[swiftdiesel]

Folks, Skoda is doing nothing new here. This is Volkswagen's overall strategy to capture the maximum potential with its "India-specific" Vento. This is nothing but a Vento given the "Skoda" treatment. Volkswagen follows the same strategy in Europe and launches the same platform under Audi/VW/Skoda/SEAT guise. Here in the MissionL they've adopted the Vento right to the body panel and gave it the signature Skoda grill and boot treatment.

If not for anything, it should send some Vento customers to Skoda while VW ramps up its production to meet the demand for Vento.

[noopster]

I still believe you guys are giving too much credence to what's happening in Frankfurt. Companies come up with "concepts" all the time, how many of these cars actually roll off the production line?

This much is fact: when I visited the VW factory earlier this year, an area was cordoned off from public view since it was where the SK-251 was being worked on. SK-251 is being developed on the VW-251 platform (Vento in India).

Back to opinion: This is the car that is going to be launched in October as the Skoda Rapid. Mission L may be a "concept" on which Skoda hopes to ride the Rapid on and quite possibly in European spec, it may be a whole different car. But it's too much to expect that VW will launch *two* cars before the end of this year.

[driveanddrive]

Originally Posted by noopster

But it's too much to expect that VW will launch *two* cars before the end of this year.

I don't think two cars are expected. I think what everyone's thinking is Lauretta/Rapid is the production version of MissionL concept. Atleast that's what I am thinking.

[2cents]

Originally Posted by driveanddrive

I don't think two cars are expected. I think what everyone's thinking is Lauretta/Rapid is the production version of MissionL concept. Atleast that's what I am thinking.

+1. And come to think of it, it's no big deal! The product is very much there in flesh and blood from the veedub stable. All that's left for Skoda to do is just a boot and bonnet job!

[Abhi_Automobile]

This is getting interesting by the minute: I am generally a person who doesn't take rumours very seriously. Simply because most people who don't know much start making unnecessary noise.

However, OdMag has clearly stated that it believes that there will be a new car launched by Skoda based on Mission L in India before the end of the year/early next year.

I quote: "Skoda mission L concept will be Rapid. India launch late 2011, early 2012. Slot between Vento-based Fabia sedan & Laura #fb"

These are generally informed people. Though I would't say anything as things unfold. BTW, I believe that there is scope for a car@12 lacs OTR Delhi.

our mods say that this is clearly a rumour. What is the truth guys?

[Nicky]

Originally Posted by Abhi_Automobile

This is getting interesting by the minute: I am generally a person who doesn't take rumours very seriously. Simply because most people who don't know much start making unnecessary noise.

However, OdMag has clearly stated that it believes that there will be a new car launched by Skoda based on Mission L in India before the end of the year/early next year.

I quote: "Skoda mission L concept will be Rapid. India launch late 2011, early 2012. Slot between Vento-based Fabia sedan & Laura #fb"

These are generally informed people. Though I would't say anything as things unfold. BTW, I believe that there is scope for a car@12 lacs OTR Delhi.

our mods say that this is clearly a rumour. What is the truth guys?

These are absolutely misquoted words of Skoda CEO Dr. Vahland during frankfurt motor show. If really want to have the Idea about MissionL and Skoda strategy then request you to have a look at Autocar website.
Rapid (yes, this the final name of new skoda notchback soon to be launched) is not at all based on MissionL concept. It's a badge of Vento and design aspect taken from Fabia naturally.
MissionL concept will be implemented in New Octavia which is due in 1st quarter of 2013.

[Abhi_Automobile]

Originally Posted by Nicky

These are absolutely misquoted words of Skoda CEO Dr. Vahland during frankfurt motor show. If really want to have the Idea about MissionL and Skoda strategy then request you to have a look at Autocar website.
Rapid (yes, this the final name of new skoda notchback soon to be launched) is not at all based on MissionL concept. It's a badge of Vento and design aspect taken from Fabia naturally.
MissionL concept will be implemented in New Octavia which is due in 1st quarter of 2013.

Although I don't expect the MissionL based any car in India (Indians get step treatment), the statements on Skoda site are misleading. Try and read the press release from Skoda. It given you the impression that they are launching a car based on MissionL design in India by the year end and in Europe by 2012.

[Swanand Inamdar]

Guys, I think the entire speculation on "which car is it going to be" has gone too far.
Let us hold our horses, before jumping to conclusions.

The concept car is launched in Frankfurt. IIRC, the article said this (concept) car would be for China & Russia. Later on, they would launch the India specific car.

The car, that was spotted a few days earlier would be the SK -251 (Vento in Skoda clothes). So, it is much likely that Skoda may actually be launching these two cars separately.

[uday.ere]

RT@hormazdsorabjee - Skoda to launch Lauretta on Oct 7th in India. Only it may not be the Lauretta. Skoda India wants to change the name AGAIN!.

Hope they name it something better.

[mkaysaw]

Guys, the mission L is a concept with a nose-job and new rear skin panels based on the latest VW Vento. The new Skoda-India line-up (near 2011 end) "should" look like this:
Skoda Superb > Yeti > Laura > New Lauretta/Rapid > Fabia.

Whereas in EU it will be:
Skoda Superb > Yeti > Laura > New Rapid > Roomster > Fabia.

In India it means the Replacement of the Old octavia whereas in the EU its an addition of an entirely new low-cost sedan. Hopefully a good looking one at that.

[Behemoth]

Hi Everyone,

There is definitely a lot of confusion here, but as the Skoda official press release mentioned, India will be getting a MissionL based car by the end of 2011. However, the crux may well be the difference between what Concept cars look like and what they turn into when they are released for production (case in example : Maruti Kizashi and A-star - what the final cars are, completely different from what they were when they were shown in the Auto Expo!). However, reality and concepts apart, there may well be a chance that both a Fabia based sedan AND a MissionL based car get launched. Even the MissionL based Skoda Sedan was spotted in India and I have also seen spy shots on some portals and the car looked very similiar to the MissionL concept and did not look like the Fabia sedan. On the other hand, Autocar India has been publicising the Fabia sedan and covering it in scoop shots, and are confident of its launch.
Probably a few more days and we will come to see the final product, given that the launch is on Oct 7th!

There was an earlier post , in which the spied car actually looks a lot like the MissionL.. but the person was not able to click the front so can't be sure!

Originally Posted by mb_jg

Caught a glimpse of something different on the way to work & decided to click it. Looked familiar but different at the same time. Couldn't get the front view! Not sure if this is the same model being discussed! Although, the rear tail lamps (Brake lamps design) looks the same as posted in the first post.

Attachment 605182

Originally Posted by Nicky

These are absolutely misquoted words of Skoda CEO Dr. Vahland during frankfurt motor show. If really want to have the Idea about MissionL and Skoda strategy then request you to have a look at Autocar website.
Rapid (yes, this the final name of new skoda notchback soon to be launched) is not at all based on MissionL concept. It's a badge of Vento and design aspect taken from Fabia naturally.
MissionL concept will be implemented in New Octavia which is due in 1st quarter of 2013.

This is highly unlikely to be a misquote, as it is quoted verbatim even on the Skoda International website link which I had given in the earlier post. The media may misquote someone, but the company employees cannot definitely misquote their CEO! (or they would lose their jobs!)
What you are referring to is the VisionD concept, on which the new Octavia (Laura in India) will be based in 2013. The MissionL is a different concept car, though with some design cues from the Vision D.

[Monaro CV8]

^^
Agree to that to an extent.
But also bear in mind that the Fabia sedan will be entering the Vento (and the likes') market. In no way it can be a derivative of the Mission L. Look at all that technology that's going into that car - concealed door handles, unique LESs in the head light cluster, air dampeners, etc. Can a 10 lakh car boast of such features?

IMO there are definitely 2 different cars coming out of the Skoda stable.
The Lauretta/ Rapid will definitely cause a stir in the market, partly because all that hype that's been created by its half sister - Vento, and also for a fact that it fills in the gap of that missing link between the Laura and the Fabia (well, for now).

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by Monaro CV8

^^
Agree to that to an extent.
But also bear in mind that the Fabia sedan will be entering the Vento (and the likes') market. In no way it can be a derivative of the Mission L. Look at all that technology that's going into that car - concealed door handles, unique LESs in the head light cluster, air dampeners, etc. Can a 10 lakh car boast of such features?

Such features from concept cars, generally don't make it to the production version of the same. Remember the Ford Iosis Concept? It had mad gull-wing doors and space-ship interiors, and it reached the production line without those features, but retained the basic shape and design cues of the concept car. The Iosis, is the new Mondeo.

The LEDs, in all probability, won't make it to the production car. But the lights will retain their original design, and reflectors and possibly projectors would constitute the headlight clusters. The door handles would be changed to something more realistic. The wheels too, would be smaller, and the interiors would see some change. But expect the basic mold to be the same.

[Monaro CV8]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Such features from concept cars, generally don't make it to the production version of the same. Remember the Ford Iosis Concept? It had mad gull-wing doors and space-ship interiors, and it reached the production line without those features, but retained the basic shape and design cues of the concept car. The Iosis, is the new Mondeo.

The LEDs, in all probability, won't make it to the production car. But the lights will retain their original design, and reflectors and possibly projectors would constitute the headlight clusters. The door handles would be changed to something more realistic. The wheels too, would be smaller, and the interiors would see some change. But expect the basic mold to be the same.

Mate, you seem to have missed my point of discussion.
What I was contemplating was, maybe 2 cars are planned for a roll-out/ launch by Skoda.
The cheaper of the 2 will not be able to boast the concept at all - leave the LEDs & the door handles.
In this thread we're talking about the 10 lakh car, aren't we..

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by Monaro CV8

Mate, you seem to have missed my point of discussion.
What I was contemplating was, maybe 2 cars are planned for a roll-out/ launch by Skoda.
The cheaper of the 2 will not be able to boast the concept at all - leave the LEDs & the door handles.
In this thread we're talking about the 10 lakh car, aren't we..

I am aware that there are 2 cars that are being discussed.

But one must wait for a few days or a few weeks to get clarity on this. Because I believe that Skoda's new sedan for India, based on the Fabia, is in fact, the MissionL. I may be wrong, but it's just my gut feeling about it.

Knowing Skoda and the way they go about bringing in new models, I seriously doubt Skoda will introduce 2 new sedans in India in the span of 6 months. Why do I think so? Well..

- The Laura is still going strong in India and will not be replaced for a couple of years at least. The same goes for the Superb.

- There is only one slot at the moment that Skoda is eyeing and that is the slot between the Fabia and the Laura. Now, if the MissionL is in fact the new Laura, we would not see it for quite a while. But according to the press-release (which I'm inclined to believe is not misquoted or untrue) says that the car based on the MissionL will be launched in India, first. And then other markets like China and Russia.

- The MissionL concept seems to be a scale smaller than the Laura, in terms of size, of course. It looks about the size of the VW Vento. They seem to share some parts too!

- Skoda takes their own time introducing new cars in India. They've been in our country for a while now. Remember how long the Fabia took to come down? We were expecting it for a long time, and in the mean time, Skoda face-lifted it twice before bringing it down. So the question of introducing 2 sedans in a span of one year is out of the question.

- If one is priced at 10 lakhs, then where will the other one be positioned? The Laura and Superb fill in the other segments. Now the Fabia-sedan should be priced around 10 lakhs, and is expected sometime soon. What about the MissionL, when it's launched? The Laura, in all probability will stay, so where does that leave the MissionL?

I'm merely putting the pieces of the jigsaw together, mate! What I see in front of me is what I'm taking into account. Over-thinking something like this will only leave us disappointed.

Getting back to our discussion. Yes, the features you see on the MissionL will not make it to the production version of the MissionL. Skoda/VW is just showcasing their strength and technological-ability through the MissionL. The production version would be a watered-down version of the MissionL. So expect more realistic features, a MissionL-like body and interior (minus all the pizzazz), based on the Fabia platform, all @ 10 lakhs ex-showroom.