Targa Tasmania: Team Skoda Carsales update

Some teams scratched their heads, while others just dismissed the diminutive Skoda wagon at first.

But after the Octavia RS hit the track today for the first time, the Targa Tasmania teams in the other pit garages began to take notice.

The little wagon that could was given a clean bill of health after yesterday's (Monday April 26) shakedown run at Symmons Plains Raceway, just outside of Launceston ahead of the event's prologue today (Tuesday April 27). It was the first time the Octavia RS had been driven in anger since it had been built.

"This is the first time we've driven it since it was prepped for the rally and it was absolutely fault-free," says driver and Carsales editor-in-chief Mike Sinclair (pictured).

"We did about 20 laps to road the tyres and that's about it. We put it away tonight and haven't had to touch it. It's a real credit to the guys who built it.

"We could have played around with the suspension to make it a little quicker on the track, but we didn't want to do that because this event is all about how a car handles on the road."

Something else that may upset the competition, Sinclair and his co-driver Justin Hunt are travelling in relative comfort. While most cars have air-conditioning systems and radios removed to save weight, the pair drove the Skoda back to parc ferme with the iPod playing and the air-con keeping them cool.

Sinclair says the Skoda might look like a family car but it's deceptively quick.

"It's not superfast compared to the outright contenders, but it doesn't lose much corner exit speed to the all-wheel-drive cars. And we're pretty sure it's the fastest wagon in the event."

The Skoda Octavia RS wagon is powered by the same 2.0-litre turbocharged engine as the Golf GTI and also has that hot hatch's six-speed dual clutch DSG gearbox.

Check out our Targa minisite for previous stories and further updates.

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