7:41 am, April 24, 2012
THE new Skoda compact hatch will be called the Rapid, the Czech brand has announced.
The new car will make its debut in Europe ‘before the year is out’ says Skoda. A Chinese version of the Rapid will be built and sold in China from 2013, but the ‘close-to-series concept car’, which Skoda is displaying in Beijing, provides a preview of the new Chinese model specifically.
‘As part of its growth strategy, Skoda has initiated the largest model offensive in its corporate history and will bring a new vehicle to market every six months on average in the years ahead,’ Skoda CEO Winfried Vahland said at the brand’s press conference at the Beijing Motor Show.
‘The Rapid is our next new model. It has a central importance for our growth and will provide us with a strong tailwind on international markets.’
With the Rapid, Skoda now has an offering that sits between the Fabia and the Octavia – and the MissionL design study provides a preview of the car’s design and concept.
The European version of Skoda’s Rapid will reach UK showrooms from late 2012.
