Legitimate Son
Now, if Volkswagen is the people’s car, then Skoda, which comes under the Volkswagen Group, should be the people’s VW. Coming from the ex-Communists Czech Republic, Skoda is tasked to be the most accessible brand under the group, representing such egalitarian virtues as honesty and value. With Volkswagen nudging itself upmarket, Skoda’s positioning seems perfectly sound and appealing.
The proposition is perhaps best illustrated by the Octavia vRS. First launched in early 2008, the car’s underpinnings can be traced to the Volkswagen Golf. Its 2-litre engine is turbocharged like the Golf GTI’s. For 2009, the vRS picked up one other GTI-esque ingredient: the dual-clutch transmission. It replaces the 6-speed manual. +Continue Reading
