Indian Autos blog

Skoda India has quietly launched new variants for the already vast Fabia range taking the number of variants to twelve. Apparently the new variants boast of no new features but are stripped down variants placed at the bottom of the variant chart.

The increase in fuel prices and automotive loan interest rates has prompted many companies to re-look their variants and prices. The Fabia range now starts with the Fabia Active which replaces the Fabia Classic in both petrol and diesel.

The Active does not have driver side airbag which the Classic did. This step has helped in shaving off three thousand rupees bringing it to Rs 4.44 lakh from the earlier 4.47 lakh. The Fabia Active diesel now starts at Rs 5.53 lakh.

The mid variants are the most hit by this move. The Fabia Ambition now does not includes airbags and starts at Rs 6.00 lakh whereas the earlier Fabia Ambient diesel sold for eight thousand rupees more. The Fabia Elegance petrol is priced at 5.84 lakh for the 1.2 L and 6.16 lakh for the 1.6 L versions.

However, the top end Fabia Elegance now gets rear wiper-washer and 15’ alloy wheels for ten thousand rupees extra. Two more variants called the Active Plus and Ambition Plus have also been added which include minor extras over the normal Active and Ambition variants like four power windows.

The Fabia which offered driver side Airbag as standard and ABS on two out of three variants now reserves these features to the top-end Elegance model. Only one out of the five variants come with these two features.

Go ahead and have a look at the new Fabia on its official website

WhatCar reports that Skoda will bring a concept bigger than Fabia to the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. In the production form, the hatchback will sit between the Fabia and Octavia. Besides this, Skoda will unveil the Vento-based Rapid to the global audience expected to hit our market next year.

Above the Fabia there’s a wide open space. There’s no model, in India and internationally between the Fabia and the Laura (branded Octavia in Europe) which is based on the previous-generation VW Golf except for the Roomster.

As the Laura is roomy and big vehicle, a smaller car is in need. The Rapid and the XL hatch will sit at two different points between 6-12 lakh rupees.

We hope Skoda doesn’t bring out a Laura hatchback as that won’t make any sense for India, a key market for Skoda. A source has told WhatCar that the concept car is about 85% production-ready meaning it will be similar to the Etios concept – nothing drastic will change or leave when it turns into a real-world car.

click through for more details

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.

click through to read more

After two launches in quick succession from VW, the sister concern Skoda is ready to create some waves itself. Recently, out of no where, we saw the spy pics of the Skoda Rapid being tested near Aurangabad and now MotorBeam has spotted a test mule of the Skoda Scout.

Yesterday, a reader from Kerala wrote to us saying “Skoda Fabia Scout is been testing in India. When I went to the Skoda showroom in Cxxxxxx they had unusual looking Fabia there with temporary-type number plates. My house is near the showroom, I went there to inquire about the mud flaps for my Fabia and unfortunately I forgot the cam. The Scout was full of dirt, maybe it was being driven hard all over the place.”

To put in simple words, a Fabia Scout is a normal Fabia with a rough road package. The car spotted had a 1.6L engine and did not have roof rails. Please note, this is not the estate version so don’t expect massive boot space.

Click through to read more

Did you ever think that your Skoda 1.6L, although goes fast, lacks the bells and whistles? If Yes, then we have a solution for you. We present the Skoda Fabia Montecarlo edition. A special edition Fabia introduced to commemorate Skoda’s 110 years participation in Motorsports. This Fabia is all decked with sporty suspension setup and sporty accessories for the exterior and interior. On the outside, you get black alloys and  [ Read More ]

We have our man on ground zero and he informs us that there are three variants that’ll go on sale – the 1.2 petrol making 75bhp, the 1.6 petrol that makes 105bhp and the 1.2 diesel good for 75bhp.

The localization level has gone up from 15% to 40% and that will impact the price tag of the car.

Skoda will classify the models as classic – with grey interiors, ambient and elegant with ivory interiors.

New Skoda Fabia prices – Ex-showroom Delhi

1.2 MPI (petrol) – 4.35, 4.85, 5.65 lakh for Classic, Ambient and Elegant respectively

I.2 TDI (diesel) – 5.4, 5.91 and 6.69 lakh for Classic, Ambient and Elegant respectively

1.6 (petrol) – 5.99 lakh

The car was designed by the same man who did the Veyron! There are a lot of parts the new Fabia has in common with the Polo. Even the music system, for example, has come from the Polo.

The Fabia can be bought in five colors – black, red, beige, white, silver

Stay tuned to learn the prices first!

Skoda Auto recently produced its 100,000th 1.2 liter TSI petrol engine at its engine and transmission manufacturing plant in Mladá Boleslav in Czechoslovakia. The 1.2 TSI (Turbocharged Stratified Injection) engine is used on the Fabia, Octavia, Yeti and the Roomster. The engine is also used in other Volkswagen models and various Seat small cars.

This turbocharged petrol engine comes in two different states of tune, a 84 hp version and a 103 hp version. This Fabia with a 1.2 TSI engine mated to a 7-speed twin-clutch DSG gearbox, is capable of delivering 19 kmpl.

Reinhard Jung, Chairman , Škoda Auto -

This is another milestone in the 110-year history of engine production in Mladá Boleslav. The massive demand for the 1.2 TSI shows that our engines with optimized consumption are the right direction.

Sadly the Indian market does not get this turbocharged 1.2 liter 4-cylinder motor, we only get a 1.2 liter HTP 3-cylinder unit on the Fabia.

Skoda could be introducing the 1.2 liter TSI petrol engine on the Indian Fabia when it launches the updated version of the Fabia in October 2010.

Also the 1.2 TSI engine could be powering a lot of other Skoda and VW models in India. The upcoming Octavia replacement, Skoda Felicia could be powered by the 1.2 TSI engine.

Skoda’s German arm has introduced a sports kit for the Fabia named “Race Package”

Available on the 68hp 1.2-liter petrol and and 85HP 1.2-liter TSI petrol, the Race-package contains a front spoiler, a new apron for the rear bumper with an integrated diffuser, chrome exhaust tail pipe cover, white-colored roof and fancy graphics that run at the rear and top of the vehicle.

17-inch alloy wheels dressed in white, and a lowered suspension setup complete the package that costs (US$19,000-20,500)

In India, Skoda has neglected the Fabia, not even bothering to upgrade it to BS4 norms. Perhaps the race package could be introduced when the BS4 Fabia is launched later this year.