Skoda Starts Production of the New Indian Compact Sedan Skoda Rapid in Pune

MLADÁ BOLESLAV, THE CZECH REPUBLIC – October 12, 2011 – Škoda began production of the new compact sedan, “Rapid” at its plant in Pune. The car will be introduced on the Subcontinent until the end of this year. The Rapid, built in Pune, will, to a high degree, take the wishes of the Indian customers into consideration and will continue to enhance the position of Škoda in the country. The new model has great importance for the Škoda growth strategy, with which the company wants to increase its worldwide sales to at least 1.5 million vehicles per year by the year 2018.

“India is the first market in which we will introduce the new Rapid. It highlights the significance of that country for our company,” emphasizes the Chairman of the Board of Škoda, Prof. Dr. h.c..Winfried Vahland. “We want to step on the pedal all over the world in the coming years. In order to do so, we will clearly increase our activities outside of Europe. In this context, the Indian market plays a central role, because, besides China and Russia, it is among the markets with the greatest potential. The new Rapid is the right car at the right time for these growth markets. It is an important step on our growth path for the coming years.” According to estimates by car experts, India will rise to be among the five largest automobile markets by the end of the decade.

The Rapid, manufactured in Pune, is a car built in India and for India. The vehicle offers generous space, attractive design, good safety equipment, and modern, advanced technology all in equal measure. A car that carries the Škoda brand promise of being “simply clever” in its genes and onto the road! With a length of 4.39 meters, a width of 1.70 meters, and a height of 1.47 meters, the vehicle is positioned between the models Fabia and Laura/Octavia. It will ensure the brand’s future presence in the largest vehicle segment of the Indian market.

The space available in the youngest Škoda model is very generous: Five full seats for the driver and passengers, sumptuous legroom and headroom, and a trunk volume of almost 500 liters ensure that five persons can enjoy a convenient and relaxed traveling experience. “The Rapid is a car for the entire family and for a multitude of purposes. Sufficiently compact for the city, as well as spacious enough for longer trips. An all-around talent; simply a true Škoda,” according to Vahland.

The clear, fresh design is convincing, bearing essential elements of the new Škoda Design language. The Rapid impresses through its perfect proportions and precision. Neatly sculptured surfaces, sharply drawn lines, and the attractive front immediately convey: there’s a Škoda! This impression is continued in the passenger compartment: a clean cockpit, clearly arranged instruments and displays, and a focus on essentials create a feeling of well-being in the car.

The Rapid is available with a gas engine and a diesel engine, each with a manual transmission as well as with an automatic gearbox. The gas engine is a 1.6 liter engine with 77 kW. The turbo diesel with common rail technology also has a displacement of 1.6 liters and puts out 77 kW.

With the Rapid and other vehicles, Škoda has an excellent starting position for the growth planned for India. Active in the country since the year 2001, the brand has again been able to clearly increase its sales in India in the current business year. Up to the end of September, the increase in sales has amounted to approximately 50 percent. “We want to continue to grow & are putting the pedal to the metal in India. With investments in the production, in the dealer and service networks, and, of course, primarily in the new products,” emphasizes Prof. Vahland, “the new Rapid plays a major role in these plans.”

The Volkswagen plant in Pune was commissioned in 2009. Following the Fabia, the new Rapid is the second vehicle of the brand produced at the plant. Besides the facility in Pune, Škoda also produces vehicles in its plant in Aurangabad in the region of Maharashtra, India. The models Superb, Laura, and Yeti are built at that site.