[Mpower]

Originally Posted by camry93

The size and build (not to mention the tail lights) of this UFO look very similar to the Audi A4. I have heard that Audi is also setting up shop in India. So any chances of this being the coveted American mid-size

Camry, those were my thoughts too when I saw those taillights. Strikingly similar to the 1999 A4 that I've seen so many of. But the A4 has a rear quarter glass which this one dosent.

[CLS_55_AMG]

It is definitely the Octavia..they only seem to have redesigned the tail lights..take a look at this pic..its a total giveaway. Compare the arch of the C pillar as well as the door handles.

[hawkeye]

Originally Posted by merve_extreme

This is how both the lights will look on the car in the spyshot.

i am still convinced it is a Fabia.

Looking at the tail lamps it seems that its the Octy. You can see that the tail lamp in the Fabia is bigger than whats in the spy shot. Also the tail lamp in the Octy begins with the line of the boot surface and ends a bit higher than the bumper (heightwise) which coincides with the spy shot. The sizes too appear to be same in the Octy's pic and the spy shot.

Sure its the Octy and not the Fabia.

[hkanitkar]

Hi guys
I checked with ARAI today morning - they did not disclose the identity but driver for one of the officers told me its the OCTAVIA !!!
Also one of my friends who goes for jogging on the ARAI hill said he has seen the car without cover and it definitely is the Octy'05.... so now the wait for launch begins i guess

by the way, Merve - excellent job man -- never seen such stuff really

P.S. - guys at ARAI say this cars gonna be here for long time -- so hope to get few more and better pics with my N D100

[hawkeye]

Great find hkanitkar. Will wait for the pics. Try to find out the engine specs too when you are there.

[merve_extreme]

maybe as hkanitkar said it can be the octavia but then they have redesigned the tail lamps as well as the side profile because it does not have that prominent ridge seen on the new 05 octy.

[merve_extreme]

Originally Posted by CLS_55_AMG

It is definitely the Octavia..they only seem to have redesigned the tail lights..take a look at this pic..its a total giveaway. Compare the arch of the C pillar as well as the door handles.

yeah agree man this is the car in the spy shot but then it is exactly the old octavia.gog knows why they are hiding it.

[sajo]

Originally Posted by merve_extreme

god knows why they are hiding it.

Sometimes they hide even cars that are launched a long time ago. I mentioned earlier about seeing a camouflaged hatchback there, and was told that it could be Yaris. But wont the Yaris be too expensive for India? Why homologate a car when its not going to be launched?

[Mpower]

I find it hard to believe why Skoda would redesign a car that has just been launched globally ...............just for a low volume market like india.

Here a picture of the VW Polo sedan which is the twin brother to the Fabia. The silouette looks the same......but still can't explain that fuel filler lid and the tailights. My prediction is that its a redesigned Fabia using parts from the Polo and it was done to cure the Fabia sedan's ugly duckling rear looks.

[merve_extreme]

so many of Skoda's and even VW''s cars are so similarly styled that it is hard to make out the exact car from thet picture.but it is definately a Skoda but it is not the new Octavia 05 for sure they simply cannot redesign a new product.

sorry CLS now that i have had a closer look at the pic u posted and i feel that the taillamps dont match.the lamps are much bigger.there is a definate posibility that it is Either the Skoda Fabia with redigned tail lamps and rear bumper.

Or could it be a slightly revised octavia the old version given some cosmetic upgrade to enhance its life because as u all know Skoda is not going to replace the current octavia in the indian market but it is going to place the new octavia(surely it will not be called as the octavia in india,they will rename it.) upmarket, right above the old octavia in the 14-15 Lacs braket.both octavias are going to be sold side by side,so they might just redesign the old octy slightly and give it a new lease of life.


but i dont get this Skoda policy,why dont they bring the Fabia here,slot the 1.9TDi(they can reduce the power by 5bhp to 85bhp to differentiate it from the octavia) ,price it around 7.5Lacs and it is game over Honda city.

[prasadee]

Just deleting my post, as enough has been said

Originally Posted by Mpower

I find it hard to believe why Skoda would redesign a car that has just been launched globally ...............just for a low volume market like india.

So according to you, Auto-makers should keep dumping out-dated models in India? Surely because Indians aren't "deserving" of new cars? I mean, why even bother launching new cars when you can sell outdated versions and make typical 25% baniya profit?

And people wonder why India keeps languishing. I really hope Mpower is some insecure Octavia owner who is worried about his car depreciating after new version's launch...my head hurts reading this kind of posts.

[johnjacob]

Originally Posted by SuperSyn

So according to you, Auto-makers should keep dumping out-dated models in India? Surely because Indians aren't "deserving" of new cars? I mean, why even bother launching new cars when you can sell outdated versions and make typical 25% baniya profit?

And people wonder why India keeps languishing. I really hope Mpower is some insecure Octavia owner who is worried about his car depreciating after new version's launch...my head hurts reading this kind of posts.

Hey, Mpower did not say (or imply) that in any way. And there is no way you can call the new Octavia outdated - it is brand new and was only launched worldwide in 2004.

What MPower said makes perfect sense - why would Skoda make cosmetic modifications (tail-lights) to a brand new car just for India?

[Montoya]

Well it must be an octy however Hk will be nice if you could get front shots of the car.. please

[hkanitkar]

yes boss -- i will try that for sure - infact i am visiting ARAI everyday after that