Report - Skoda Rapid facelift to be re-engineered by Mahindra Engineering Services

19/04/2014 - 08:10 | ,   | Anjan Ravi

Skoda Auto India is working on giving the Rapid a comprehensive mid-life facelift. The Rapid, which happens to be the volume-seller for the company, manages about 1,000 odd units every month, while the newly-launched Honda City sells in the region of 7,200-9,000 units/month.

Skoda Rapid front
Current Rapid borrows its front fascia design from the now-discontinued Skoda Fabia.

According to a report on the Economic Times, Mahindra Engineering Services (MES) has won the contract to re-engineer the Rapid facelift to suit Indian conditions. MES will execute the styling of the car, which will be provided by Skoda, and will make it suited for Indian roads, a person aware of the development told the newspaper.

MES needs to take the concept styling (internally codenamed P Release) and make it production ready (codenamed B Release).

The Rapid facelift is understood to have been codenamed SK 251 GP. Like newer Skoda models such as the Octavia, refreshed Superb and Yeti, we expect the redesigned Rapid to get a broader grille and sharply-cut headlights.

Skoda Rapid Spaceback Monte Carlo front three quarter - Geneva Live
Front fascia of the European Skoda Rapid, added for reference.

In October last year, Skoda updated the interiors of the Rapid by giving it a newly-designed steering wheel with integrated controls, a new music system and a redesigned gearlever. The exteriors of the Rapid haven't seen any updates since launch, apart from the inclusion of projector headlights on the top-end variant and the update to the new logo and typeface.

[Source - Economic Times]

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