75 model in 16th position and Land Rover, whose new Discovery was voted into 20th place.
Skoda has announced a new addition to its Octavia estate range – the four-wheel drive Scout.
The carmaker describes the new model as "surefooted", owing to its 4×4 system, and said that its appearance is "robust and muscular".
Two engines will be offered with the car – a two-litre, FSI, 150bhp petrol version and a two-litre, TDI, 140bhp diesel. Both will feature the second generation of the Haldex clutch, which reportedly allows up to 98 per cent of power to be transferred between the front and rear wheels.
Among the standard equipment for the car is a twin chrome exhaust, 17-inch alloy wheels, sunset glass, dual zone air conditioning, rear acoustic parking sensors and cruise control.
Introducing its new car, Skoda stated: "The Scout’s rugged personality is accentuated by increased ground clearance…aluminium protective under-trays front and rear, chunky protective body mouldings and ESP with hill hold control."
The company is hoping that the launch of the Scout will help its Octavia range emulate the success it experienced in 2006 this year.
Nearly 17,900 Octavia models were sold last year – contributing to the overall sales of 39,000 that Skoda achieved.
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