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ŠKODA AUTO continues to advance the company’s internationalisation and is on the cusp of entering the Vietnamese market. In cooperation with its local partner, the Thanh Cong Motor Vietnam (TC Motor) the Czech carmaker will be offering the first European models in the country as early as 2023. The assembly of CKD (Completely Knocked Down) kits of the KUSHAQ and SLAVIA models will start in 2024. The production line is currently under construction. With its dynamically growing economy and significant potential on the automotive market, the country presents the ideal conditions to further strengthen ŠKODA AUTO’s position in the region. The company anticipates an initial sales volume of 30,000 vehicles per year.

“For ŠKODA AUTO, entering the Vietnamese market is the next logical step in our internationalisation strategy. Our attractive model portfolio offers exactly the right products for our customers, and we will be able to play to our strengths in this highly dynamic market. In addition, the geographical proximity to India provides great synergy effects; as early as 2024, we will be exporting vehicle kits from our Indian plant in Pune to Vietnam, marking a major advancement of our INDIA 2.0 project. Ultimately, this will significantly strengthen our presence in Southeast Asia.”

Klaus Zellmer, ŠKODA AUTO CEO

“Internationalising our business is an integral part of our NEXT LEVEL – ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030. We see considerable growth potential in Vietnam, and the Czech presidency of the EU Council and the EVFTA free trade agreement create very favourable economic policy conditions. We have also found a strong and reliable partner in the TC Motor to quickly gain a foothold in Vietnam. We are convinced that our model portfolio perfectly reflects the wishes of the Vietnamese people, and we are looking forward to launching early next year.”

Martin Jahn, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Sales and Marketing

Thanh Cong Motor Vietnam (TC Motor) is the partner responsible for local production and sales
Initially, the KODIAQ, KAROQ, SUPERB and OCTAVIA model series will successively be imported from Europe, starting in 2023. As ŠKODA AUTO’s local partner in the Vietnamese market, the TC Motor will take over the local production and distribution of the vehicles. With over 20 years of experience in vehicle manufacturing and sales on a contract basis, the Hanoi-based group is also investing in the acquisition and development of industrial sites, such as the Viet Hung Industrial Park. In the future, ŠKODA models will be rolling off the production line at the site in Quang Ninh province.

CKD production of KUSHAQ and SLAVIA as early as 2024, ENYAQ iV family available after 2025
The construction of a TC Motor-owned production line is already underway and should be completed in the first half of 2024. Assembly of the made-in-India KUSHAQ and SLAVIA model series from CKD format will then begin in 2024. The KUSHAQ will be available to order in the first half of 2024, and orders for the SLAVIA can be placed from the fourth quarter of 2024. A 16,000-square-metre plant is being built in Pune to manufacture the respective subassemblies. The all-electric ENYAQ iV family models will round off the local portfolio in Vietnam after 2025.

Exporting vehicles from India is the next step in the INDIA 2.0 project
By exporting vehicles from India, ŠKODA AUTO is pressing ahead with the implementation of the INDIA 2.0 project and emphasising India’s strategic importance in the automaker’s development. Exports of the first left-hand drive ŠKODA KUSHAQ to the Gulf States began recently. ŠKODA AUTO has led the Volkswagen Group’s activities on the Indian market since 2019. The Group’s investments to date amount to one billion euros, of which 250 million euros have been allocated to research and development. In the long term, ŠKODA aims to achieve a market share of five percent alongside the Volkswagen brand, depending on market and segment developments.

Rapid expansion of the dealer network in Vietnam, high sales potential
The vehicles will be distributed through a regional dealer network of local partners. The first dealerships are planned in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City – taken together, these two cities record the vast majority of new car sales in Vietnam. Subsequently, ŠKODA AUTO expects to quickly expand the dealer network to include more than 50 partners. ŠKODA AUTO projects an annual sales potential of 30,000 units initially and over 40,000 units annually from 2030, thanks in part to interest in volume models based on the MQB-A0-Global platform and rising demand for electric vehicles in the country’s major cities.

Strongly growing economy, highly dynamic automotive market and free trade agreements incentivise engagement
Entering Vietnam is also worthwhile due to the particularly dynamic growth of the region’s car market; despite having a population of around 100 million people and currently only around 34 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants, the country is already the fourth strongest automotive market in Southeast Asia. At the same time, European brands are likely to become increasingly prominent in Vietnam due to the gradual elimination of customs duties on goods from the EU by 2030. For this reason, ŠKODA AUTO expects the total annual market volume to increase to around one million vehicles beyond 2030.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

ŠKODA AUTO is forging ahead with decarbonising the company, supported by a holistic action plan under the NEXT LEVEL – ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030. In addition to accelerating the ramp-up of electromobility, the focus is on sustainably producing and operating battery-electric vehicles, including supply chains. To achieve this, ŠKODA is committed to using, for example, recyclable materials in its cars and consistently recycling the high-voltage batteries from e-vehicles.

The car manufacturer has defined sustainability as a key area of its NEXT LEVEL – ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030 and has set itself ambitious targets to effectively reduce the CO2 footprint of its business activities along the entire value chain. Over the past year, ŠKODA AUTO’s investments in this area – along with comprehensive, transparent communication on the topics of environment, social affairs, governance and finance – have helped the Volkswagen Group to become the first automotive company in the world to meet the reporting requirements of the European Union’s Sustainable Finance Action Plan and the EU Taxonomy.

ŠKODA AUTO will be launching three new all-electric models by 2026. Further models are in the pipeline. ŠKODA aims to increase the all-electric share of its European vehicle sales to over 70% by 2030.

Article source: www.skoda.co.uk

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 Design has reinterpreted the concept of the ŠKODA 1100 OHC from 1957 and is presenting the computer-animated design model VISION GT, a study of an all-electric racing car made in Mladá Boleslav. Alongside its forebear, the design concept is currently on show in the ‘Design and Transformation’ exhibition. Hosted in Brussels, the display is part of the supporting programme of the Czech Republic’s EU Presidency.

The computer-animated design model ŠKODA VISION GT is among the highlights of the ‘Design and Transformation’ exhibition in Brussels. To mark the Czech Republic’s EU presidency, a number of Czech companies are presenting products and designs from 1990 to 2020 at this event. In creating the VISION GT model, the ŠKODA Design team found inspiration in the ŠKODA 1100 OHC from 1957. The automaker is using the concept to send a clear signal for sustainable sportiness and emotion in the digital age. The digital VISION GT ties in with the tradition of the ‘Icons Get a Makeover’ series, which includes iconic models from the company’s history, such as the 130 RS, FELICIA and RAPID MONTE CARLO.

Just like the 1100 OHC, the VISION GT is a red, open-top racing car. However, it is designed as a single-seater, with the driver sitting in the centre of the vehicle. Above the futuristic carbon steering wheel, which is flattened at the top and bottom, there is a flat on-screen bar that doubles as a windshield. Important information is projected directly onto the driver’s helmet visor, similar to a head-up display. An active cockpit with a flexibly suspended seat is designed to optimally compensate for g-forces.

The exterior of the flat VISION GT is characterised by clear lines and sharp edges. The design echoes current Formula E racing cars, which is particularly evident in the spectacular two-piece rear wing. Active aerodynamics also ensure optimum driving performance at all times. Shining in bright red between the two upper wing profiles is the new ŠKODA wordmark in the form of a hologram. It also appears on the very flat front of the VISION GT and references the curved ŠKODA line.

The ‘Design and Transformation’ exhibition at the Design Museum in Brussels is open until 8 January 2023, with some exhibits also on display at Prague House in Brussels until 2 October 2022.

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

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