The engine line-up for the new Octavia got me wondering - what engines will Skoda use for the vRS, 4x4 and L&K versions, if and when they should arrive come 2006?

There has been talk of a 2.0 TDI 180 bhp diesel engine for the vRS, but the new 2.0T FSI petrol turbo of either 180 or 200 bhp could be a well-educated guess.

With the atmo 2.0 FSI 150 hp being the flagship petrol engine for the moment, I'm beginning to think that this will be the new 4x4 engine. Considering the fact that the 4x4 now uses a detuned 1.8T in order to get to 150 hp (filling the gap between 125 and 180 hp) while at the same time it is neither intended nor built to be a performance car, and also considering that Skoda probably wants to maintain the 4x4 one step below the vRS engine-wise, you would be a daring man to bet against the 2.0 FSI becoming the new 4x4 engine. Which would mean the end of the Skoda stealth performance car as we know it. Although a highly probable 2.0 TDI 140 hp 4x4 would be quite nifty too.

For the L&K cars the same two engines (2.0 FSI 150 and 2.0 TDI 140) look like a safe bet.

Does anyone want to hazard another guess?

why don't they do a 200bhp in 4x4 mode!

Lots of power taken straight to the road! None of this traction control flickering away and wheels spinning round!

PURE exhilarating acceleration!

My thoughts exactly, but they won't necessarily be shared by Skoda...

NO NO NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lets have a 300 bhp 4x4 , Ok Im dreaming.

With the success of the Fabia VRS & VAG's commiitment to "Diesel is the future" my guess as with many others that the flagship cars may well be Diesel.

There is a massive un tapped market in the UK for a Diesel 4x4, My local dealer has 2 people who want one, I want one in a couple of years, preferably L&K.

With the much higher quality of Skodas now I think there would be a massive market for this car. I really hope SkodaUK will wake up to this fact & import it should Skoda build it

is there definately going to be a 4x4 and vRS? maybe the vRS(is there is one ) will be the 3.2 V6

is there definately going to be a 4x4 and vRS? maybe the vRS(is there is one ) will be the 3.2 V6

That engine is far too heavy, but might be nice with a couple of Garrett T25 turbos

its in the new A3 tho, 6.6sec to 60. but the safe money would be the 2.0 turbo i think. the might even drop the vRS who knows

Why you say it's too heavy Rob?

The DSG gearbox is apparrently going to be available............for diesel engines only.....guess no 3.2 V6 then.

The new shape golf currently uses a 140hp 2ltr td lump but they are bringing a 2ltr turbo petrol out later this year which is apparently going to be nearer 200hp.

I'd imagine if Skoda are going to run with the vRS (and i cant see why seeing how well its done) they would use this engine in the Octy, and stick to a TD lump in the Fabia

Why you say it's too heavy Rob?

Heavy was the wrong word - what I mean is that it's not very impressive considering the capacity.

Look at the performance figures and power output for cars fitted with that engine, and then compare them to other 3.2 litre engines. Golf R32, Audi A3, Audi TT - they have what I feel to be disappointing figures, particularly given what BMW are doing with naturally aspirated 6-cylinder engines of similar capacity. Indeed, the figures aren't a great deal better than those from cars with a humble 1.8T. I personally gave one of those new A3s quite a hoofing with my vRS (and I apparently have a "lazy" engine) - in the wet.

Even allowing for power loss from four wheel drive, I'm not impressed with the VAG 3.2 V6. Perhaps if it were turbocharged or supercharged it might be worthwhile, but I can't imagine the tuning potential of these cars is particularly high without significant expenditure!

You only need to compare the 3.2 Audi TT with the 225 BHP 1.8T version to see there isn't much in it. It may sound nice and be a little more flexible, but compare it to all those fine four cylinder turbocharged engines out there.

And it is heavy!

Did you see it understeer big-time in the Stig's hands? All that weight upfront can't be good, and not even AWD can change that.

No he didn't like that, but Jeremy liked the gearbox!!

Perhaps the DSG Box mated to a 225 1.8 T 4X4 vRS is everyones dream ?

Light weight, fast with fantastic handling

Matt

so you would rather have an octy vRS that does 0-60 in 7.9sec rather than 6.5ish?

the new 2.0turbo will only have 200bhp...only 20 extra....seems poor, probably not enough

so you would rather have an octy vRS that does 0-60 in 7.9sec rather than 6.5ish?

But it's double the displacement! I'd say 3.2l being able to only shift a car from 0-60 in 6.6 seconds is a bit poor, especially compared with, for example, Subaru's 2.0 turbo unit...

Rob.

I have a feeling that the new Octavia will be a petrol head's nightmare. Deisels all the way I reckon.

Being the glass half empty sort of person I am, I wouldn't be suprised if the RS goes out of the window entirely. To my mind the Octavia RS has never sat well with the current VAG, and more specifically Skoda, line up and bearing in mind VW's grand plan for all their brands I doubt a real performance Octavia is in the offing. The Octavia RS is probably the (sales) success VAG didn't want. The reason alot of us are here. Why spend 18-19k on a VW when you can spend 15 on a Skoda?

In the meantime I can keep my fingers crossed for a turbo charged petrol engine.

so you would rather have an octy vRS that does 0-60 in 7.9sec rather than 6.5ish?

Mine does do it in 6.7ish I reckon. Now imagine what Skoda could do with a four wheel drive Octavia packing a super-tuned 2.0 FSI Turbo. Evo VIII for breakfast, followed by a tasty STi for dinner?

I'm not denying Skoda should be the thinking family man's car, but there's room for them to also be a rally fan's car too; and still let Seat, VW and Audi have their particular "unique selling point". Why they aren't targeting the Impreza market with a cheap, high quality vRS as an alternative is quite beyond me. Price it at about

the 2ltr turbo might only push out 200bhp standard that means nothing, my 4x4 is only 150 standard but can be chipped to about 225, thats a 50% increase, the same theory on the 2 ltr and you got yourself 300bhp. i have no probs with a cheap 300 bhp octavia compared to the cost of the vw/audi motors

We did some 1.8T and 1.9TDI testing at the weekend, and a forum members car with hhhmmm BHP ran a 7 second dead, and that was with a fairly poor start.

several others tried and one running around 230BHP faired better, it did 2 runs with 2 drivers the 1st with a terrible start chucking up loads of gravel 7.88 secs. the second it had a more experienced driver at the controls and did a really good run despite lots of axle tramp BUT the timing device failed to record anything. We could only judge by the braking point compared to others.