Rapid Spaceback I reckon. It's got the Rapid's headlights if you look close and proportions don't look right for a Fabia Combi.

It's also about the right time for them to start soft-leaking the Spaceback as production starts end of August.

Shed loads of disguise and gaffer tape going on - the rear picture actually looks like a MKI Fabia Estate

Shed loads of disguise and gaffer tape going on - the rear picture actually looks like a MKI Fabia Estate

That's what I was thinking!

It would save them some money on tooling I suppose....!

It's actually looking quite promising it will look a lot like ^^^ this when the disguises are removed:

Hope it is like that RR; would look great and more akin to a proper Rapid

TP

Liking the larger glass boot.

I wonder if it will be known as the Spaceback? The pic (from what I can squint at) reads Fastback (?) but then I've also heard Sportback as well?!

Maybe they'll just call it an Estate

The top two pictures are a photoshop so that doesn't really prove anything as far as the name goes. The disguised test car is badged Fabia! AFAIK it will be called Spaceback.

TP - it does seem to have quite a sporty stance but I actually think the rakish C-pillar line on the Rapid liftback is quite a lot like the olden days Rapid. If only they got rid of the notch on the back and the rear doors... maybe one day we'll get a proper Skoda Coupe again!

Like some here, I'm dubious as to the fitment of a Rapid spaceback within the Skoda line-up.

I don't think it's a bad idea or a wrong move or anything (yet), I think we need to know more about it first.

First of all, I don't understand the name - spaceback... the load area of the Rapid hatch is already huge!... if you want bigger, why get a Rapid spaceback? It would be logical to opt for a low-spec Superb estate.

Or, a Fabia estate if you wanted a smaller dimension car but with practical load space.

If those pictures are genuinely of a Rapid spaceback, the only thing I can see different is load height where the tailgate tapers towards the rear lights. In fact, the concept pics almost remind me of a Volvo V40 with the black tailgate (which would've been my next car had I not bought a Rapid).

It just doesn't make sense to me yet, if ever it will. Don't get me wrong, I love estate cars, but what even is this? An estate or what?

Think it's just a case of wait and see.

They should have just done an estate. Job done.

I think the opposite, we have enough estates! They should have just done a Golf-sized hatch. I would have loved to have seen the Vision D come to fruition!

I'm guessing they wanted to do something like that but the bosses said no and Skoda had to stick to their slightly off-sized models.

Still, I'm looking forward to seeing it.

A coupe would have been better, this is just confusing

It does seem to be a defacto stance of car manufacturers that all models have to have an estate shaped sibling to be fair, and I don't always "get it". I saw a Yaris Estate (Sorry, "Verso") recently - and it's without doubt the most stupid looking vehicle I've seen in quite some time.

The Renault Clio has an estate variant as well. Daft.

Agree can't really see where it fill fit in the range. Only logical position is it will replace the Fabia Estate and carry Rapid Estate branding. There isn't room for a Golf-sized hatchback as the existing Rapid and Octavia already fill that position. Unless it might replace the Roomster? Confusing...

Neither the Rapid or Octavia are really Golf sized though.

The Fabia estate will continue so it's not replacing that. My prediction is that the Rapid Spaceback will have a bigger boot than the Fabia 3 hatch, but smaller than the Fabia 3 Estate.

Alright this looks interesting enough thought we have not seen the rapid or octy mk3 here yet..

I guess the buyer this is aimed at is me given I almost bought a Fabia wagon until tempted by the deal one could no resist on an Octavia mk2 liftback.

Anyhow all depends on price, the current 4 model line-up is a bit confusing anyway given the 2 medium to large segment cars. If the rapid wagon is the size of the mk2 octavia then it will ideal ay least for us.

http://auto.idnes.cz/skoda-rapid-spaceback-05w-/ak_aktual.aspx?c=A130521_112602_ak_aktual_fdv

Looks like theres closer shots of the kink on the D pillar

http://auto.idnes.cz...2_ak_aktual_fdv

Looks like theres closer shots of the kink on the D pillar

Aha! That's good. Looks just like on the autobild photoshop. It's likely the autobild photoshop is quite accurate as journalists were allegedly shown the Spaceback when they went to Portugal to test the Octy3.

Seems that Skoda are doing a gradual reveal with the test cars...

That looks better. The video posted the other day my honest initial thought was it was a mk1 fabia lol

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Think this going along the lines of the A3 Sportback. Same as an A3 but slightly bigger?

Think this going along the lines of the A3 Sportback. Same as an A3 but slightly bigger?

Yes, except in our case it will be shorter than the normal Rapid as that's already long!

A Skoda boss man is on record as saying it will be half way between a conventional hatchback and a normal estate in size.

He also said this:

"It will be a sporty car with more cargo space than a traditional hatchback. Regarding the appearance of the car, so it will be for Skoda something new,"

That looks better. The video posted the other day my honest initial thought was it was a mk1 fabia lol

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That's because it's disguised as a Mk1 Fabia, it even has a Fabia badge!

Just so long as the resemblance is deliberate that's the main thing Not that there's anything wrong with a Mk1 Fabia mind you!

No, the Mk1 Fabia made quite a nice estate car. Maybe the Rapid Spaceback is the spiritual successor to the Fabia Paris we never got!:

That does look quite nice actually.

I just accidentally looked at the Yeti II concept :peek: