Apologies if this has been mentioned before but I didn't find it on a quick search.

I've just been at the Skoda website checking the weight of the car and noticed the vRS's price has gone up.

My vRS was

Apparently there was a 1% increase or something across the range but like you said they're offering incentives on all but the vRS. When I asked why they just said that they don't make as much money on it or some crap like that.

I noticed that too. I think perhaps Skoda is cashing in on the success. They can get away with it because basically, the Fabia vRS has slowly but surely been gaining a reputation (for good reasons). The Fabia vRS actually started at

Inflation anyone? If the car maintained the same sticker price all year Skoda would be making less money at the end of the year than the start, all things being equal. It's still a bargain anyway!

Relatively speaking though, you have to admit its not quite the same value as it was, especially at the low price of

Inflation anyone? If the car maintained the same sticker price all year Skoda would be making less money at the end of the year than the start, all things being equal. It's still a bargain anyway!

I think it's probably related to the runaway increase in the price of steel during 04.

That's a cause of inflation... along with increasing energy prices... The all-items headline RPI rate has risen to 3.5%, if you annual cost-of-living pay review is less than that it's essentially a pay cut.

Relatively speaking though, you have to admit its not quite the same value as it was, especially at the low price of

The Fabia vRS actually started at

Also the 'Sport' needs to fit in somewhere

The car has been doing well and has a 3 month waiting list for factory orders. Not surprisingly Skoda wants to capitalise on that, I don't blame them for it in the slightest.

It sux if you haven't ordered yet though, and I would have loved a lower price myself, don't get me wrong But it's still excellent value for money

Are you really sure about that? The evidence is certainly to the contrary.

The Telegraph pre-launch Road Test dated 09/08/2003 reads:

"Yet the

It is also likely that the money markets are having an effect as Sterling is currently very strong so it means that it will cost Skoda UK more to bring the cars into the country.

Just ordered my Fabia vRS 1 week ago and due to pick it up this Tuesday. Luckily though the dealer I'm using has agreed to do the car for the old price of

Just ordered my Fabia vRS 1 week ago and due to pick it up this Tuesday. Luckily though the dealer I'm using has agreed to do the car for the old price of

It is also likely that the money markets are having an effect as Sterling is currently very strong so it means that it will cost Skoda UK more to bring the cars into the country.

Hang on, if Sterling was as you think strong then as Skoda CZ work in Euros, it would take less pounds to buy a car so the price would drop in Sterling terms.

In reality, Sterling is about where it was a year ago against the Euro (around Eu1.4440). During 2004 Sterling rose to just above Eu1.5200 and over the last year the average rate has been approx Eu1.4740. So IMHO Skoda CZ did not pass on the benefit of a firming Pound against the Euro the first half of 2004 but were happy to pass on the effects of a falling Pound (in Euro terms) during the second half. We Brits always lose out, surely you must realise this by now ? :(

I see the cost of metallic/black magic paint has increased too.

And they're saying that parking sensors are available on the vRS too which my dealer told me wasn't the case due to the new bumper shape :-s

My dealer also said parking sensorts couldn't be retrofitted - who's telling the truth here?