[VeluM]

Originally Posted by F150

Rapid is the name and girlish face, dont go well. The name lauretta was much better.

Do the engine specs justify the name RAPID ?

The Vento diesel is the torque king of the segment. Since the Rapid has the same engine, it should justify the tag in diesel at least. Hope Skoda tweaks the petrol to make it a better performer.

Don't see how they can price this lower than the Vento without killing it effectively. Skoda is a much better known brand in India with a premium tag attached to it, and since everything else is almost the same people would naturally gravitate towards it, no?

[puchoo]

The only thing i am currently not sure about liking is the way the front of the car ends , its almost abrupt at least from the angle at which the photograph was taken , might have looked better if it was slightly more tapered off?



Sorry Mods for the earlier post with the spelling errors , thanks for editing!

[ajitmoses]

The launch video. Looks good!

Skoda Rapid's global debut - YouTube

[Enigmatic]

I have always liked the skoda ocatavia . Infact even today when i look at one it reeks to me of one thing and that is classy i love its understated elegant look . It just looks sturdy and tough .
With the rapid though , ill reserve my comments till i actually see it in flesh because Some cars just look better in flesh like the brio . But from the pictures it looks nothing like the outgoing Octavia .

[Monaro CV8]

^^
Well said that!

The octavia replacement will be a car based on the Mission L.

A few were speculating that Rapid would be based on the Mission L, but it dosen't even distantly looks like it.

The launch of the Rapid has opened up new avenues for Skoda to compete in the 10Lakh car segment.

[Bala.V]

Rapid makes immense sense for Skoda to garner market share in India. Vento is likely to lose quite a bit of their share of market to Rapid. But Vento has not yet come out with any special discount scheme to counter Rapid. Is it a specific strategy not to discount Vento and introduce Rapid with a pricing lower than Vento to increase Skoda market share??
Also with the numbers increasing, Skoda would spruce up their A*S.
I am seriously contending to go for Rapid next month. Don't know when they start booking.

[nsgkumar]

Originally Posted by kumarsiddhi

Are there no steering mounted controls? not even in the top end AT versions?

Does anybody know if the AT will have a DSG

Hello all,any update on this querry??

[bala80]

No steering mounted controls. AT only on petrol (Same unit as Vento) and not on diesel.

Same strategy as VW vento, only difference is VW added additional features in their vento to make way for the skoda rapid at a slightly lesser price bracket recently.

Dont entertain any hopes of seeing anything in addition to the vento, this will be priced approx 30k less than the corresponding variant of the vento. Period.

I atleast wished they had changed the interior colour combination to a more conservative black and beige as compared to the greyish brown and beige of the vento! Sigh!!!

Originally Posted by nsgkumar

Hello all,any update on this querry??

[puchoo]

That price differential does not sound enough for the Rapid to stand out , i know i would be think hard and trying to convince myself to just spend another 30,000 and get the additional features which the vento would offer , and given the price bracket that these car are revolving around putting in an additional 30k would be doable for many people.

Originally Posted by bala80

N this will be priced approx 30k less than the corresponding variant of the vento. Period.

I

[puchoo]

December launch its going to be it seems

Skoda Rapid to pull the masses in India, says Winfried Vahland | CarTradeIndia.com

[2cents]

The flash on the Skoda homepage had six counters running for a week, with the sixth one showing a blank. Now it's back to five. Looks like they are still dilly dallying their official launch plan (unofficially, it has been launched twice or thrice already!). May be they are changing the name once again

[puchoo]

I have tried to visit their site as much as possible , managed to miss the extra banner though - but if they are planning to launch it in December its too early to be tinkering around with the site - maybe an over enthusiastic IT guy!

Originally Posted by 2cents

The flash on the Skoda homepage had six counters running for a week, with the sixth one showing a blank. Now it's back to five. Looks like they are still dilly dallying their official launch plan (unofficially, it has been launched twice or thrice already!). May be they are changing the name once again

[volkman10]

Confusing strategy- Vento vs Rapid. Or maybe to dent the Fluidic market?

"Škoda is all set to shake up the C+ segment in India with the launch of all new sedan “Rapid”. Škoda has started the manufacturing of the car and is expected to be in the market within a short span of time. Škoda Rapid will be available in both diesel and petrol. The petrol engine will be a 1598cc, 4-cylinder, 8 valve, 105 BHP units with 153 Nm torque to boot. While the diesel engine will differentiate with a slight change with 205 Nm of torque. There would also be an option of a 6-speed automatic transmission on the petrol variant. Škoda officials believe that Rapid’s engine will be more fuel efficient than the Vento. Rapid is expected in a price range of Rs. 7-9 lakhs."

Å*koda Rapid To Shake Up C-Segment | MotorBeam - Indian Car Bike News & Reviews

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Confusing strategy- Vento vs Rapid. Or maybe to dent the Fluidic market?

Škoda officials believe that Rapid's engine will be more fuel efficient than the Vento. Rapid is expected in a price range of Rs. 7-9 lakhs."

Yup, I think VW thinks a combined assault might be better, as the profits will all come to the same group anyway. But seriously, it is similar to the Maruti strategy with small cars. They've flooded the segment, and all of them sell decently, but of course VW will find it harder.

Wonder how they'll make the same car with the same engine and presumably the same gear-box more fuel efficient? If they're not changing the gear ratios, then the Rapid must be lighter?

[Y@SH]

Found this on skoda India's Facebook fan page
"Worldwide Drive of the Rapid"

SKODA Rapid - 'Worldwide First Drive' - Coming Soon. - YouTube