Spaceback won't be rapid seller

Skoda Australia refuses to reveal its sales targets for the new Rapid Spaceback it launched today, priced from $18,990.

However, it concedes the all-new small hatchback – its first additional model since the Fabia in 2011 and Skoda’s first entrant in Australia’s biggest single sales segment – will play a key role in boosting its overall sales to a new record this year.

Skoda expects the Octavia to remain its biggest seller both globally and in Australia, where it combines with the Yeti to account for up to 80 per cent of the fledgling Czech brand’s total sales.

Given it also released a facelifted Yeti range this week and a new Octavia line-up late last year, those models should easily recover Skoda’s 7.2 per cent overall sales decline so far this year.

In fact, orders for the new Octavia, priced from just $21,690, continue to exceed Skoda’s expectations.

Therefore all sales of the Rapid – which should at least be Skoda’s third best selling model here – will be incremental for the brand.

Launched here in 2009, Skoda doubled its Australian sales with the introduction of the Fabia in 2011, but since then they’ve remained static at around 3500.

But it says the hatch-only Rapid aims at the heart of the booming small-car segment, which last year attracted more than 266,000 buyers -- accounting for about a quarter of Australia’s new-vehicle market – about 65 per cent of which bought hatchbacks.

Skoda has also received Australian Design Rule certification for sedan and diesel versions of the Rapid, should it wish to release them at a later date.

So while Skoda Australia director Michael Irmer remains cautious about sales expectations for the Rapid given the slow overall growth and low public profile achieved by the Volkswagen value brand here in five years, he concedes the Rapid represents Skoda’s biggest opportunity for growth.

“The segment is big and the model is new, but it takes time to establish a new model, especially for a small brand,” he said. “We have a (sales forecast) number, but we don’t publicise it.

“When we rolled out new models we sharpened the pricing, but we didn’t try to grow too fast. The biggest challenge is to make people aware of us. Awareness is going up every year.

“We will finish (this year) ahead of 2013... You’ll see a bigger increase this year,” he said.

Last year Skoda promised to release six new models in 2013, starting with the MkIII Octavia. Those models continue to roll out in Australia, where the full Octavia line-up is now on sale and where the facelifted version of its flagship Superb sedan will in July join this week’s new Rapid Spaceback and MY15 Yeti.

Continuing Skoda’s new model momentum, early next year we’ll see the new-generation Octavia Scout, followed later in 2015 by the redesigned Fabia and, in 2016, Skoda’s first seven-seat SUV.

Irmer said the latter, which could be called the Snowman when it’s revealed as Skoda’s eighth model next year, presents considerable opportunity for growth, given Australia’s insatiable hunger for SUVs.

“It’s a bit too early to talk about timing, but if it’s on offer we’ll certainly bring it. It will definitely be a volume-seller if it comes.”

However, Skoda’s local boss scotched suggestions the Czech budget brand may import the pint-size Citigo following Volkswagen’s decision to axe the sub-$14,000 up! upon which it’s based.

“The Citigo segment is almost non-existent here – it’s not on the cards for Australia. A five-car range is ideal. We don’t need to sell 10 models to be profitable”.

What’s coming from Skoda:
Superb facelift – July
New Octavia Scout – Q1 2015
Mk3 Fabia – H2 2015
Mk4 Superb – 2016
Snowman – 2016