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Releasing the first exterior sketches of the VISION 7S concept car, ŠKODA AUTO reveals further details of its new design language. The drawings provide a preview of the study’s body. The sketches show a powerful SUV featuring a striking front end with T-shaped headlights.

The exterior sketches of the all-electric ŠKODA VISION 7S concept car depict a newly designed, striking front end. The significantly wider and flatter ŠKODA grille is dark and closed. The front headlights, which have been repositioned far out to the edge of the vehicle, are arranged in two rows one above the other, and the sharply defined daytime running light strip above them extends laterally into the pronounced wings, extending the light cluster to form a ‘T’.

The sharply contoured bonnet cites the well-known ŠKODA line. The striking, completely redesigned bumper features seven vertically arranged air inlets, with the central one sporting an insert in eye-catching orange. The lower apron area is fitted with an aluminium underride guard. Large, aerodynamically optimised wheels emphasise the VISION 7S’s powerful visual appearance. The side view is defined by clear surfaces and a gently sloping roof line to the rear.

ŠKODA’s new design language reflects familiar brand values, such as robustness, functionality and authenticity, and stands out with its spacious interior, durable, sustainable materials and aerodynamic, efficient body.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

ŠKODA AUTO presented the design study of the OCTAVIA COMBI at the IAA in Frankfurt am Main 25 years ago on 10 September 1997. The production model debuted in spring 1998, differing in only a few details from the concept. Now in its fourth modern generation, the OCTAVIA COMBI has since made a significant contribution to the great success of the brand’s bestseller.

In September 1996, five and a half years after joining the Volkswagen Group, ŠKODA AUTO opened one of the most modern car plants in Europe at the time in Mladá Boleslav. Series production of the first modern-generation ŠKODA OCTAVIA marked the beginning of a new era for the Czech carmaker. Development work on the liftback model, which at the time was based on a new platform from the Volkswagen Group, began as early as 1992. Led by Dirk van Braeckel, the design team used CAD technology to create the timelessly modern body.

On 10 September 1997, just over a year after the production launch of the liftback version, ŠKODA presented a design study of the OCTAVIA COMBI at the 57^th IAA in Frankfurt am Main. The eye-catching purple vehicle now belongs to the ŠKODA Museum collection in Mladá Boleslav.

Less than six months later, series production of the OCTAVIA COMBI began in February 1998. In the process, ŠKODA set new standards in manufacturing: Produced at what was then the Czech carmaker’s largest pressing plant, the side section of the body was formed in a single piece from deep-drawn sheet metal. The equipment ensured accuracy to a tenth of a millimetre and the weight of the required press mould was 63 tonnes.

The following March, the OCTAVIA COMBI celebrated its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show, with the first customers taking delivery of their vehicles two months later. The wheelbase of the 4.5-metre-long model was 2,512 mm – the same as the liftback, while the estate was 6 mm longer and 26 mm taller. It weighed only 15 to 30 kg more, depending on the configuration. The elegantly designed rear offered a generous boot capacity of 548 to 1,512 litres.

The Czech car manufacturer’s current bestseller has built on the remarkable success of the first OCTAVIA COMBI model in the company’s history: ŠKODA presented the vehicle with a central tubular frame, longitudinally mounted front engine and rear-wheel drive at the International Engineering Fair in Brno on 11 September 1960. ŠKODA produced the model measuring 4,065 x 1,600 x 1,430 mm from the summer of 1961 to 1971.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

In keeping with tradition, the ŠKODA Classic team will be taking part in the Sachsen Classic car rally, staged this year for the 19^th time. Seven ŠKODA vehicles, including five exhibits from the ŠKODA Museum in Mladá Boleslav, will be heading to the race. The one-hundredth rally starts on Thursday, 18 August in Zwickau, taking the participants in approximately 200 historic vehicles through the Czech Republic, as well. After 582 kilometres, the finalists will reach the finish line in Chemnitz on Saturday, 20 August.

“The Sachsen Classic is traditionally one of the most popular classic car rallies in Europe. We are very much looking forward to the event; for ŠKODA AUTO, taking part in the ‘Mille Miglia of the East’ is a very special highlight every time. This year, we will be starting with five vehicles from the ŠKODA Museum. They are real brand icons and represent various phases of our long corporate history.”

Andrea Frydlová, Head of the ŠKODA Museum in Mladá Boleslav

This year, the ŠKODA Classic team consists of seven crews, including two vehicles from ŠKODA AUTO Deutschland. The importer will be heading to the track with a ŠKODA 110 R from 1978 and the legendary ŠKODA 130 RS (1976). The 130 RS was one of the most successful rally and racing cars in its class in the late 1970s and early 1980s: In 1977, the model took class victory in the Monte Carlo Rally, and in 1981, ŠKODA won the European Championship with it in the brand classification of the European Touring Car Championship.

The other five models belong to the ŠKODA Museum collection in Mladá Boleslav, the oldest being the ŠKODA RAPID OHV ‘Autobahn Wagen’ (1940). Only 100 of these special vehicles, which were optimised in a wind tunnel, were built between 1939 and 1941. With a capacity of 1,600 cm³ and an output of 42 hp (31 kW), the engine reaches a top speed of 120 km/h.

The ŠKODA 1101 ‘Tudor’ Roadster (1948) is also taking to the track. With its stylish body, this vehicle was completed at the Vrchlabí plant at the beginning of October 1948 after being ordered by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The era of ŠKODA vehicles with a rear engine and self-supporting body is represented by the timelessly elegant ŠKODA 1100 MBX de Luxe (1969). One striking design feature of this model is its missing B pillar. Combined with a curb weight of around 800 kg, the 51 hp (38.2 kW) engine with a displacement of 1,100 cm³ clocks a top speed of 127 km/h.

The ŠKODA 110 R Coupé (1971) from the ŠKODA Museum collection is one of the final units of the first model year. The sporty two-door is one of the Czech car manufacturer’s most iconic vehicles. Thanks to its twin carburettors, the lightweight, manoeuvrable car can reach speeds of 145 km/h.

The notchback ŠKODA 120 GLS (1978) with the range-topping Grand de Luxe Super trim can hit 150 km/h; the engine generates 58 hp (43 kW). The ŠKODA Museum acquired this car from the original owner in April 1978, and it has been representing the museum at classic car events in Germany and abroad since last year.

The popular Sachsen Classic is one of the so-called one-hundredth rallies: Speed is not the decisive factor for success; what counts is precision and regularity of driving. On Thursday, 18 August, the first car will set off from Zwickau in Saxony. The first stage will take the teams through the surrounding countryside before returning to Zwickau after 95 kilometres. The rally crews will also be driving through the Czech Republic on Friday. At around 11:00, they will reach the grounds of Kynžvart (Königswart) Castle. The route passes Chodovar brewery and Loket castle (Ellbogen) before ascending to the border mountain range, which the vehicles will cross in Boží Dar (Gottesgab). After 254 kilometres, they will have completed the second stage. On the third day, the route covers 233 kilometres through the Ore Mountains. That afternoon, the vehicles will reach the finish line in front of Chemnitz city hall, having travelled 582 kilometres.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

The POWERPASS now supports the so called ‘Plug & Charge’ function. For vehicles in the ENYAQ iV family with the latest ME3 software, the charging process can be conveniently started at compatible charging points simply by connecting the charging cable. The car is automatically identified at the charging point. All newly manufactured vehicles in the ENYAQ iV family now offer the “Plug & Charge” function. All upcoming ŠKODA models based on the Volkswagen Group’s Modular Electrification Toolkit (MEB) will also support this option in the future.

Vehicles in the ENYAQ iV family will soon be even easier to charge thanks to ‘Plug & Charge’. All new ENYAQ iV models are now rolling off the production line with software that supports ‘Plug & Charge’, and the function will be installed over-the-air in vehicles already delivered to customers once the software update ME3 is installed. The vehicle is identified at compatible charging points that are linked to the POWERPASS app and the charging process starts automatically. The secure process complies with ISO 15118 security standards. The ‘Plug & Charge’ feature is also supported by the fast-charging stations in the Europe-wide IONITY network, which the Volkswagen Group is helping to continuously expand. Other partners will follow.

The ‘Plug & Charge’ function in a model from the ENYAQ iV family requires the latest ME3 vehicle software. In addition, owners must register their vehicle in the MyŠKODA app, and the user needs to sign up for a POWERPASS. For new customers, the ‘Plug & Charge’ option is added when signing the contract; for existing POWERPASS users, the feature can be activated in just a few clicks via the MyŠKODA app. Once the user has selected and confirmed a POWERPASS tariff, the function will be installed in the vehicle and can be switched on and off via the infotainment menu.

Invoices are issued monthly depending on the terms of the POWERPASS tariff selected.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

ŠKODA AUTO will start installing the new ME3 software version for already delivered ŠKODA ENYAQ iV vehicles with immediate effect. This will enable a higher real drive range through optimisations in battery management. The software also offers numerous improvements for the Digital Cockpit and the head-up display, the infotainment system and the ŠKODA Connect online services. Owners of qualifying vehicles will be contacted by their local ŠKODA partners and asked to book a free service appointment to install the new software. The process takes about five hours. From then on, most future updates will be performed over the air. New ŠKODA ENYAQ iV vehicles and the ŠKODA ENYAQ COUPÉ iV already come with the new software as standard. A short video also provides an overview of these optimizations.

ŠKODA AUTO is performing a software update for existing ENYAQ iV vehicles, as part of a free service campaign. The software version ME3 with which, of course, all now delivered models of the ENYAQ iV family are already equipped, offers a variety of optimizations: it ensures an increased real drive range by optimising battery management and also includes new functions for the displays, the infotainment system and the ŠKODA Connect online services.

Local ŠKODA partners will contact the relevant owners of an ENYAQ iV and ask them to arrange a free service appointment at the workshop. Installing the ME3 software version takes around five hours. In addition to all the current improvements, once this is done the ŠKODA ENYAQ iV will be ready to have most future updates installed over the air, without the need to come in for another visit to the workshop.

In terms of battery and charging, the new software offers, among other things, a battery care mode in which the battery is only charged to a maximum of 80 percent during the next charging process. This helps to conserve the battery and extend its service life. However, its full storage capacity and maximum charging speed will be available at any time, should there be a need for them. The maximum charging rate increases to 120 kW for vehicles featuring the 62-kWh battery and 135 kW for models with the large 82-kWh battery. Thanks to improved thermal management of the battery, the real drive range increases for the ŠKODA ENYAQ iV family. The charging and range graphics in the infotainment system now also include a display of the destination and any required charging stops.

There have also been improvements to the Digital Cockpit and the head-up display, including displays of the current battery charge level. The rear-view camera offers increased contrast, for improved visibility of the vehicle’s surroundings. A button on the multifunction steering wheel allows the driver to switch quickly and easily between Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Travel Assist. In addition, numerous ŠKODA Connect online services have been expanded or refined, making them even more intuitive to use.

ŠKODA has so far delivered more than 70,000 vehicles from its ENYAQ iV family to customers, giving the SUV a 3.5% share of the all-electric vehicle market in Europe. The Czech carmaker’s flagship is in seventh place in the ranking of the most sold BEVs across the EU. A look at the individual European markets also highlights the success of the ENYAQ iV series: In the brand’s Czech domestic market, ENYAQ iV family models are top sellers among BEVs, as they are in Slovakia, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands, while they rank third in Austria, Switzerland, Latvia and Estonia.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

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