News from Top Gear:

Top Gear | Geneva show: Skoda Fabia

I hope the new Vrs will share the same shape with the rally car!

EDIT: may be not the roof air intake and the rear spoiler

Top Gear boys didn't spot the rear doors then? lol

Looks good I must say, only worrying thing is that it says the new vRS will have a 1.4 170hp petrol engine to replace the Diesel one, which is not good news if, like me, you only like Diesel. I would think there will be the option of the 2.0 140hp though, Skoda wouldn't want to loose customers.

Shame though, I thought that they would keep with tradition and have a decent powered Diesel engine in there, there will be nothing to make it different from the other manufacturers now and they wouldn't persuade me to buy one with 140 horses in it, it's not going to be much faster than mine now.

Rally version looks very 'Mini-esque' imho!.

Is this it?

Shame though, I thought that they would keep with tradition and have a decent powered Diesel engine in there.

It's a long tradition to keep-up, 3 and a bit years of one diesel hot-hatch! (I suppose two models if you count the recent Octy VRS 170)

Looks good I must say, only worrying thing is that it says the new vRS will have a 1.4 170hp petrol engine

I think that many people are assuming that the Fabia will have the 170bhp application of the VW TSI engine.

I'm not so sure, I'd be more inclined to believe that it will get the 150 bhp application of the TSI and possible the 16v 140bhp diesel. My reasoning:

Mk1 Octy VRS 180 bhp - Fabia Vrs 130 bhp = - 50 bhp difference

Mk 2 Octy Vrs TFSI 200 bhp - Mk2 Fabia TSI 150 bhp = -50 difference

Mk 2 Octy Vrs 16v PD 170bhp - Mk 2 Fabia 16v PD 140 = -30 difference

Only speculation though. Just think the 170 bhp TSI would not fit in with Skoda's/VW's market segmentation strategy (poeple won't buy the overpriced golf GT TSI). 170bhp does sound a lot for a standard small hot hatch but the competition (Clio, Corsa) are currently at 200bhp. So 170 bhp could be on the cards depends on whether skoda want to make a warm or hot hatch I suppose.

I'm not keen on the TSI I've seen in the golf; some extra BHP over the current model would be nice but taking into account the insurance hike, I'd be happy with the 140 16v PD block .

Mmmm. Marketing boo boo i think. It looks OK but.

3 doors?

Would not have got mine if it only came with 3 doors.

Mmmm. Marketing boo boo i think. It looks OK but.

3 doors?

Would not have got mine if it only came with 3 doors.

It doesn't, just Top Gear failing to count to 5.