Å KODAās new design: clear, precise, fresh, timeless and elegant
Å KODA is resolutely pursuing its model offensive, presenting its new compact saloon, the Å KODA Rapid, just a few months after the introduction of the Å KODA Citigo subcompact.
The brandās most recent addition is to play a central role in the companyās growth strategy and will be phased in on European markets from the autumn of 2012.
The Å KODA Rapid impresses with lots of room, an expressive design, an excellent price-value ratio, a comprehensive safety offering and efficient engines. āThis is a model which sets benchmarks in the compact saloon segment:
– The Å KODA Rapid is a roomy, elegant and at the same time an affordable car for the whole family, impressing with clever solutions, cutting-edge technology and high economy. In short, it is a car permitting mobility in a comfortable, reasonably priced and environmentally friendly package. The right car at the right time,ā says Å KODA CEO Winfried Vahland.
The Rapid is a perfect complement of the model palette between the Å KODA Fabia and the Å KODA Octavia, making it at home in the large-volume compact segment.
This so-called A segment currently accounts for about 36 per cent of the worldās automobile market. Within this class, saloons have a share of around 42 per cent. Industry experts estimate the number of cars of this type sold worldwide will rise by about 50 per cent by the year 2020.
The Rapid is the first Å KODA series car ever to fully feature the brandās newly formulated design language. āThis is a car that gives out a clear statement at first glance: clear, precise, fresh and emotional,ā says Eckhard Scholz, Å KODA board member for technical development.
Perfect proportions, clear and cleanly modelled surfaces and sharply drawn lines combine to create an attractive overall appearance.
The front end displays a new take on Å KODA-typical design elements. The new brand logo confidently stands out on the harmonically rounded front edge of the bonnet. The grille shows a finely drawn chrome frame and is formed by vertical slats. The headlight ensemble is grouped at the front of the Å KODA Rapid to form a cloverleaf shape.
The bodyās side also conveys pure emotion though a long wheelbase and a coupĆ©-like silhouette, but also thanks to a precise and sharp tornado line creating a clear division of light and shadow.
At the rear, the carās large tailgate is not merely functional, but also acts as a design element. In addition, distinctly shaped taillights in the brandās typical C shape and the new brand logo all combine to make the Å KODA Rapid unmistakable.
Lots of space and room at an affordable price
The driver and the passengers should have no reason to complain about a lack of room. āIn its class, the Rapid is the new benchmark for roominess,ā says Å KODA CEO Vahland.
Though exterior dimensions, at (4.48 m in length, 1.71 m in length, 1.46 m in height), may be compact, the car will comfortably seat up to five persons. The Rapidās figures for knee and head room are best in class, as is the boot at 550 litres ā truly family-size.
Cleverly done
Å KODAās roomy latest offspring is a āsimply cleverā car through and through, offering no less than 19 of Å KODAās typical āsimply cleverā solutions. Four of them are available for the first time in the Å KODA Rapid, including a practical holder for the warning vest underneath the driverās seat. Storage for the ice scraper is ingenious: it simply slides into the inside of the tank filler flap. A refuse bin in the side door keeps the carās inside tidy.
Another first for Å KODA is a double-sided covering for the boot floor. In addition to these āpremieresā, the Rapid has a lot of other tried and true clever solutions on board such as a multimedia holder, a ticket holder, various cup holders, nettings on the inner sides of the front seats and an optional netting programme for the carās huge boot.
A perfect family car
Å KODA is aiming the Rapid especially at families. āFamilies will love the Rapid,ā says JĆ¼rgen Stackmann, Å KODA board member for sales and marketing. āHere is a perfect first car at an affordable price in Å KODAās familiar quality.ā Å KODA has customers especially in mind who are successful in their professional and private life.
At the same time, the Rapid is a response to changed customer needs. Says Stackmann: āPeople value mobility, but they may be unwilling or unable to spend too much money on their mobility. The Rapid stands for ābest value for moneyā and caters to exactly this sort of need.ā
The Rapid is a perfect complement of the model palette between the Å KODA Fabia and the Å KODA Octavia, making it at home in the large-volume compact segment.
This so-called A segment currently accounts for 36 per cent of the worldās automobile market. Within this class, saloons have a share of 42.3 per cent. Industry experts estimate the number of cars of this type sold worldwide will rise by about 50 per cent by the year 2020.
Comprehensive active and passive safety package
The Å KODA Rapid is also big on active and passive safety. ABS and ESP systems are standard in EU countries. The carās long wheelbase, a precise chassis and a stiff body structure form the basis for stable handling. Functions such as the tyre pressure monitoring, fog lamps with so-called ācorner functionā or the āhill-hold controlā assistant for starting up steep terrain, enhance the carās active safety level.
As for passive safety, a comprehensive package will protect the carās occupants in case of a collision. It includes front, side and head airbags, adjustable-height 3-point safety belts with tighteners as well as headrests. The stiff body ensures excellent deformation behaviour of the car in a collision.
Efficient petrol and diesel engines
In Europe, the Rapid will be available with a total of four petrol and two diesel engines, all of them conforming to EU 5 standards. The petrol entry-level engine is the 1.2 l MPI three-cylinder producing 55 kW (75 hp). The other petrol engines are the 1.2 l 63 kW (86 hp) TSI, the 1.2 l 77 kW (105 hp) TSI and the 1.4 l 90 kW (122 hp) TSI.
The 1.6 litre diesel engine comes with direct common rail injection and a particulate matter filter and is available in two power variants, the basic diesel putting out 66 kW (90 hp) and scheduled for marketing in the second half of 2013. It may be combined with the optional seven-speed DSG (double-clutch transmission). The 1.6 l TDI CR version is more powerful, putting out 77 kW (105 hp).
Source: Skoda, Media Central
