OK… here's a question.

 

On the basis of all the marketing blurb, and the dates on which the press releases started regarding the special 'Black Edition' models (which was after week 22 - Skoda's switch over dates from MY2014 to MY2015), I would have assumed that the Rapid Spaceback 'Black Edition' that I've just purchased would have been a MY2015, however, on entering the VIN into several decoders on the internet, it's stated as a MY2014...

 

Does anybody know if these were 'end of model year' cars that they've just spruced-up to get rid of old stock prior to the MY2015 run?

If the 10th digit of the chassis number is a letter E rather than F it's a MY14 (before the 45 bit, rest is the actual car production number in that year). Also fairly sure the MY15 introduced TPM as standard to meet new EU regs, which I don't think the blacks have.

 

Would imagine the blacks where probably all produced prior to their release, as Skoda have done this before with specials; there's no factory options to order, so might as well have them ready for the customer to drive away ASAP. Therefore they were probably the last cars to come off the line prior to the MY switch at the end of May.

 

 

TP