SPY PICS: Skoda's next Octavia
First images of Czech brand's new mid-sizer emerge as Skoda readies 2013 OctaviaSkoda saved its Paris motor show limelight for the all-new Rapid small sedan, which makes its local debut in Sydney next week, but these Carparazzi spy shots show it is almost ready to reveal its redesigned bigger brother, the third-generation Octavia.
The MkIII Octavia has been confirmed to make its world debut in November before sales commence in Europe early next year – and in Australia during the second half of 2013.
As these images show, the new Octavia will retain the Volkswagen-owned Czech brand’s trademark liftback body style, but will grow in size to distance it from the Toyota Corolla-sized Rapid.
As such, the next Octavia will no longer straddle the small and medium segments, but directly target mid-size market leaders like the Mazda6, Ford Mondeo and Toyota Camry.
However, as previewed by the Skoda VisionD concept at this year’s Geneva show, the new liftback – which will again be followed by a wagon derivative – will also be lower, sleeker and more sharply styled than before.
As the fourth VW Group model – and the first Skoda – to be based on the German giant’s new modular MQB transverse-engine platform (after the new Audi A3, Seat Leon and VW Golf), the new Octavia will stretch to around 4800mm long, making it about 250mm longer than the current Golf-based model.
Despite its larger footprint, the switch to lightweight MQB underpinnings should also see the new model shed some weight over the current generation, resulting in improved fuel consumption and performance from a range of turbocharged four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines borrowed from the new Golf.
Expect a version of the new Golf GTI’s 162kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four to power the next-generation Skoda Octavia RS performance flagship, which should also be more dynamic than the model it replaces.
Although the Superb will remain Skoda’s top-shelf model, the latest iteration of the Czech company’s global best-seller is also expected to make a big step upmarket, with premium variants likely to be aimed at luxury German models like the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4 in terms of price and specification.
At the bottom end of the range, however, the new Octavia will continue to offer Skoda’s unique selling proposition of more space for less money than key rivals.
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