I gathered all the information on changes of the facelfited model presented at Paris Motor Show 2008.

Trim levels will be the old ones: Classic, Ambiente, Elegance and L&K.

- New colours:

• Arctic Green metallic (8B8B)
  
• Aqua Blue metallic (3U3U)
  

- Also available earlier colours:

• Anthracite Grey metallic (9J9J)
  
• Flamenco Red metallic (2L2L)
  
• Black Magic pearl effect (1Z1Z)
  
• Satin Grey metallic (5T5T)
  
• Storm Blue metallic (8D8D)
  
• Capuccino Beige metallic (4K4K)
  
• Brilliant Silver metallic (8E8E)
  
• Dynamic Blue (6D6D)
  
• Corrida Red (8T8T)
  
• Candy white (9P9P)
  

- Colours no longer available:

• Island Green metallic (3K3K)
  
• Highland Green metallic (7A7A)
  

- 17" "Flash" alloy wheels (for use with snow chain too) and 4 more new alloy wheels:

• 6Jx15" "Deimos"
  
• 7Jx17" "Cepeus"
  
• 6.5Jx15" "Pyxis"
  
• 6.5Jx16" "Crateris"
  

- New steel wheelcap: 15" "Gaspra". 15" Castle (Classic) is no longer available.

- New front grille.

- New front bumper with Superb II style fog lamps equipped with a corner function up to 40 km/h and daylight function. If no foglights are installed, the daylight function remains integrated within the main headlights.

- New headlights with "Octavia" sign inside. Xenon lights are able to swivel during a change of direction.

- Plastic protective stripes are removed from front and rear bumpers.

- New, taller wing mirrors with index lights in higher position than before.

- New roof antenna, if the vehicle is fitted with a radio which can take a GSM telephone, navigation, independent heating or any combination thereof. The base of the antenna forms a fin.

- New rear lights. The red reflectors replaced by a strip with chrome effect.

- Side mouldings are re-shaped and coloured to the body.

- Reflectors integrated into the rear bumper.

- New model name logo (font type changed). The engine type is shown on the opposite (left) side of the boot lid.

- New, fully coloured rear bumper.

- New carpets and door linings. "Twinkle" at Classic, "Variety" at Ambiente level.

- Small net on the centre console of the passenger side to store small items.

- The armrest in the centre of the rear seat now comes with a storage compartment.

- Rear passengers can now find optional heated seat buttons on the rear of the front armrest instead of the swivel switches.

- Parts of the centre console, such as the ashtray lid, radio and air-conditioner control panel frame and the frame of the gear lever mounting, are kept in the same decor as door and dashboard trim strips.

- Reading lights for the rear passengers with independent switching.

- New shape and layout of front headrests (whiplash optimised head restraints - WOKS function). New WOKS head restraints on the front seats with improved backrests standard on all Octavias have replaced the original active head restraints, which were previously only available as an option.

- 7-speed DSG gearbox accompanied with turbocharged engines.

- Air conditioning control panel changed for automatic dual and semi-automatic system. Dual system's swivel wheel is replaced by finger switches, semi-automatic system's swivel switches also changed, push buttons' layout is also different.

- New Audio head units:

• The basic equipment is the 1-DIN radio "Blues" with a CD MP3 player.
  
• Customers can opt for the 2-DIN audio system "Swing" with an integrated MP3 CD player. The most advanced Bolero radio (CD,CD-MP3,CD-WMA) with 6,5" colour touch screen, SD/MMC card reader.
  
• "Amundsen" navigation system (CD, CD-MP3) with 5" touch screen, SD card slot with navigational data. Both has input for connecting a hands-free device.
  
• The top range model is the combined "Columbus" radio navigation system with a 30 GB hard disc space.
  

- MDI (Media Device interface) - a new connection for iPod, MP3 players, USB devices to the car entertainment system, Information from devices display on the MaxiDOT screen.

- New Bluetooth hands-free kit (GSM III Premium).

- New steering wheel with gear shifting levers behind it (for DSG gearbox).

- New dashboard with engine cooling liquid temperature gauge in the rev counter and fuel gauge on the odometer. The dashboard (gauges and pointers both) have white underlight. MaxiDOT is still not standard equipment.

- Rear mudflaps removed, the lower part of the bumper is now unprotected from small stones, while it's fully coloured from now. (Maybe, it will be serial equipment at countries where they're required in national traffic law.)

- Steering column is taken from Superb II, the steering wheel setting lever is on the left side of the column, not on the lower side of it.

- Newly shaped front seats (similar to the earlier ones in the sports package).

- 5th generation parking sensors - better optical display on the screen and new sound signals for better perception.

- 4th generation immobiliser - better protection identical to the system in the new Superb.

- 4th generation Haldex clutch in the Octavia Estate 4×4 and Scout.

- Petrol engines:

• 1.4 MPI 59 kW (80 bhp) 16V
  
• 1.6 MPI 75 kW (102 bhp) 8V
  
• 1.4 TSI 90 kW (122 bhp) 16V turbocharged
  
• 1.8 TSI 118 kW (160 bhp) 16V turbocharged
  
• 2.0 TFSI 147 kW (200 bhp) 16V turbocharged (vRS)
  

- Diesel engines:

• 1.9 PD-TDI 77 kW (105 bhp) 8V turbocharged
  
• 2.0 PD-TDI 103 kW (140 bhp) 16V turbocharged
  
• 2.0 CR-TDI 125 kW (170 bhp) 16V turbocharged (vRS)
  

- Length decreased by 3 mm (4569 instead of 4572) at front bumper.

- Width (from mirror to mirror) increased by 45 mm (2018 instead of 1973).

- Front wheel track increased by 2 mm.

- Rear wheel track decreased by 14 mm.

Very, very good info.

Thanks

no 1.6 cr diesel? I see the 1.9 is still there?

Thanks very much

I gathered all the information on changes of the facelfited model presented at Paris Motor Show 2008.

Trim levels will be the old ones: Classic, Ambiente, Elegance and L&K.

Are you sure there will be an L&K straightaway, Joemaster? I was going to post a question asking this, because the website and any other literature I have read makes no mention of the L&K, and this is the model I would be most interested in (to replace my current Octy L&K).

Also, if there is to be an L&K, does anyone know if it will be possible to spec the CR 170 engine with the L&K?

Now that would be a tasty pair of wheels...!

Neil

So is the vRS not getting the new 2.0TSI Engine, like the GTI, and keeping the current TFSI motor?

Shame no 2.0TDI CR 140 or 120 engines :(

Are you sure there will be an L&K straightaway, Joemaster? I was going to post a question asking this, because the website and any other literature I have read makes no mention of the L&K, and this is the model I would be most interested in (to replace my current Octy L&K).

Also, if there is to be an L&K, does anyone know if it will be possible to spec the CR 170 engine with the L&K?

Now that would be a tasty pair of wheels...!

Neil

Hi Neil!I'm as sure as one can be who read the official Skoda equipment list of the refreshed Octavia 2 model. L&K level already exists, anyway.They say in the official press literature that 2.0 CR-TDI (170 bhp/125 kW) engine will be available only in the RS (vRS) version.It's interesting: Skoda itself refers the Octavia sports model as "RS", but they mention "vRS" in brackets too... although, as far as I know the RS referred as vRS only in the UK. Nice...

So is the vRS not getting the new 2.0TSI Engine, like the GTI, and keeping the current TFSI motor?

You mean the 240 bhp (177 kW) 2.0 TSI? No, it won't get. Maybe, next model year... I wonder what the RS version will look like?With this new face it's not easy to look sporty...

although, as far as I know the RS referred as vRS only in the UK. Nice...

In Ireland Skoda don't seem to like it being referred to as a vRS.

You mean the 240 bhp (177 kW) 2.0 TSI? No, it won't get. Maybe, next model year... I wonder what the RS version will look like?With this new face it's not easy to look sporty...

No. I mean the 200bhp TSI that has replaced the TFSI in the Golf GTIs.

No. I mean the 200bhp TSI that has replaced the TFSI in the Golf GTIs.

At the moment it seems the Golf GTI is getting two different motors. Some countries (eg Australia) are still getting the "old" (belt driven cams) motor, while other markets (eg USA) are getting the "new" (chain driven cams) motor, but without the variable valve timing some Audis get.

Just to confuse things, they are all (old and new) now labelled (ie marketing spin) as "TSI" engines.

The new 2.0 motor is very mechanically similar to the new (4 valve) 1.8 TFSI/TSI motor that has been available in the Oct for the last 12 months.

It's interesting: Skoda itself refers the Octavia sports model as "RS", but they mention "vRS" in brackets too... although, as far as I know the RS referred as vRS only in the UK. Nice...

IIRC Ford UK owns the rights to the "RS" moniker (think Escort and Focus RS's), so Skoda UK had to call it a "vRS", and everywhere else calls it an "RS".