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Milton Keynes, 3rd April 2014 - The award was presented in Prague, in front of Brand Directors representing ŠKODA importers from all over the world.

Awards for second and third place went to Poland and Germany respectively. Poland also won the category for Aftersales, the Czech Republic won the Sales award, and Russia was named the best for customer treatment. But it was the main award everyone was most interested in, which was presented to Alasdair Stewart, Brand Director for ŠKODA UK, by Werner Eichhorn, ŠKODA Board Member for Sales and Marketing.

“I am delighted to collect this award on behalf of everyone at ŠKODA UK,” said Alasdair. “To win it again so soon after the first time, in 2011, is testament to the terrific work put in by everyone at our Milton Keynes headquarters and in the network.

“Our sales records in the UK keep tumbling, retailers are seeing more and more customers returning to them, and the brand’s image is being transformed by the new corporate identity and new models. This award underlines how much the factory values the brand’s growth and its retail network in the UK.”

Article source: www.skoda.co.uk

Mladá Boleslav, 14th April 2014 – The study is the result of the ‘ŠKODA Apprentice Car’ project. The official premiere of the dynamic two-seater takes place at the 33rd GTI Fan Meet at Wörthersee at end of May (28th to 31st May).

Four apprentices have been working on this very personal vehicle project of theirs since November 2013. The apprentices have been given free rein in their creativity. ŠKODA Chief Designer, Jozef Kabaň and his team have provided support along the way, and the project is nearing completion. The stage is set for the ŠKODA CitiJet, which will celebrate its premiere at the end of May at the GTI Fan Meet.

This is the first time that this kind of trainee project has been undertaken at ŠKODA. The aim has been to encourage the apprentices’ creativity and expertise in bringing their own ideas and enthusiasm into designing a car. “It is fantastic to see how committed and passionate our trainees have been in working on this project,” says ŠKODA Board Member for HR, Bohdan Wojnar. “The ŠKODA CitiJet is an emotional vehicle study that is sure to catch the attention of the visitors at Wörthersee.”

The ŠKODA CitiJet is a dynamically and expressively-designed city convertible based on the ŠKODA Citigo. The exterior stands out with its striking metallic finish in blue and white, and sporty blue-finish 16-inch alloy wheels. There is also a hand-made rear spoiler and a powerful exhaust with two tailpipes. A 1.0 MPI petrol engine with 55 kW (75 hp) is to be found under the bonnet.

The sporty interior is based on the interior of the special edition ŠKODA Citigo Sport. This includes the red-hemmed, leather 3-spoke steering wheel, as well as the leather-covered handbrake and gearstick. The seat covers and floor mats are fitted out with the ‘Sports’ fabric design, and the instrument panel is finished in red and white. In addition, a special sound system has been installed with an output of 300 watts. The blue LED interior lighting system even responds to music.

This trainee project highlights the Czech manufacture’s commitment to the high quality of vocational training at ŠKODA. At the ŠKODA AUTO Vocational School of Mechanical Engineering, young people go through a three or four-year training program in technical subjects, graduating with a full apprenticeship or the equivalent of secondary school final exams. There are currently 13 training programmes; the most popular three-year courses being those for auto mechanics, auto electricians and electricians. The most popular among the four-year courses is in industrial logistics. Postgraduate and distance-learning studies are also offered by the vocational school.

The company and the KOVO trade union have been taking on social responsibility for many years through the training of young people. Around 280 young people started their training at the ŠKODA Vocational School in 2013 alone. The educational programmes are free, and the work undertaken as part of the training is also supported financially. After successfully completing their training, all graduates receive a job offer at ŠKODA.

The Czech manufacturer has been running a vocational school at the company headquarters since 1927, where 21,500 students have since completed their training. Almost 1,000 students are currently preparing for their future careers.

Article source: www.skoda.co.uk

Milton Keynes, 25th March 2014 – The ‘Oscars’ of the fleet calendar, the annual event recognises the best-performing businesses and individuals within the sector during the last 12 months.

The panel of judges, made up of members of the Fleet News editorial team as well as industry experts, voted the ŠKODA Octavia Estate the ‘Best Estate Car’ for its combination of affordability and space, in addition to its range of efficient power plants. The Superb Estate, a winner of the category for the last two years, once again came highly-acclaimed in the same class.

In what proved to be a busy night for the vehicle manufacturer, the ŠKODA Yeti was also named ‘Best Crossover’, a model praised by the panel for quality, versatility, low rate of depreciation, and offering a very appealing and solid proposition to fleet operators.

Judge Stephen Briers, Editor of Fleet News commented: “The Octavia Estate has the best balance of space versus cost in this category. An excellent choice of efficient engines combined with strong driver appeal, makes it an ideal option as a stylish and flexible workhorse.

“ŠKODA’s second winner, Yeti, is a good all-rounder, with excellent running costs and the flexibility offered by on-road or (genuine) off-road options. The 2013 facelift made an already great car even better. Excellent build quality and very strong used values add to the perfect package.”

Patrick McGillycuddy, Head of Fleet for ŠKODA UK said: “We are extremely proud to have received these two prestigious industry awards for the ŠKODA Octavia Estate and the Yeti crossover. Providing an exceptional level of practicality and value for money, as well as highly competitive CO2 emmissions, both models have consistently proved popular amongst company car drivers.

He added: “These accolades are a great achievement and further reinforce a very encouraging first quarter for ŠKODA Fleet. It is also testiment to the team’s continued committment to building strong relationships with our customers and offering them expert advice about the model range.”