Just noticed on Skoda website under the performance pull down menu for the Octavia hatchaback/estate there are many asterisks.

At the bottom the statement - **Stock vehicles only. Please speak to your local retailer for more information.

I think I counted 7 engine variants for the hatch back and 14 for the estate gone, Among those cut are the 1.4 80ps (not surprising) - all 1.2Tsi and 1.8Tsi variants (!!!) several diesel variants including all 4x4 and Scouts.

Someone on "When is the Octavia 3 due" thread stated many of these are on very long lead times and others speculated this had something to do with the Octavia 3 launch.

So whats going on? Production issues or new model launches?

I'm surprised no-one is interested in this topic!

I've just checked with the dealer. All options are being phased out to make way for OCTAVIA 3 ! Due to be launched March/April next year.

With immediate effect all the above mentioned engine options are no longer be available to order in Octavia 2.

Very few cars left in stock, you cant factory order a 1.2Tsi,1.4 80ps,1.8Tsi petrol or 2.0 110ps diesel or any 4X4 or Scout......these are deleted models. Other models/variants will be withdrawn as time goes on.

It seems ludicrously early to do this - I can only speculate that the model launch is possibly being pulled forward.

It's not that folk aren't interested - there's been a few threads on this already & most of what could have been said has been.

This is a bit dissapointing TBH.

My parents get a new car every 3 years through motability, my father has always had fords for all his motoring life (well except for one vauxhaull viva many moons ago, and it was so unreliable he never had another!).

The point is, he was so impressed when I took him somewere in my car, that he is very interested in getting a Skoda this time around, and wanted to get the same engine and spec as me.

It now looks like this won't be possible unless there happens to be one in an appropriate colour somewere in storage :(

His only other options are to get a 1.4 TSi, and have less mpg, more insurance and a further £400 deposit, or the 1.6 CR that has a £550 aditional deposit over the 1.2 TSi, but obviously better mpg.

Slightly OT but:

I don't know who decides the deposit, weather its Skoda UK or Motability, but even though a similarly specced focus estate costs more to buy, the actual deposit is £800-£1500 less (dependant on model).

If the new models are the reason for the limitiations on engines, and they are not due to appear in showrooms until over a years time at least, seems a bad move on Skoda's part IMO !

Slightly OT but:

I don't know who decides the deposit, weather its Skoda UK or Motability, but even though a similarly specced focus estate costs more to buy, the actual deposit is £800-£1500 less (dependant on model).

If the new models are the reason for the limitiations on engines, and they are not due to appear in showrooms until over a years time at least, seems a bad move on Skoda's part IMO !

I know this is going off topic, but MOtability work on such things as future value, what deals the manufacturers are offering, very often you will find that if a manufacturer is phasing a model out and has large stocks of it then they will give a great offer to Motability, a lot of the time the Motability deposit pricing doesnt make sense, but as a previous MOtability customer they offer an excellent service and we were always happy with them, only came off the scheme as they couldnt do the deal that we wanted so came off for the time being.

Remember last year it looked like they had a load of 1.6mpi engines to get rid of and brought out the model with the 25% off.

I wonder if ths withdrawing of certain engines is to help ballance stock before the launch of the newer models.

What sort of batch size do the engine lines produce these days or can they mix match for brand/model. using JIT.

I had to replace my 1.8tsi Scout with Superb Estate SE 1.8tsi 4X4. A pity but it is not all bad news, the Superb SE has some extras that the Scout did not have, and at least I got the no VAT offer. Delivery due first week June, all being well, build week 19.

Anyone know what the score is with vRS production?

I'm most likely to be ordering a new car in September this year - i'd be happy to have another TSI vRS like my existing car, or have a new model which is looking like being lighter etc BUT i'm a more than a little concerned that the "old" car will be out of production at that point and we might not get a vRS on the new platform until some time after launch.. could leave me without a car..!? eek.

As far as I'm aware there is no problems orderIng a new Vrs for a long time yet as the new Octavia lll Vrs might not be out for at least 2 more years or even 2015.

My 1.8tsi has'nt been confirmed with a build date yet, hope they dont bugger me around with waiting times or even a different model.