Skoda Rapid based on VW Vento begins production. Launch on 16th November, 2011

[Bala.V]

Originally Posted by mohandasnikhil

Like I had earlier mentioned the Lauretta/ Rapid is the Vento cousin and will be launched this month.
The MissionL is a completely different car, bigger than the Lauretta/Rapid/ Vento and will be launched only in the second half of 2012. The MissionL is the replacement for the Octavia and might be badged the same.

Frankfurt show 2011 shows that the Mission L would be placed between the Fabia and the Octavia (Laura in India). Then this would be the Lauretta we are talking about.
The face of Mission L is simply great. Touches of Audi. At 11-12 Lakhs OTR this would be a great buy.
Waiting for the Launch. Is tomorrow's date confirmed for the Lauretta launch? Any news guys?

[mohandasnikhil]

I would suggest you take a read of the latest Top Gear Issue pg. 62 and Autocar India pg. 63, which clearly mentions the MissionL is another car that will come to India in 2012/13 and might wear the Octavia badge.

ACI: "The MissionL should not be confused with Skoda's Midsize Car for India that comes later this year"

The Laura replacement will come to India only end 2013.

I agree the Laura was the Octavia replacment but it was half a segment higher than the Octavia. The MissionL is coming in to fill the void that now exists between the Vento/ Lauretta and the Laura.
The MissionL is the spiritual successor of the Octavia in some sense.

This is how the Skoda Line Up is going to look like.

4 - 7l Fabia
7 - 10l Lauretta/ Rapid
10 - 14l MissionL/ Octavia
15 - 19l Laura
14 - 19l Yeti
20 -26l Superb

Note to MODS: Please reconsider title of the Thread.

Originally Posted by Bala.V

Frankfurt show 2011 shows that the Mission L would be placed between the Fabia and the Octavia (Laura in India). Then this would be the Lauretta we are talking about.
The face of Mission L is simply great. Touches of Audi. At 11-12 Lakhs OTR this would be a great buy.
Waiting for the Launch. Is tomorrow's date confirmed for the Lauretta launch? Any news guys?

[Durango Dude]

The old Octy looks good even now how about giving the old shape a BS IV compliant engine and price it some 15% cheaper and selling it here. probably make the engines 1.6 L from the old 1.9 TDi and 1.8 TSi/2 L. I feel the Vento/Lauretta looks meek compared to the old Octy which looks like a battle tank.

[rock22]

Originally Posted by bala80

I too read somewhere the launch is on 7th Oct. Is this news confirmed f@lcon?

Hi everyone !
Today is 7th October... any news of Rapid/Lauretta launch/unveiling or something like that ??? Eagerly waiting for this smart looking variant of Vento

[CRtorquefan]

Originally Posted by Durango Dude

The old Octy looks good even now how about giving the old shape a BS IV compliant engine and price it some 15% cheaper and selling it here. probably make the engines 1.6 L from the old 1.9 TDi and 1.8 TSi/2 L. I feel the Vento/Lauretta looks meek compared to the old Octy which looks like a battle tank.

Cost competitiveness, Increasing traffic chaos alongwith the people's demand of futuristic looking designs pushes the car manufacturers to opt for Smarter yet conservative approach for development of new cars.
One of these approach is the Platform sharing, not under the roof of a single manufacturer instead amongst Multiple manufacturers, like VW-Skoda-Seat sharing Polo Platform for their hatchbacks.
Also, as heard few months back that Tata is also going to build Next-Gen Indica on FIAT borrowed Punto platform.
Same case applies to the engines too, as Forward approach for better technology & its utility, is beneficial(both Economically & Strategically) than Searching the content from the Bins.
So, that's why VW-Skoda went for 1.2 & 1.6 TDi engines & their localization for their better long-term application here whereas that 1.9 TDi was a Imported-unit of dated technology, which makes no sense for its localization here.

[AdrenalinJunkie]

Originally Posted by rock22

Hi everyone !
Today is 7th October... any news of Rapid/Lauretta launch/unveiling or something like that ??? Eagerly waiting for this smart looking variant of Vento

And hopefully better loaded too

[Y@SH]

Rapid or Lauretta what ever it is called will come in mid November confirmed by Siddhart Vinayak Patankar on CnB facebook fan-page.

[rallystar]

Reliable sources say that the lauretta will be launched on 12 th oct wed at the grand hyatt in Goa.
cheers

[normally_crazy]

Skoda has started production of the Rapid at the Chakan plant. Expected price between 7-9 lacs.

[puneetghai1978]

The car is called Rapid. Production has started at VW Chakan plant at Pune. Picture attached. Source - Overdrive

[rock22]

Originally Posted by rallystar

Reliable sources say that the lauretta will be launched on 12 th oct wed at the grand hyatt in Goa.
cheers

Skoda Dehradun sales guy just confirmed the launch on 12th October

[2cents]

Originally Posted by puneetghai1978

The car is called Rapid. Production has started at VW Chakan plant at Pune. Picture attached.

Ok! that's a lot of water to douse many a fire kindled in this forum following the unveiling of Mission L. So, what we get is indeed a Vento with a Fabia bonnet and badge (and the same old badge). What exactly did Skoda imply when they announced officially in Frankfurt that the Mission L would come to India by Oct'11?

[rxpaul]

So after all the suspense, its finally out eh...the Skoda Rapid.

Btw that bonnet looks a mite flatter than the Fabia's bonnet an the crome plated grill looks more macho if blackened. So is it a matte black grill or is it just the shade or is it just my imagination ?


I look at the big Pajero and tell my wife, " Thats going to be our next car" and now i am gonna overtake some shiney new Rapid and tell the wifey...."I want this one too"

[Shreyance]

Can anyone throw some light as to the rationale of VW in having a similar product with a marginal price difference from 2 companies from the same stable (VW & Skoda). Does it really make sense to have the VW Vento and now the Skoda Rapid, when both look almost the same from the side profile, yes there would be changes to the front and the rear, but that would just be cosmetic and how would that really affect the cost of manufacturing? and in the end justify selling them to the customers who know that both cars are almost identical. Who would buy the Vento, then? Will the Skoda products not canibalise in to VW products for sure?

Would it not make more business sense to have just the VW brand and get economies of scale and sell them at a lower price point?

[ritzy]

Originally Posted by rxpaul

Btw that bonnet looks a mite flatter than the Fabia's bonnet an the crome plated grill looks more macho if blackened. So is it a matte black grill or is it just the shade or is it just my imagination ?

Thats chrome plated like Fabia. But would agree that the blackened chrome should further enhanace the macho look of ths car. Particularly the front-three-quarter view. The side lines are sharp in Vento unlike in the fabia. That should be good view.

Heard that this Mr. Vahland (standing 4th from the left in the picture) - who is credited of making China, the second home market for VW - could be the next CEO of VW group.