Rumour: Skoda mulls Rapid-based hatchback for India

Aditya · 27th September 2014, 13:22

Czech carmaker, Skoda is rumoured to be considering a new hatchback for the Indian market based on the current Rapid sedan. At the moment the company plans to introduce the Rapid facelift in the country and if the car succeeds, a hatchback based on the same platform could be built. The car is likely to use the Rapid's mechanicals as well.

The sharing of the platform and mechanicals with the Rapid will help Skoda keep costs down, which in turn will help it price the hatchback competitively. The wait for the car, however, is going to be rather long as it is not expected to reach showrooms before 2017.

Skoda pulled out the Fabia, its premium hatchback, from the Indian market due to poor sales. The company was making a loss on every unit of the hatchback sold in the country. While it has revealed a new Fabia for Europe, it has made it clear that the car is not being considered for India. However, the company is keen to fill the void left by the old Fabia with a more economically viable offering.

Source: Autocar India

VeluM · 27th September 2014, 13:45

Wouldn't a hatchback on the Rapid platform be the Polo? So do they mean to modify the Polo and introduce it as a Skoda hatch? That'll be easy, cos they already have most of the modifications done with the Rapid. Don't understand what else they could mean - why reinvent the wheel?

.anshuman · 27th September 2014, 15:33

Not another Badge engineered car Please!

Rapid=Vento=Polo Sedan;
Rapid Hatchback=Rebadged Polo

suhaas307 · 27th September 2014, 16:23

The new Fabia is a stunner of a car but it's rather unfortunate that Skoda will not consider this car for India. Since it's based on a brand new platform (newer than the current Polo's) it may not be feasible, at the outset.

Perhaps Skoda will look to re-engineer the current Polo's platform and design a 3rd-World-Skoda-Hatchback so to speak. I'd assume that this would be a filler car till VW decides to bring in the next-gen Polo (new platform) thus giving Skoda also the opportuinity to bring in the new Fabia at a much later stage. I'd also assume that VW will look to flog the current Polo for quite some time.

deetjohn · 27th September 2014, 16:46

The Fabia was one generation behind the Polo when both were selling together.

The news says the so called 'Rapid based hatchback' could debut only in 2017. Maybe, we will have the new generation Polo here by then and both will continue to sell together as in old times.

Autodoc · 27th September 2014, 17:14

Wait! Wasn't rapid a sedan based on Fabia? And now they want a hatchback based on rapid? Wouldnt that be the Fabia itself? I don't understand why skoda is not considering Fabia for India even when it's based on a newer platform than polo. Not only does it look sexy but with good engine options and strategic prizing, they can easily steal a portion of the pie. I'm not very optimistic about this "lower cost" hatchback.

Burn_out · 27th September 2014, 18:16

Wow, who comes up with these strategies for Skoda. Fabia was a great product, but overpriced and under-serviced. Now, they are simply thinking of putting the Rapid under a photocopier @ ~75% shrinkage and coming up with a product for our market. I am guess a few more cost cutting measures will see a hatch that will undercut the Polo. With Skoda offering the Yeti only in the top trim, aiming at the top end of the market this seems to be a contradicting strategy.

rajshenoy · 27th September 2014, 19:00

First it was engines, and now chopping off the boot !!

Fabia anyway looked exactly like the Rapid without boot. I could not really recognize the two when they launched it. So skoda is not saying they are giving us Fabia but it will be the new Fabia

Source: Motoroids

puchoo · 27th September 2014, 19:33

Yes the rapid was based on the Fabia , put them side by side and you will not be able to tell the difference in many angles. So even i am a bit confused on what they mean by saying "based on the rapid"

.... unless the Rapid is going to move closer to the Octavia in terms of design language and the new smaller car will take that forward as well - like the i20 did post the new Verna coming out

Quote:

Originally Posted by Autodoc

Wait! Wasn't rapid a sedan based on Fabia? .

.anshuman · 27th September 2014, 20:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by puchoo

Yes the rapid was based on the Fabia , put them side by side and you will not be able to tell the difference in many angles. So even i am a bit confused on what they mean by saying "based on the rapid"

.... unless the Rapid is going to move closer to the Octavia in terms of design language and the new smaller car will take that forward as well - like the i20 did post the new Verna coming out

The only similarity between Rapid and Fabia is similar looking front end especially Headlamps.

Rapid is a stretched Polo, Not Fabia!

CrAzY dRiVeR · 27th September 2014, 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Autodoc

Wait! Wasn't rapid a sedan based on Fabia?

Quote:

Originally Posted by puchoo

Yes the rapid was based on the Fabia

Rapid was a rebadged Vento with only the front end looks shared with the Fabia. It was based on the Polo, and not the Fabia. There is a lot of difference between the two mechanically and also in the interiors.

Infact, Fabia was a better product IMO when it came to quality. Rapid was always confined only as a cheaper version of the Vento. A rapid based hatchback will only be a rebadged Polo with the Skoda front end design.

puchoo · 27th September 2014, 20:08

Sure , i should have clarified a bit more - ask the end consumer and they are going to perceive the Rapid as being an extended version of the Fabia irrespective of mechanical differences. The front end and headlights are enough to give anyone that impression. Which sales guy in Skoda is going to explain the PQ25 platform -Or the relationship with the MissionL concept for example?

But i am inclined to agree on the Fabia possibly being a better product - i cannot say it with confidence because my interaction with the Rapid has been limited.

Quote:

Originally Posted by .anshuman

The only similarity between Rapid and Fabia is similar looking front end especially Headlamps.

Rapid is a stretched Polo, Not Fabia!

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Rapid was a rebadged Vento with only the front end looks shared with the Fabia.

noopster · 27th September 2014, 20:35

So:
Polo + boot = Vento
Vento X rebadge = Rapid
Rapid - boot = Fabia

Old Polo X rebadge = Discontinued Fabia

God-alone-knows ^^ whatchmacallit = Future Fabia (not for India)

Yeah. Makes sense. Good going VW!

ajmat · 27th September 2014, 21:06

Considering the Fabis and Polo share the same underpinnings,why did Skoda lose money on the Fabia apart from the low volume aspect.

The only thing I can think of is that the Polo body panels are pressed in India unlike the Fabia.

I am still puzzled whether the cost of re-engineering the Rapid is worth the effort to get an attractive price point.

wilful · 28th September 2014, 06:32

I think India is a least priority market for quite a few of these carmakers. Their mainline models and volumes are from the big first world markets and evolving markets like China and Brazil. Till our economy grows and mindset/priorities change (to be taken seriously), we will be stuck largely to odd looking mod jobs and stripped down versions (thinner sheet metal et al). Rapid minus boot is just one more chapter to this frustrating tale.

27th September 2014, 13:22	#1
Aditya Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 17,803 Thanked: 76,768 Times View My Garage	Rumour: Skoda mulls Rapid-based hatchback for India Czech carmaker, Skoda is rumoured to be considering a new hatchback for the Indian market based on the current Rapid sedan. At the moment the company plans to introduce the Rapid facelift in the country and if the car succeeds, a hatchback based on the same platform could be built. The car is likely to use the Rapid's mechanicals as well. The sharing of the platform and mechanicals with the Rapid will help Skoda keep costs down, which in turn will help it price the hatchback competitively. The wait for the car, however, is going to be rather long as it is not expected to reach showrooms before 2017. Skoda pulled out the Fabia, its premium hatchback, from the Indian market due to poor sales. The company was making a loss on every unit of the hatchback sold in the country. While it has revealed a new Fabia for Europe, it has made it clear that the car is not being considered for India. However, the company is keen to fill the void left by the old Fabia with a more economically viable offering. Source: Autocar India
	(1) Thanks

27th September 2014, 13:45	#2
VeluM Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,777 Thanked: 1,479 Times	Wouldn't a hatchback on the Rapid platform be the Polo? So do they mean to modify the Polo and introduce it as a Skoda hatch? That'll be easy, cos they already have most of the modifications done with the Rapid. Don't understand what else they could mean - why reinvent the wheel? Last edited by noopster : 27th September 2014 at 20:31. Reason: Typo
	(3) Thanks

27th September 2014, 15:33	#3
.anshuman Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Good-Gaon Posts: 7,763 Thanked: 11,064 Times View My Garage	Re: Rumour: Skoda mulls Rapid-based hatchback for India Not another Badge engineered car Please! Rapid=Vento=Polo Sedan; Rapid Hatchback=Rebadged Polo
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27th September 2014, 16:23	#4
suhaas307 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 8,830 Thanked: 12,251 Times	Re: Rumour: Skoda mulls Rapid-based hatchback for India The new Fabia is a stunner of a car but it's rather unfortunate that Skoda will not consider this car for India. Since it's based on a brand new platform (newer than the current Polo's) it may not be feasible, at the outset. Perhaps Skoda will look to re-engineer the current Polo's platform and design a 3rd-World-Skoda-Hatchback so to speak. I'd assume that this would be a filler car till VW decides to bring in the next-gen Polo (new platform) thus giving Skoda also the opportuinity to bring in the new Fabia at a much later stage. I'd also assume that VW will look to flog the current Polo for quite some time.
	(5) Thanks

27th September 2014, 16:46	#5
deetjohn Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kochi Posts: 4,530 Thanked: 10,581 Times View My Garage	Re: Rumour: Skoda mulls Rapid-based hatchback for India The Fabia was one generation behind the Polo when both were selling together. The news says the so called 'Rapid based hatchback' could debut only in 2017. Maybe, we will have the new generation Polo here by then and both will continue to sell together as in old times.
	(1) Thanks

27th September 2014, 17:14	#6
Autodoc BHPian Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: KL-07, TN-23, K Posts: 56 Thanked: 262 Times View My Garage	Wait! Wasn't rapid a sedan based on Fabia? And now they want a hatchback based on rapid? Wouldnt that be the Fabia itself? I don't understand why skoda is not considering Fabia for India even when it's based on a newer platform than polo. Not only does it look sexy but with good engine options and strategic prizing, they can easily steal a portion of the pie. I'm not very optimistic about this "lower cost" hatchback.
	(4) Thanks

27th September 2014, 18:16	#7
Burn_out BHPian Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: WB \| CCU Posts: 109 Thanked: 145 Times	Re: Rumour: Skoda mulls Rapid-based hatchback for India Wow, who comes up with these strategies for Skoda. Fabia was a great product, but overpriced and under-serviced. Now, they are simply thinking of putting the Rapid under a photocopier @ ~75% shrinkage and coming up with a product for our market. I am guess a few more cost cutting measures will see a hatch that will undercut the Polo. With Skoda offering the Yeti only in the top trim, aiming at the top end of the market this seems to be a contradicting strategy.
	() Thanks

27th September 2014, 19:00	#8
rajshenoy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: bangalore Posts: 2,884 Thanked: 2,229 Times View My Garage	Re: Rumour: Skoda mulls Rapid-based hatchback for India First it was engines, and now chopping off the boot !! Fabia anyway looked exactly like the Rapid without boot. I could not really recognize the two when they launched it. So skoda is not saying they are giving us Fabia but it will be the new Fabia Source: Motoroids
	() Thanks

27th September 2014, 20:35	#13
noopster Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pune Posts: 9,237 Thanked: 12,903 Times View My Garage	Re: Rumour: Skoda mulls Rapid-based hatchback for India So: Polo + boot = Vento Vento X rebadge = Rapid Rapid - boot = Fabia Old Polo X rebadge = Discontinued Fabia God-alone-knows ^^ whatchmacallit = Future Fabia (not for India) Yeah. Makes sense. Good going VW!
	(4) Thanks

27th September 2014, 21:06	#14
ajmat Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 14,858 Thanked: 27,925 Times View My Garage	Re: Rumour: Skoda mulls Rapid-based hatchback for India Considering the Fabis and Polo share the same underpinnings,why did Skoda lose money on the Fabia apart from the low volume aspect. The only thing I can think of is that the Polo body panels are pressed in India unlike the Fabia. I am still puzzled whether the cost of re-engineering the Rapid is worth the effort to get an attractive price point.
	(2) Thanks

28th September 2014, 06:32	#15
wilful Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: cochin Posts: 1,277 Thanked: 1,227 Times	Re: Rumour: Skoda mulls Rapid-based hatchback for India I think India is a least priority market for quite a few of these carmakers. Their mainline models and volumes are from the big first world markets and evolving markets like China and Brazil. Till our economy grows and mindset/priorities change (to be taken seriously), we will be stuck largely to odd looking mod jobs and stripped down versions (thinner sheet metal et al). Rapid minus boot is just one more chapter to this frustrating tale.
	() Thanks