Codenamed SK251, the C-Segment assault from Skoda has been spotted once again in outskirts of Pune. A contrasting aspect of this test mule is the swirl camouflage, a feature on test cars in Europe and America.
In India manufacturers usually cover up vehicles with black or blue cloth that doesn't allow light to pass through. We've seen them test cars with black duct tape, surgeon' white tape but with rendering specialist SRK and IAB around, companies are now forced to use new and improved methods of camouflaging and fake body parts to mask the design ;-)
Overdrive reports that the Skoda Rapid is expected to unveil the vehicle during the 2012 edition of Auto Expo and sales could begin in March 2012. Like the Vento, VW will take the Skoda Rapid to global markets. There is no doubt in our mind about the positioning strategy. The VW hierarchy will see the Rapid ranked below the Vento in the Indian line-up. Based on a slightly older Fabia platform, it is common sense to believe that a Fabia sedan will cost less to produce than a relatively new Polo-based sedan.
Omitting a couple of features is another way of achieving this result. A stripped-down variant for the cab-operating population is another idea being thrown about.
As we reported earlier, design nuggets from the VisionD will not appear on the Rapid. The Rapid will wear the face of the Laura which sits in the immediately higher segment. It can marketed as the Octavia successor in India to leverage on the good impression left behind by the C-Segment warrior that gave the Skoda an identity in India in the early 2000's.
The Rapid could make its international debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
Source - OverDrive.in
