[ajmat]

Just saw it on TV. Also announcec a lower version of the Superb 1.5 L cheaper and a Yeti 4X2

[f@lcon]

Hi guys, Skoda Rapid made its world debut on Tv today

According to Skoda India board member,RAPID is their new car to replace Octavia, Skoda Rapid is having certain design elements that are from Mission L and their new brand logo would take around 2 to 3 months to come into Indian market .

Yes there will be a new variant of superb and the 4x2 version of yeti very shortly .

pictures courtesy KHASHISH SHARMA (aspiring to be BHPian)

[Durango Dude]

Really difficult to think of this Vento (with a new nose) as an Octy replacement. Rear is pure Plain Vanilla Vento with Fabia nose, the Old Octy had more character compared to this Rapid.

[one-77]

Originally Posted by 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?

I was thinking quite on the reverse. Who would buy the Rapid, when the Vento is only marginally more expensive?
The Vento has a better badge (VW vs Skoda), marginally better ***, and a little more character (the Octy replacement thingy is a joke, and a poor one at that!).
All this is of course unless the Rapid is significantly better kitted out. (But looking at the Fabia and the Polo, that seems quite unlikely).

[driveanddrive]

Looks so boring and hardly any response to the thread too.
Octavia replacement, seriously?! I hope it's better equipped though (Well I don't see any parking sensors in the pic). I second one-77. Vento looks much more classy than this fabiento. Lets see, awaiting the price and all the details.

OT - Looking forward to the 4x2 Yeti, hope the price gets reduced significantly! Yeti 4x2 Ambition 1.6 TDI 13 lakh OTR?

[M124]

this is a very clever move by skoda. in case people dont buy the new rapid wrt to skoda after sales they can only re badge them and sell them as vento's. what say ?

[Y@SH]

Front of the skoda rapid which made its world debut on CnB show on NDTV at 6.30pm yesterday

[mxx]

Originally Posted by M124

this is a very clever move by skoda. in case people dont buy the new rapid wrt to skoda after sales they can only re badge them and sell them as vento's. what say ?

Actually this skoda scare is high only in teambhp, and few owners who already burned their fingers. If you talk to people outside this forum, the brand value perception is quite high. Why do you think there are tons of skodas on the road? Speaking to few owners in my friends and relatives circle, seems like the skoda a.s.s has improved.
BTW, if skoda had such a bad reputation in general public do you think vw would dedicate part of the production capacity on a re-skinned vento? Obviously not.

[ampere]

My take on Skoda's branding:

1. Brilliant products and driving pleasure
2. High on maintenance


Now before Fabia they were playing at D-Segment level, where volume is
not that big a game. (Well Volume is a game every where but at D segments and above, profits margins may be much higher and hence,
with smaller sales, one can still command profit from operations)
Please correct if that's a wrong view

Now if we come to the "real" volume segment (Fabia/Rapid), just a brilliant package and product wont suffice. You need good support,
network to back your products. Since volumes are much higher, one just cannot function without service network.
Apart from that, quite some amount of customer good will is also needed here, which can only be constructed by timeless history
of service and support.
(Some thing which Skoda and to a large extent VW does not have in India.
Though both brands have established aspirational aspects of their products)

Now in a D-segment, if product fails, its a pain no doubt, but with pleasure of driving being so much higher than the cost-of-onwnership,
people still take it with a pinch of salt. That I think is the primary reason, Skoda gets away. How else one can explain, such acceptance
of products like Superb/Laura in spite of their failure rates being quoted?
(Sorry to say this, in spite of the fact that even I adore these brilliant products).

[sidindica]

Originally Posted by driveanddrive

Vento looks much more classy than this fabiento.

I think this should be the perfect name. Whats with the rapid or lauretta?

[PPS]

According to Siddharth Patankar of NDTV, the Rapid is more spacious than the Vento. Lets wait & see whether Skoda has skimped on features or not. He tweeted the following pics.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by PPS

According to Siddharth Patankar of NDTV, the Rapid is more spacious than the Vento. Lets wait & see whether Skoda has skimped on features or not. He tweeted the following pics.

Thanks for sharing the pics. The car looks quite handsome IMO, especially in this colour. Interesting to see how they've managed to liberate more space inside.

[devil_klm]

Those who missed CNB on NDTV here is the link
Skoda Rapid's global debut

[kiku007]

The fabiaish front end doesn't go along well with the neat straight cut design of the vento. Mission whatever should have been the right inspiration for this silhouette not the fabia.

[Ravenblood]

The Skoda Rapid Launch is at the Grand Hyatt Goa, Stay Tuned for updates n Pics