British team ProSpeed Motorsport has bought four Skoda Octavia World Rally Cars, along with the entire remaining spare parts stock held from Skoda Motorsport in the Czech Republic. The York firm, in conjunction with Skoda engine specialists Motor Design, will offer the ex-factory machines for hire, along with technical backup and spares packages. Managing Director of ProSpeed, Olly Marshall, said, "This is a major investment for ProSpeed. By taking everything from Skoda Motorsport in the Czech Republic we're in a position to dictate how we can market and hire out the cars. We want to market them at a National level in the UK where we believe they will be a force to be reckoned with in the right hands. The 2003 Evo spec vehicles will arrive in the UK soon.ProSpeed hopes the cars will appear on rounds of the British Rally Championship, Kumho National Rally Championship and BTRDA Rally series before the end of the 2004 season. "A glance at the stage times in the 2003 FIA World Rally Championship shows that the Octavia was often quicker than the Hyundai Accent WRC - a very popular and successful car within the UK at the moment," added Marshall. "As we can offer the Octavia WRC's for near identical money to leading Group N cars, I am very much looking forward to strong interest in the cars from prospective drivers."

Already been mentioned here: http://www.briskoda.net/forums/showthread.php?t=10709