Skip to main content

Skoda Vision RS concept previews new hatchback

Skoda has set the stage for its forthcoming Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus rival with the Vision RS, a concept car that features a performance plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain. Under the sporty details and concept flourishes, the Vision RS bears a close resemblance to the Rapid hatchback that will be introduced next year.


The fact that it has been previewed in vRS form, complete with 245hp PHEV powertrain, shows how much further upmarket the new Rapid will go compared with the current value-led model. Skoda product marketing chief Björn Kroll said: “The current Rapid is too low-market. For this one, we have tried to balance it out.”
Skoda will drop the slow-selling liftback version and concentrate on the Spaceback hatch for the new Rapid.

At 4,356mm, the concept is just over 50mm longer than the current Rapid, and it has a 440-litre boot that's up by 25 litres.
The concept retains some of the current Rapid’s design elements but Skoda interior design chief Oliver Stefani called the new model more emotional. He said: “This is more confident. We have brand-new curvature and nice shoulders, so it’s more beefy.”

The basic structure of the concept’s interior will be kept for the production version, Stefani said. That includes the 'signature line' of the dashboard, with a central dip which is where the free-floating touchscreen will sit.
The Rapid will be built on the VW Group’s MQB A0 platform that will also underpin the new small SUV (based on the Vision X concept) that Skoda will launch next year. 
Skoda won’t put the Vision X’s four-wheel-drive hybrid drivetrain into production, but it almost certainly will launch the Rapid with the front-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid setup as previewed on the Vision RS. This combines a 150hp, 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and a 102hp electric motor to give a total output of 245hp and a claimed 0-100kph time of 7.1sec.

The 13kWh battery will give a potential 69km electric range on the NEDC cycle. Other engine options are likely to include a 1.0-litre and a 1.5-litre turbo petrol unit, as well as a diesel model.
Why Skoda’s first electrified car will be a vRS:
What do you do if you’re a brand like Skoda, known for good-value, no-nonsense cars, but you’re forced to adopt expensive electrified tech to meet regulations?
Answer: you fit it to the vRS high-performance version, where the higher price can mask the extra cost. That’s why the Vision RS features a plug-in hybrid powertrain, and it’s a tempting prospect: 245hp, the satisfying feeling of driving a torquey electric car.
Skoda will launch 10 electrified cars by 2025. They won’t all be vRS badged, and Skoda has insisted they won’t all be crazy money. But by starting with a vRS model, Skoda can hide the costs and add desirability.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

2018 Lamborghini Urus India review, test drive

             On first introduction, it’s a recipe for intimidation. It’s claimed to be the fastest SUV in the world (0-100kph in 3.6sec and a top speed of 305kph puts it nearly in supercar territory), and it’s made by Lamborghini – creator of some of the most savage vehicles on the market. Things – as with any Lamborghini, for that matter – would be a lot less daunting if we were driving on a smooth European country road, a wide motorway, or even a race track. But today we’re driving the Urus on a narrow  ghat  road, as well as through some heavy Pune traffic. Perhaps the intention was to demonstrate that this is the first Lamborghini ever to go on sale in India that truly works in our conditions – but still, I doubt they accounted for rush hour. It’s requisitely mad to look at, employing as many ‘sporty’ design tropes to an SUV body style as possible – the only thing missing is a massive wing on the back; and somehow, it works. It’s ...

What to avoid during a car service

                   When it comes to getting their cars serviced at authorised outlets, owners usually go the whole hog. They want their cars coming out of service centres looking brand new, and are willing to pay for it. But do service centres take undue advantage of this? Yes, they do. Servicing may involve changing certain parts and oils after a set interval, but service centres will almost always try to plug in a few extras using technical jargon that a layman may not really understand. Certain processes are completely unnecessary, and customers end up paying extra as they are not aware of what's important and what's not. Also, most of the times, the service associate will throw you a hard sales pitch, and it's not always done with your best interests in mind. So what exactly are the things you don’t really need and should avoid?  Engine flushing Flushing an engine simply means cleaning the impure oil and gunk that ...