[rev up..]

finally someone spills the beans on the auto expo!!
and by the way..i dont think its priced too dearly..its worth it and the price(if it is 7,7.5 nearabouts) is justified.
dont forget the fabia is the largest of all small cars.

[elfhelm]

I had called up a skoda dealer in Vashi (forgot the name) last week and they told me that they have not yet received any pricing from the company but that prices are likely to be in the Rs. 6-7 lakh range.

They did confirm however that bookings will start from Jan '08. I guess we'll just have to wait for the specs n features to know whether the price they quote it at is justified.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by rev up..

dont forget the fabia is the largest of all small cars.

No!
Its not going to be the largest. Hope it'll be the best!

[shuvc]

Went to a mini auto show here yesterday. The Skoda stall has a fabia banner with 'bookings open' written. The rep said:
- Launch is on 9th Jan.
- 1.4L diesel 69-70 bhp and 1.4 petrol 86bhp.
- Petrol between 5-7 otr says he. Diesel 7-8 otr.

[rajtheindian]

Originally Posted by androdev

This is far from the truth. It is one of the least marketed brands in India. The brand image evolved purely from word-of-mouth and strengths of the product. The less compelling products of Skoda are allowed to die their own natural death.

It is as budget-ish as Honda/Toyota internationally and as premium-ish in Indian market. Honda/Toyota are more reliable no doubt, but by no means offer better 'brand image.'

When Octavia launched, its price was one of the major factor, launched a car with almost same price for both Petrol and Diesel, slightly above 10L it was best positioned.
But for a Hatch 7-8L :-)
I hope skoda will learn from Hyundai Getz ;-)

[DocG]

IMHO the Fabia isn't a car good enough to lay claim to such a high price tag.
7-8L OTR is way, way too much for a Fabia...would love to quote Mr.T

I pity the fool

waste of money! D Swift is a better proposition, and now the soon to be unveiled 1.3 D Palio!!!

[bhanusrinivas]

Quote:
Originally Posted by bhanusrinivas
I dont think it is 3 cyclinder, please check the pics below, it says 16 Valves,

ImageShack - Hosting :: s2od7.jpg

ImageShack - Hosting :: s3fg9.jpg

ImageShack - Hosting :: s41kb1.jpg

Cheers,
Bhanu

Nice Job Done Dude.
I think all the Skodas have TDI written on the diesel ver.
I guess you got the petrol ver. 1.4L 16V 85HP.

Fabia will be coming in 3 cyl 12V for sure. but 70 hp or 80 hp? Comments please.

If 70 HP 3 cyl 12V no way faster than 75 hp 16V Swift.
Correct me if i'm wrong.

If my inside sources are to be beleived, the top end diesel version is going to be a 1.6 litre, 80hp, 180Nm Torque.

It is the same 1.9 TDI engine detuned with only 3 cylinders.

My previous pics are of petrol version.

Cheers,
Bhanu

[skmami]

My dad met a Skoda dealer recently and they told him that the Skoda Fabia should be on display in the show room starting Dec 15th.

Please can somebody verify this since it is past Dec 15th now.

Thanks.

[ac 427]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

No.

It is marketed in this country as one.

That is a very important distinction.

it is marketed as one as it OFFERS the values other cars cant. I mean look at the fabia, it will provide you with ABS / MSR, Rear Parktronic, front and rear reading lamps, in built cd / mp3 player with 4 speakers, a PD diesel engine, on-board computers rear height adustable head rest, height adjustable seats, reach adjustable steering wheels. . . i mean. . the LOT.

Sedans in the above range honda city / aveo / baleno / sx4 / verna / accent cant compare with the features that this hatch will be giving.

And all of us know about the built quality of a Skoda, which will be leaps and bounds above any car.

Hence if you have a better product you will 'market' it as a premium brand'

Anways, spoke to dealers in Worli and ANdheri east, bookings offiicially will start after Jan 9th.

[opendro]

Originally Posted by rajtheindian

When Octavia launched, its price was one of the major factor, launched a car with almost same price for both Petrol and Diesel, slightly above 10L it was best positioned.
But for a Hatch 7-8L :-)
I hope skoda will learn from Hyundai Getz ;-)

I don't know why I always see this hatch-cannot-be-expensive kind of mindset. Isn't it like saying that there cannot be a good hatch? Isn't Toyota Innova a hatch back, still selling pretty good? So, we have to see what is there in the car. Isn't it. Not that I will buy this car, but I would always prefer to buy a good small car than buying not so good bigger car at the same price. Which means that if I cannot afford 15 lac for a big good car, I would better go for a 8L small and good car. I already owned Tata Indica DLS util recently for three years, driven 42Mm. And I regret that I went for the more-space-at-a-given-price decision, specially after I had driven my friends Fiat Palio and also a swift in long drives.

Anyways, I would prefer Punto to Fabia even if priced same, reason being running and maintenance costs.

[Thad E Ginathom]

AC427,

It offers stuff that the rest of the world takes for granted as standard.

Skoda build is legendary --- in the true sense of the word! It was superb (no pun intended), but has slipped back in recent years.

I don't think anybody in Europe would view a Skoda as a 'posher', more desirable car than (eg) a Honda Accord. They might view a VW as such, and probably would view an Audi as such.

Skoda is the bargain-basement VAG-group car range. That is the reality; any other view is the result of marketing and market manipulation --- for example, it would be hard to put such a 'premium' label on Skoda if every major city had an Audi dealer!

Having said that, I would certainly consider it a different class to my Swift and, if the car meets up to my expectations, and I can afford it, I'd be very pleased to upgrade.

[ac 427]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

AC427,

It offers stuff that the rest of the world takes for granted as standard.

I don't think anybody in Europe would view a Skoda as a 'posher', more desirable car than (eg) a Honda Accord. They might view a VW as such, and probably would view an Audi as such.

Skoda is the bargain-basement VAG-group car range. That is the reality; any other view is the result of marketing and market manipulation --- for example, it would be hard to put such a 'premium' label on Skoda if every major city had an Audi dealer!

Having said that, I would certainly consider it a different class to my Swift and, if the car meets up to my expectations, and I can afford it, I'd be very pleased to upgrade.

sorry guys am going a little off topic but i have to reply to this pot.

We live in India and what the brand is in India, it should be treated accordingly. it has been mentioned numerous times but ill repeat, the corolla is a taxi accross the world, but here its 'the one above'. The volvo which as not atall a premium brand abroad, is being sold in BMW range. . .

What i am trying to tell that, the Skoda Brand internationally is not a premium brand. . Point taken, but there are reasons for that (the same i will reply on a new thread not here), But when you look at it in India It is a premium brand

And your point of it offers what the rest of the world takes for granted. I look at it like 'atleast Skoda offers what the rest of the world take for granted and at a reasonable price'

having said that if the Fabia launches at 7.5 otr Diesel, i personally believe that it will give stiff competition to the cities and the fiestas of the world.

Only point of concern is the after sales. and the Fiat punto

[BUSA]

I had called up a skoda dealer in Vashi (forgot the name)

JMD

Skoda is not a premium brand and compared to Honda/Toyota it doesnot hold a candle in terms of snob value and brand image. It maybe a tad better then Hyundai/Tata/Chevrolet/Maruti in brand value and image but it cant compare to Honda/Toyota. Skoda comands a good resale not cause its a good brand, buttttttttt since the cars are diesel and in India diesel sells. Just look at how cheap petrol Octavias are going for and hence Skoda has not launched a petrol version of the Laura. In the true sense of the world(i am talking about European markets) there are only a few premium brands like Mercedes, BMW and Audi. Even VW is a people's car brand. Buttttttttt in India they have priced the Passat at a premium, wheras its not. Its peoples percepetion that has made Skoda to be a premium brand, but certainly its not.

I look at it like 'atleast Skoda offers what the rest of the world take for granted and at a reasonable price'

Reasonable price. Thats is the funniest line on the thread IMO. How reasonable is the price of the Laura. It costs 19L OTR, but it has all the features once would ask for, so its reasonable, eh? No ways, the Lauras engine is totally basic, old gen TDI PD with only 105bhp. I mean you spend all of 19L to get a car with a puny 105bhp, even the Verna's/Magums/Getz of the world are having more power(i am talking diesel only here) at less then half the price of the S(k)oda. The Skoda Laura LnK is overpriced by a good 2.5Lacs all thanks to the Indian buyers making it a premium brand. Its no way reasonanle specially with that crapy engine it certainly doesnot justify the price. I agree its a good car otherwise but when it comes to pricing Skoda has always been taking Indians for a ride.

Also i have not even bought the petrol cars in the contention here, since Laura is a diesel, otherwise at the price of a Laura you get a V6 Honda Accord with 221bhp something and thats double the power at the same price.

[ac 427]

Originally Posted by BUSA

JMD

Skoda is not a premium brand and compared to Honda/Toyota it doesnot hold a candle in terms of snob value and brand image. It maybe a tad better then Hyundai/Tata/Chevrolet/Maruti in brand value and image but it cant compare to Honda/Toyota.



Reasonable price. Thats is the funniest line on the thread IMO. How reasonable is the price of the Laura. It costs 19L OTR, but it has all the features once would ask for, so its reasonable, eh? No ways, the Lauras engine is totally basic, old gen TDI PD with only 105bhp. I mean you spend all of 19L to get a car with a puny 105bhp, even the Verna's/Magums/Getz of the world are having more power(i am talking diesel only here) at less then half the price of the S(k)oda. The Skoda Laura LnK is overpriced by a good 2.5Lacs all thanks to the Indian buyers making it a premium brand. Its no way reasonanle specially with that crapy engine it certainly doesnot justify the price. I agree its a good car otherwise but when it comes to pricing Skoda has always been taking Indians for a ride.

Also i have not even bought the petrol cars in the contention here, since Laura is a diesel, otherwise at the price of a Laura you get a V6 Honda Accord with 221bhp something and thats double the power at the same price.

open your eyes my friend look around. people are lapping up the laura, there are only few of us 'enthusiasts' who think the laura is not vfm.

We enthusiasts before the launch of the 'laura' deemed that the laura will be a flop and no one will buy it, but we were wrong.


We just have to look at it from the point of 'what the customers want'.

In fact the car that 'we people' absolutely loved flopped miserably that is the RS. And to be frank no accord / corolla can come close to the handling of that car.

So the point that i am making is Skoda is way ahead of any toyota / honda in terms of offering value to the customer.

And i dont know what is so 'funny' about the line, as i think its a very well quoted statement there and is totally relevant.

And i dont know what you were thinking when you say Skoda as a brand is a tad better than a tata / hyundai / chevrolet / maruti.

Also wrt to the Fabia, i still stand by saying this car will do what the santro did to the A segment cars. . it wil reveloutionise the B+ and Entry level C segment markets.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by ac 427

open your eyes my friend look around. people are lapping up the laura, there are only few of us 'enthusiasts' who think the laura is not vfm.Also wrt to the Fabia, i still stand by saying this car will do what the santro did to the A segment cars. . it wil reveloutionise the B+ and Entry level C segment markets.

Yes. But Skoda is starting to get really infamous for customer service and expensive repairs. This could affect sales of Fabia, where owners will also be looking for a 'easy to maintain' car.