Milotec Lays its Hands on the Skoda Octavia II RS

The second generation of the Octavia is one of the more successful models to come out of the Volkswagen – Skoda partnership. And in RS form, the Octavia is perhaps one of the finest proposals in the family car segment for those looking to trade in some the VW Golf GTi's performance and handling attributes for more space and increased practicality without breaking their budget.

While not as popular as the GTI in the aftermarket scene, there's a selection of tuners that offer plenty of upgrades for the Octavia RS, which is available in Europe with a choice of two powerplants, a 2.0-liter TFSI petrol producing 200-horses, and a 2.0-liter TDI diesel with 170-ponies.

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Skoda Rolls Out New Rapid Small Sedan in India [with Video]

In the next step towards its bold goal of increasing Skoda's worldwide sales to at least 1.5 million vehicles per year by 2018, the Volkswagen Group revealed a new entry-level Skoda sedan named Rapid at its Pune plant in western India on Sunday.

Although it had been suggested that the Rapide may be the production version of Skoda's MissionL concept that was show in Frankfurt last month, this doesn't seem to be the case.

Instead, the Rapid, which borrows its name from the rear-engine Skoda coupe of the mid-late 1980s, is a rebadged version of the Indian market VW Vento, otherwise known as the Polo sedan.

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SCOOP: Facelifted 2012 Skoda Superb and Octavia Snapped Testing in the Alps

While the Volkswagen Group is keeping itself busy with new introductions such as the VW brand's Up! and the soon-to-be launched Skoda MissionL (albeit under a different name), the company has not forget about its current portfolio and is working on improving its offerings in all segments.

This time, our team of spy photographers snagged the 2012 Skoda Superb facelift in sedan form undergoing testing in the Alps.

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Skoda Begins Production of Electric Octavia E Line Test Fleet

Skoda announced that it has begun production of the Octavia E Line, the company’s first fully electric car that was first saw in concept form at last year’s Paris Motor Show.

Starting this fall, the Czech automaker will manufacture a test fleet of 10 cars that will be used for evaluation of the emissions-free technology. This will help the Skoda collect valuable data to be used in future applications that will reduce its average CO2 emissions.

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Skoda Posts Record Worldwide Sales in First Half of 2011

Skoda revealed today that it delivered 454,700 vehicles in the first half of 2011, which represents an increase of 20.1% compared to the same period in 2010. The Volkswagen Group brand also achieved its best ever June sales, with 81,300 deliveries, compared to 71,300 units in 2010, scoring a new sales record for the fourth month in a row. Read more »

Skoda to Challenge the Big Boys at Bonneville Speed Week with 600HP Octavia RS

With the help of the Volkswagen Group, Skoda has turned out to be quite an important player in the automotive industry. The Czech automaker delivered more than 760,000 cars last year and aims to double its annual sales to 1.5 million by 2018. But it’s not only about sales as Skoda’s German parent company is also planning to further boost the Czech brand’s image.

In celebration of the 10 year anniversary of the vRS (in the UK, simply RS for the rest of Europe) performance badge, Skoda will compete in the famous Bonneville Speed Week in August (13-20) with a specially modified Octavia vRS saloon. Skoda’s goal is to break the magic 200mph (320+ km/h) barrier for the first time in the company’s history.

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Was ist das? Strange Volkswagen-Skoda Hybrid Spied in Munich

Roman Jagatić is the latest addition to our ever-growing list of readers-turned-into spy photographers. Roman stumbled upon this strange looking Volkswagen-Skoda hybrid prototype parked at a gas station in Munich, Germany. The test car appears to combine a modified body of a Skoda Octavia with a Volkswagen front end.

While we do not have a definite answer to what it may be, possible scenarios include a test car for a new Skoda Octavia and a prototype for a Volkswagen-badged model for select markets outside Europe.

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Study finds the Most Vandalised Car in Britain is the Lexus IS

Bad news for Lexus IS owners across the pond: if you happen to own one of the Japanese brand’s entry-level sedans, you’re in possession of the most vandalised car in the UK. Runners up are BMW’s Z4 sports coupe and MINI’s entry-level One model. It’s all been revealed as part of SwiftCover.com’s Vehicle Vandalism Index (VVI), whereby the UK-based insurer analysed some 2,000 motor insurance claims. SwiftCover claims director Robin Reames explains:

“Our analysis shows that luxury cars are more likely to be targeted by vandals, however, it's interesting to see the MINI One in the top three. The majority of vehicles in the top ten are what we call 'executive cars', likely to be driven by high earners who see their car as a status symbol, with just one 4x4 making up the top ten.”

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Skoda Reportedly Readying Up-based City Car for 2011 and Low-Cost Sedan for 2012

Volkswagen Group's new strategy for Skoda is beginning to show its first results. In order to avoid competition between VW and Skoda products and to get a piece of the low-cost market, the German company’s plans for the Czech automaker include a new affordable model.

According to reports from the UK, Skoda has confirmed that the new addition will be a small sedan positioned between the Fabia supermini and the Octavia and will target developing markets. The sedan, which could be a competitor to Renault’s Dacia Logan, is scheduled for launch in 2012, but first Skoda will introduce a city car based on Volkswagen’s forthcoming Up series.

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VW Group's Skoda Division Sets New Record in 2010 with 762,600 Sales

The once ailing Skoda brand is turning out to be a solid investment for the Volkswagen Group as the Czech automaker is breaking one sales record after the other. In the year that just passed on, Skoda Auto recorded is best-ever sales results delivering 762,000 vehicles, which represents an increase of 11.5% over 2009 when it sold 684,200 units. Furthermore, the company broke the threshold of three quarters of a million vehicles sold in a single year for the first time in its history.

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A Painted History of Skoda

Just today, we learned that Skoda delivered a record number of vehicles in the first nine months of 2010, increasing its operating profit by a whopping 64%. This is what most people know about the Czech automaker; that it has been a wild success since Volkswagen took over the reins of the company. But there are others -myself included- who think the real glory of Skoda lies in its past.

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Skoda Expands Octavia Range with New 1.2-Liter Turbo Petrol, Adds DSG Option to 1.6 TDI

The refreshed Octavia, which is essentially Skoda's (better) take on the VW Jetta, has received new engine and transmission options for 2010. In particular, both the liftback and estate versions are now offered with a new, downsized 1.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder TSI gasoline engine with direct-injection while the 1.6 TDI CR 105HP diesel models can now be equipped with the VW Group's DSG dual-clutch transmission.

The 1.2-liter TSI produces 105 horsepower and can be matted to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed DSG dual clutch transmission.

It propels the hatch from zero to 62mph (100km/h) in 10.8 seconds (Estate: 10.9 seconds) while returning a combined fuel economy of 49.6mpg UK, which is equal to 41.3mpg US and 5.7 lt/100km (Estate: 48.6mpg UK).

In the UK, prices for the Octavia 1.2 TSI start from £12,935 for the liftback and from £13,835 for the Estate.

At the same time, Skoda added the option of a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox to the latest generation 1.6-liter turbo diesel with 105HP. The DSG is available with the same bodystyle and trim combinations as the 1.2 TSI (S and SE) as well as in Elegance guise. Prices for the 1.6 TDI DSG models start from £16,495 for the hatch and from £17,395 for the Estate.

Skoda Octavia RS+ Study Premieres at Essen Motorshow

At the Essen Motor Show in Germany, Skoda presented a study version of its flagship Octavia model, the RS, which unlike the rest of the car's range, has yet to be revealed in facelift form - see details and images here. The Essen motorshow Octavia RS+ Study sports a black colored bodykit with a front lip spoiler and a rear diffuser that incorporates the twin tailpipes, black mirror caps and black alloy wheels. Inside, the Czech automaker accessorized the RS+ with contrasting red leather seats (Recaro bucket seats up front), door panels and steering wheel as well as with faux carbon fiber trim.

The Octavia RS+ Study does not feature any mechanical upgrades. In Europe, the Octavia RS is offered in both sedan and estate variants with two powertrain options, a 200HP 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel unit that delivers 170 HP. The facelifted RS is expected to be introduced in early 2009.

Photo Copyright: UP

Skoda Octavia Facelift: U.K. Pricing Announced

The freshly revised Skoda Octavia that was unveiled for the first time at the Paris Motorshow will be arriving at the Czech firm's U.K. showrooms this January with prices representing an average increase of £473 for the Octavia Hatch and £478 for the Octavia Estate over the outgoing model. The new Octavia has undergone a series of design changes which include a new front fascia with sweeping headlights, new foldable door mirrors, an updated interior and a brand new 1.4 TSI 122bhp engine that replaces the current 1.6 FSI 115HP engine. Prices for the Octavia range from £11,580 for the 80HP 1.4 16v sedan to £21,200 for the 170HP 2.0 TDI vRS Estate with the dual-clutch DSG transmission (click here for our high-res image gallery).

Skoda Octavia Facelift: 57 High-Res Photos and Official Info

As a world premiere, Skoda is going to present the subtly facelifted Octavia at the Paris Motor Show that runs from 2-19 October, 2008. Key exterior enhancements include the newly shaped headlamps, a more robust radiator grille, restyled bumpers and tail lamp covers. Inside, Skoda redesigned the steering wheel, the dashboard (white-backlit), the air conditioning controls and the decorative strips on the doors and the central console. Furthermore, new upholstery fabrics are available across all equipment levels. -Continued

Other improvements include the new adaptive xenon headlamps and the installation of front ‘WOKS’ headrests that promise to offer more effective rear impact protection. Under the bonnet, the only change concerns the addition of the VW Group’s new 1.4-liter TSI turbocharged gasoline engine that generates an output of 122 HP. The new TSI unit can be combined with a seven-speed twin-clutch automatic DSG transmission.