Like Llanigraham, I spotted a liveried Yeti in Builth that was in between rallies, and in talking to the driver it turned out that they'd had a few Yetis delivered for the purposes of marshalling the rally as a part of a sponsorship deal.

The just now I see that Skoda sponsors the Goodwood Festival of speed.

Why are they sponsoring such niche events associated with cars and speed and so on.

Why not give a Skoda Yeti to one of the District Nurses attached to medical practices, for example, to demonstrate how these great cars can help with the normal everyday events of life, and by helping nurses deliver their particular brand of assistance to their communities it could bring far greater awareness to the "masses".

I just don't "get" their policies - and after all, we are all paying for it with our purchase of these vehicles.

What do others think, eh?

What do others think, eh?

In Ireland, Skoda sponsor the Tipperary hurling team. Tipp are All Ireland champions so as an above the line sponsorship it gives them huge media coverage. Additionally all the repica shirts have Skoda on them so 1000's of walking advertisement and branding.

Nice photo........................................but those boys have got one UGLY father

Nice photo........................................but those boys have got one UGLY father

And he looks stoned!

I think the point is that the rally Yeti's will be seen by thousands of spectators, most of whom are likely to be petrolheads, who will percieve the brand as being "sporting" and therefore might consider purchasing a Skoda next time. Unfortunately the District Nurse is going to have a limited audience and probably from the wrong type of buying public.

Just think how Subaru used to be thought of? 20 years ago the Estates were thought to be bought by gentleman farmers and the pick-ups by poor farmers. Then they went into rallying........................now every boy racer wantss to own an Impreza!!

And he looks stoned!

Yeah, he's Rocky Cashel (Rock of Cashel)

All those Skodas at the Tour de France have made me think about getting my bike out of the shed (I haven't used it for 8 years) and buying some roof bars and a bike rack. Probably still won't ride the bike, but I'll carry it around on the roof of the car and look cool and sporty.

I think the point is that the rally Yeti's will be seen by thousands of spectators, most of whom are likely to be petrolheads, who will percieve the brand as being "sporting" and therefore might consider purchasing a Skoda next time. Unfortunately the District Nurse is going to have a limited audience and probably from the wrong type of buying public.

Correct. The district nurse driving a Yeti simply won't engender the type (or volume) of response. Therefore, perversely perhaps, making something like that work would require a much larger marketing budget because it would be a very slow burn.

Bobdog - you live in an area which is a mountain biking mecca - and also the home of the award winning related magazine

I'm a moderator on that website and also a frequent visitor to Tod!

Correct. The district nurse driving a Yeti simply won't engender the type (or volume) of response. Therefore, perversely perhaps, making something like that work would require a much larger marketing budget because it would be a very slow burn.

Agreed. And sponsoring the nurses just isnt 'sexy' enough as a sponsorship/marketing campaign compared to sponsorship of the rally and Goodwood I guess.

Bobdog - you live in an area which is a mountain biking mecca - and also the home of the award winning related magazine

I'm a moderator on that website and also a frequent visitor to Tod!

I know, I know. I moved to the Calder Valley from Norfolk in 2003. Used to cycle a fair bit ... cycle touring and camping ... but the hills round Tod are a bit much for my knackered knees. The farm track that leads to my house is a favourite for mountain bikers (if you know the area, it leads from the A646, about half way between Tod and HB, opposite Bridgeholme cricket ground, up to the 'Great Rock') and I'm amazed by the ones who manage to ride up the whole hill - many get off and walk. On some weekends, if I'm pottering around the flower beds out front, or washing the car, and a sweaty bunch come up puffing and blowing I give them cheery words of encouragement such as "That's the easy bit done, it gets steeper round the next bend."

I used to know a guy from your part of the world (Leics) who was a great road cyclist. I met him 20 odd years ago when I was working as a ski instructor in the Alps. I was mid 30s at the time, he was mid 60s and one of the fittest people I've ever met. In those days (pre knackered knees) I was pretty strong myself. Used to ski with him and he was always up for a race, but I never managed to see him off.

Summer of '92 or thereabouts I went to stay with him for a weekend in Leics. He asked if I fancied coming out for a ride, he'd lend me his old bike. He wheeled out this very old racing bike, leather saddle like a razor blade, and dragged me 30 miles around the local countryside. I stayed with him on the flat, but when the hills came and he just carried on at the same speed he lost me. Finally ended up in a pub; me sweating and blowing, him fresh as a daisy despite being 30 years older than me. "Do you like that bike?" he asked. "It's OK, hadn't really thought about it" I replied. "I won the Empire Games on that, and I came fourth in the Olympics" he told me. Sadly he died a few years later - but went out in style, having a meal after completing a charity cycle ride across the Iberian peninsula.

Agreed. And sponsoring the nurses just isnt 'sexy' enough as a sponsorship/marketing campaign compared to sponsorship of the rally and Goodwood I guess.

I like a woman in uniform and a the thought of a nurse in a Yeti...... orgasmic!!!

I like a woman in uniform and a the thought of a nurse in a Yeti...... orgasmic!!!

Aaahh, now there's a thought, you're bringing back memories! A few years back I had problems with the waterworks and had to have a catheter fitted for a while. When I had further trouble with that I had to call the district nurses out at 3.00am to unblock me. They said, when they arrived, that they'd had trouble driving up our hill ... clearly if they'd come by Yeti they'd have had no problem!

They said, when they arrived, that they'd had trouble driving up our hill ... clearly if they'd come by Yeti they'd have had no problem!

I guess that was my point, kind of, so to speak, I think.......

I reckon that there could be a humungous amount of feelgood positivity and publicity for Skoda to give hard-pressed nurses a vehicle that would surmount all the topographical obstacles and weather hassles thus allowing better patient care in, for example, the nether regions of greater Yorkshire!

They'd get yards of local press coverage which would achieve a far greater audience penetration than merely those who might attend a motor sport event, yes?

Anyhow, I expect that SUK have studied this in far greater depth than I would ever consider meaningful, and could probably justify every penny that they spend??????

I wonder how much of the £20 grand of an Elegance Yeti gets devoted to the marketing spend.

Motor sport is sexy and - with few exceptions- district nurses aren't. End of.

I guess that was my point, kind of, so to speak, I think.......

I reckon that there could be a humungous amount of feelgood positivity and publicity for Skoda to give hard-pressed nurses a vehicle that would surmount all the topographical obstacles and weather hassles thus allowing better patient care in, for example, the nether regions of greater Yorkshire!

They'd get yards of local press coverage which would achieve a far greater audience penetration than merely those who might attend a motor sport event, yes?

Anyhow, I expect that SUK have studied this in far greater depth than I would ever consider meaningful, and could probably justify every penny that they spend??????

I wonder how much of the £20 grand of an Elegance Yeti gets devoted to the marketing spend.

Saw a new Yeti in the village on my way home last night.

White with green chequered strip down its flanks and 'Doctor on Call' plus various other stickers. Think it may belong to the local NHS Trust.

I doubt the 4x4 capabilities will be likely to be tested much here in Mid-Herts, although some of the local lane can get a bit tricky in the snow (if and when we have any).

Overall it looked great.

PS> Neither the driver or passenger were in 'uniform'.

I was photographing the rally last weekend that was based at Builth Wells - it was the Quinton Stages Rally, with sponsorship from Nicky Grist and Skoda UK.

There were 5 Skoda Yetis parked up at the Headquarters at the Royal Welsh Showground, and I got photos of 4 of them driving through the stages:

Clerk of the Course:

Safety Officer:

MSA Stewards:

Chief Marshal:

Just rubbed it in a bit more that I was still without mine as it was still in the bodyshop being repaired :'(

Nice photo's even show the cornering fogs images 1&2.

Nice photo's even show the cornering fogs images 1&2.

So they can't have been going that fast then.

So they can't have been going that fast then.

Thankfully they aren't expected to be competitive!!

Thankfully they aren't expected to be competitive!!

Why not? OK, I know the Clerk of the Course is just driving the stage to check that it is 'safe' but .....

.... based on EVO magazine's performance of their 1.8TSI around the Bedford Autodrome 'track'; I'd wager that a Yeti would post a pretty respectable time, if driven competitively, on a Rally Stage.

Thanks for the photo's Simon

The first two look like the part and I notice the oldest one (bee sting aerial) has those wheel arch flares and running boards.

TP

Why not? OK, I know the Clerk of the Course is just driving the stage to check that it is 'safe' but .....

.... based on EVO magazine's performance of their 1.8TSI around the Bedford Autodrome 'track'; I'd wager that a Yeti would post a pretty respectable time, if driven competitively, on a Rally Stage.

Sounds lame, but those are the "rules". The only "pre-event" car that drives the stage competitively is/should be car 0. All the others are Safety Officials so are checking everything is in order.

Would one be competitive? Probably. It would need some develpoment in the suspension area and needs better protection underneath.

Sounds lame, but those are the "rules". The only "pre-event" car that drives the stage competitively is/should be car 0. All the others are Safety Officials so are checking everything is in order.

Would one be competitive? Probably. It would need some development in the suspension area and needs better protection underneath.

That white one with the pickle jars on the roof was the one I saw refuelling in Builth Wells - and had to teach the driver all about the foglights and the xenons and stuff!!