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› ŠKODA Felicia and ŠKODA 1000 MB Rallye head to 18th Silvretta Classic › Dream cars on enchanting roads: Three countries, 590 km, 180 participants › Tradition: ŠKODA celebrates 120 years of business in 2015 Mladá Boleslav, 30 June 2015 – Dream cars on enchanting roads: ŠKODA is heading to the start of this year’s Silvretta Classic (2 to 5 July) with two true automotive gems. The field of participants will include a ŠKODA Felicia and ŠKODA 1000 MB Rallye. This year will mark the 18th Silvretta Classic, which takes place in Montafon, Austria. Since 1998, the Silvretta Classic has been regarded as a special summit of automotive treasures; captivating vintage cars drive along stunning Alpine routes. ŠKODA has taken part in this event for many years, and the brand is excited to be sending the smart vehicle duo this year. “The Silvretta Classic offers the perfect blend of picturesque landscapes, fascinating vehicles and healthy competition,” says Michal Velebný, coordinator of the restoration workshop at the ŠKODA Museum. “We are delighted to be taking part once again with two fantastic ŠKODA Classics, presenting the brand’s great tradition to all the spectators at the event.” This year, ŠKODA is sending the turquoise-green convertible ŠKODA Felicia built in 1961. The open-top classic is a real eye-catcher, an emotionally appealing and particularly elegant representative of the brand. With its stylish shape, distinctive tailfins and well-balanced proportions, the ŠKODA Felicia is an unforgettable crowd-pleaser. The vehicle is powered by a four-cylinder petrol engine, which draws 50 hp from a 1089 cm3 capacity. The car’s top speed is 130 km/h. Almost 15,000 ŠKODA Felicias were produced between 1959 and 1964. Today, their desirability among collectors is continuously raising. Spectators at the Silvretta Classic can look forward to a real racing star, the second classic car from Mladá Bolelav – the ŠKODA 1000 MB Rallye. This model is a special edition based on the ŠKODA 1000 MB, which was adapted for endurance racing. At that time, the 1000 MB was the first ŠKODA with rear wheel drive, rear engine and a unibody construction. The 1000 MB Rallye starting in the Montafon took part in many long-distance races, including the London-Mexico (1995) and Panama-Alaska (1997). Under the bonnet, there is a 90 hp, four-cylinder petrol engine, accelerating the vehicle to a top speed of 170 km/h. Everything about the car testifies to its robust rally appearance, including the sports seats, roaring engine and huge tube-protection framework. The 18th Silvretta Classic will be leading the 180 participants through three countries: Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The classic cars will be travelling along stunning alpine routes, including the legendary Silvretta High Alpine Road, covering 590 kilometres in total. The starting gun will be fired on Thursday, 2 July and the finishing line will be crossed on Saturday, 4 July. ŠKODA AUTO will be celebrating the company’s 120th anniversary this year, making the brand one of the longest established vehicle producers in the world. The roots of the company lie in 1895. 120 years ago, bicycle mechanic Václav Laurin and bookkeeper Václav Klement founded a bicycle-production company together (L&K) in Mladá Boleslav, Bohemia. Automobile manufacture began in 1905: L&K’s first car was the ‘Voiturette A’. What Laurin and Klement began in 1895 has since grown into an internationally successful volume manufacturer with 7 model series and 35 model versions. Producing more than 17 million vehicles since 1905 has proved the strength of the ŠKODA brand. View full article

› ŠKODA Felicia and ŠKODA 1000 MB are attending the 28th Kitzbuehel Rally › 188 teams drive the grand journey along the most beautiful alpine roads › This year, ŠKODA AUTO celebrates its 120-year anniversary Mladá Boleslav, 27 May 2015 – Breath-taking mountain roads, fascinating classics and high celebrity presence make up the 28th Kitzbuehel Alpine Rally (27-30 May 2015). ŠKODA will be present at the popular classic tour for the fifth time and sends a ŠKODA Felicia and a ŠKODA 1000 MB to take part in the rally. A total of 188 participants will begin the legendary alpine rally in the last weekend in May. “Each year, the Kitzbuehel Alpine Rally is a highlight of the season. The routes are beautiful yet challenging at the same time. This is the perfect combination for both the Felicia and the 1000 MB,” said Michal Velebný, Restoration Workshop Coordinator at the ŠKODA Museum. Steep climbs, spectacular passes, narrow winding roads – the mountain roads around the Tyrolean city Kitzbuehel are made for the ŠKODA 1000 MB Rallye car. The starter at the alpine rally has amongst others also been an entrant at the long-distance Panama-Alaska Rally (in 1997) and it was amongst the starting grid in Kitzbuehel in 2014. The car has a modified 1.3 litre four-cylinder petrol engine which transmits 90 PS to the road. The 1000 MB Rallye reaches a top speed of up to 170 km/h. For race use, there are sports seats and a roll cage. The 1000 MB Rally is modelled on the ŠKODA 1000 MB from 1967. The 1000 MB Rallye was, at its time, the first ŠKODA with rear-wheel drive, a rear engine and a unibody. In the 1990s, ŠKODA made modifications for motorsport and created the ŠKODA 1000 MB Rally for use in long-distance events. A more emotive representation of the 1960s is the turquoise-green convertible ŠKODA Felicia from 1961. The car already took part in the alpine rally last year and came third place overall. As one of the best-looking convertibles of its time, the 2+2-seater exudes a pure zest for life and is a much sought-after collector’s car. The elegant body shape, distinctive tail fins, elongated tail section and the harmonious proportions make the ŠKODA Felicia a real eye-catcher. From 1959 to 1964, a total of around 15,000 Felicia models rolled off the production line. It has a four-cylinder petrol engine with 50 PS and a capacity of 1,089 ccm. At only 930 kg, the Felicia reaches a top speed of 130 km/h. The Kitzbuehel Alpine Rally is one of the most beautiful classic car events in Europe. The combination of the gorgeous alpine landscape, fascinating mountain roads, the atmosphere at Kitzbuehel and the numerous famous participants from motor racing, showbiz, business and sports makes this a special event. This year, vehicles built from 1972 onwards are taking part for the first time. The 188 participants can expect an almost 600-km-long journey along the mountain roads in Tyrol, Salzburg and Bavaria, between the Kitzbuehel Alps, Wilder Kaiser, Hochkoenig, Hohe Tauern and Watzmann. The highlights include the breath-taking Hochkoenig route at Bischofshofen and the Rossfeld mountain stage at Bayrischzell. The Alpine Rally starts on Thursday (28 May) with the traditional prologue “Hohe Salve”. On Saturday afternoon, the cars will drive back past thousands of spectators in Kitzbuehel town centre as they make their way past the finish line. This year, ŠKODA AUTO celebrates its 120-year anniversary, making the company one of the oldest car manufacturers in the world. The brand’s heritage dates back to 1895. At the time, bicycle mechanic Václav Laurin and bookseller Václav Klement founded a factory to manufacture bicycles in the Bohemian town of Mladá Boleslav. They began manufacturing cars in 1905 with the ‘Voiturette A’. What Laurin and Klement began in 1895 has now developed into a successful international volume manufacturer with seven model series and over 40 model variants. Over 17 million ŠKODA cars have been produced since 1905 which represents the strength of the brand. View full article

› Six representatives of the prestigious Chinese media take part in the 7 Castles Rally in Prague driving ŠKODA classic cars › Classic cars draw huge crowds in China Mladá Boleslav, 27 April 2015 – Taking part in the fantastic vintage car rally, visiting the ŠKODA museum, touring Prague’s historic Rudolfinum building, and experiencing the home of the Czech Philharmonic – the group of Chinese journalists had an action-packed visit to ŠKODA AUTO. ŠKODA is one of the longest-established automotive companies in the world. ŠKODA’s roots are in the heart of Europe – an industrial region with a great tradition of craftsmanship and engineering. With a number of legendary automotive brands that originated in the early days of the automobile in Bohemia, this is where the origins of the automobile lie. Václav Laurin and Václav Klement, the company’s founding fathers, were pioneers in the world of motorized mobility, and thus the modern era of the car. This makes ŠKODA one of the pioneering brands in the automotive industry. Established in 1895, the brand’s expertise today is based on 120 years of tradition and experience in vehicle construction, the craftsmanship and engineering expertise of the Czech industry, and the knowledge and experience of an excellent team. In addition, the brand has been able to rely on the capabilities and performance of the Volkswagen Group since 1991. Alongside ŠKODA, the representatives of Chinese magazines and consumer websites were immersed in the history of the country and automobile during the 7 Castles Rally in and around Prague. The ŠKODA Felicia, ŠKODA 1000 MB Rally, ŠKODA 645, ŠKODA 1101 ‘Tudor’ and ŠKODA 440 ‘Spartak’ started in the race. Taking part in the vintage car rally was a further step in popularizing classic cars among the Chinese public, and an interactive journey through ŠKODA’s marvellous 120-year history. “In China, classic cars are becoming increasingly popular with our readers – both among hard-core automobile enthusiasts and fans of the brand, and those looking to invest in something more out of the ordinary. “It was fascinating being able to test drive these fantastic automobiles from ŠKODA’s long history; it was a completely new experience for us,” says Ge Li, the lady representing China Business Journal. The visit to the ŠKODA Museum in Mladá Boleslav was also met with keen interest. This included the special exhibition dedicated to the latest generation ŠKODA Superb and its predecessors. As part of the Czech carmaker’s sponsorship engagements, the Chinese guests went on a tour around the historic Rudolfinum building – the home of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra; one of ŠKODA AUTO’s traditional sponsorship partners. ŠKODA have also sent their classic cars to China where, for example, the Laurin & Klement 300, the ŠKODA Popular Monte Carlo and the Roadster ŠKODA Felicia have been presented to the Chinese public at various events over the last few months. China is ŠKODA AUTO’s strongest market where the brand plans to sell more than 500,000 vehicles annually. In 2014, the brand’s deliveries increased 24% to a record-breaking 281,400 cars. In the first quarter of this year, ŠKODA’s sales figures increased 15.6%. More than 1.4 million ŠKODA vehicles have been sold in China since 2007. The current range comprises six models. In China, the brand works in close partnership with their local partner Shanghai Volkswagen. The activities related to the company’s 120th anniversary and the 110-year tradition of car production have made a synergistic contribution to the popularization of ŠKODA cars. View full article

ŠKODA presents four historical gems at one of the most important international classic car shows › Laurin & Klement Voiturette A commemorates the brand’s significant anniversaries this year › The carefully renovated ŠKODA Supersport type 966 is one highlight in Paris, alongside the ŠKODA Popular Sport Monte Carlo and ŠKODA 110R Mladá Boleslav, 4 February 2015 – ŠKODA traditionally opens the classic car season at the prestigious Paris Rétromobile classic car show, and this year will be no exception. 2015 will mark the 40th anniversary of the first Rétromobile. This year ŠKODA will be taking four gems from their collection to the French capital – among them the faithful replica of the first model by Laurin & Klement in Mladá Boleslav – the Voiturette A, built since 1905. Due to the extraordinary skill of the renovation team at the ŠKODA Museum, Rétromobile visitors will be able to experience first-hand the unique ŠKODA Supersport type 966 dating back to 1950. The racing car with a cigar-shaped body was the fastest Czechoslovakian automobile of its day in, reaching speeds of up to 197.7 km/h. Since 2007, the vehicle has been a part of the collection at the ŠKODA Museum where it was painstakingly restored. “The replica of the first vehicle ever to be produced in Mladá Boleslav between 1905 and 1907 – the Voiturette A – is also sure to be a crowd magnet to the ŠKODA stand,” says Michal Velebný, head of the renovation workshop at the ŠKODA Museum. The Laurin & Klement Voiturette A has a petrol-V-engine with 1005 cm3 displacement under the bonnet, which gives the car a top speed of 40 km/h (7hp). The visitors certainly won’t be walking passed the other three vehicles either. The elegant ŠKODA Popular Monte Carlo Coupé dating back to 1937 is an icon of streamlined design from the second half of the 1930s, and a tribute to the great achievements of the driver duo Pohl/Hausman at the famous Monte Carlo Rally in 1936 and 1937. This model in black is one of the automotive jewels from the collection in Mladá Boleslav, and has already received many awards for its outstanding condition, including the victory in the Concours d´Elegance at the Schloss Bensberg Classic 2012 in the rallying category, which is probably the most important. The beautifully attractive ŠKODA 110 R Coupé will be at Porte de Versailles, representing the younger production era of the 1970s. The sporty coupé, based on the ŠKODA 100 and 110 models, was produced at Kvasiny between 1970 and 1980, and has recently been rediscovered by collectors for its classic car potential – exactly the kind of vehicle that attracts experts from around the world to the prestigious fair. The classic car exhibition in Paris will also be enriched by the modern concept vehicle – the ŠKODA VisionC, which offers visitors the chance to experience the future design focus of the brand from Mladá Boleslav. The 40th Rétromobile event will be taking place from 4 to 8 February at the Paris Expo exhibition centre – Porte de Versailles. The car show regularly attracts more than 100,000 visitors from around the world, with 450 exhibitors bringing more than 500 vehicles. https://www.skoda-storyboard.com/en/press-releases/iconic-vintage-skodas-retromobile/ View full article