[fi.robin]

And MH-14 suggests Chakan. Bigger cars from VW stable are assembled in Aurangabad, MH-20

[puneet_b]

Nice tail rubbish front. Hey the poor mans veyron lookalike :P !
On a more serious note since this is a concept it's probably here to gauge public reaction. I personally do not like it, It feels very dated the front. Also a bit too boxy for my taste. I like my skoda's to be more curvy.

[oxyzen]

Not to my taste. Looks boxy. Looks Loganish from front. Those fogs are just misleading.
The Skoda Logo intruding in the grill has spoilt the theme it had anyway.
A concept is supposed to be Jaw dropping. Remember Beat, Kizashi!

Infact I like the New Jetta's Looks a lot more than this one.

[Parm]

Everyone’s been scrambling over each other for headlines leading up to the Frankfurt motor show this September 13, but Czech carmaker Skoda kept strangely mum about its plans.

Probably because Skoda was still busy putting the finishing touches on this sleek concept called Mission L, said to now be close to the final production-ready design which should reach showrooms as early as 2012.

The Mission L is Skoda’s first line of offence when it comes to the company’s goal of selling 1.5 million vehicles annually by 2018. It’s a tough mission, which begs the question why they called the car Mission L, suffixed with the universal symbol for ‘loser’. On a serious note, the compact liftback design will be launched in Europe, Russia and China, while the Indian market will get its own saloon version which gives us hope for seeing the car on our shores too. The Mission L is the first model in Skoda’s presentation plans of one new vehicle every six months over the next two or three years.

Starting in late 2012, Skoda will also begin production of an automatic twin-clutch gearbox to go with its modern styling and aggressive expansion plans.

gulfnews : Skoda begins aggressive expansion plans

[swiftdiesel]

The current design language of Skoda is impressive. But the new design direction Skoda wants to take through this concept is such a let down! I can see VW's Head of Design, Walter D'Silva's style statements all over and they suck big time. I would rather he stuck to this "tight lines stretch fit" styling (read boring) with VW alone; now he's letting it spill all over Skoda, Seat and Audi. Such a shame, really! This concept looks like an after-market kit job. Ah no, that'll be even better than this abomination!

[amitg79]

Skoda presenting the Mission L concept in just over an hour (from the time of this post).

Link: IAA 2011 ?koda Auto -

It says that "In addition, the Indian market will have its own version, a compact sedan."
Looks like this will be the next-gen Laura (Or Octavia, as it might be renamed).

[Swanand Inamdar]

Hope they launch the replacement (whatever its going to be called), with that front grill of the Mission L. Sweet looking ride it would be.

Any clue as to when's the actual launch date of the Rapid/Lauretta/????? ?

[ashutoshb]

Originally Posted by amitg79

Skoda presenting the Mission L concept in just over an hour (from the time of this post).

Link: IAA 2011 ?koda Auto -

It says that "In addition, the Indian market will have its own version, a compact sedan."
Looks like this will be the next-gen Laura (Or Octavia, as it might be renamed).

Here are the pics (Courtesy : Carscoop; more pics here - http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/09...w-group.html):

[suyr]

Excerpt from ?KODA presents a design concept of its new compact model ?koda Auto -


Design concept of the new compact model
9/12/2011
The VW Group evening at IAA 2011 saw a world premiere of ŠKODA's design concept called MissionL. The concept car offers a glimpse of the brand's sixth model line.

The VW Group evening at the 2011 Frankfurt International Motor Show saw a world premiere of ŠKODA's design concept called MissionL. Close to the final production look, this concept car offers a glimpse of the Czech carmaker's new compact model. The new vehicle will be launched in Europe, Russia and China in 2012, and the customers in India will see it arrive in the market even earlier, before the end of 2011.

“This premiere kicks off ŠKODA's “Model Offensive” for the coming years," says ŠKODA Board Chairman Prof. Dr. h.c. Winfried Vahland, and goes on to say: “This new compact model and the new products to follow are a guarantee of accomplishing our goal to increase global annual sales to 1.5 million vehicles by 2018. We are going to present a new car approximately every six months over the next years.”

“We have taken a very puristic approach to this design study – we have structured the surfaces simply, but impressively,” says ŠKODA BOD Member for Technological Development Eckhard Scholz about the philosophy of this concept. “The car's strong, sporty look conveys straightforwardness and a youthful character. Many people look for clean, minimalistic lines these days, and the MissionL concept offers all that,” adds Eckhard Scholz.

The “Model Offensive” is supposed to support the brand's dynamic growth. Compared with 2010, the sales of vehicles with the winged arrow emblem on the bonnet grew by 18.3 % to 583.600 vehicles over the first eight months of this year. The most dynamic growth is seen in Russia, India and China. The January-August sales in China grew by 29.2 % to 148.862 vehicles, in Russia the sales as at the end of August totalled 43.604 vehicles and the Czech based carmaker is on a steep rise also in India: 18.980 vehicles sold in this country represent 50.4% growth as compared with the same period of last year.

“One year after the launch of the 2018 Growth Strategy, we can say we are keeping the right course," says Vahland about the last twelve months: “We have laid the foundations for ŠKODA's product offensive at IAA. The extension of our product portfolio will help us increase the speed of our growth some more in the coming years.”

ŠKODA's presentation is situated in Hall No. 3, Stand A05. The brand's press conference is scheduled for Tuesday, 13 September, 2011, from 12:15 till 12:30 PM.

[deetjohn]

Now, I don't know who copied who. But the MissionL Concept looks a lot similar to the new Kia Optima, maybe mainly due to the front grille.


Image courtesy: Kia Cars, SUVs, Crossovers, Minivans, & Future Vehicles | Kia Motors America

[2cents]

^^ How different is this from the Vision D they introduced last year?? And how do you open those doors?!

[rxpaul]

The Mission L is not the Lauretta/Rapid for sure. But if the mission L is gonna be the new Laura, then what about Vision D ? The mission L seems to have no regular door handles....is it some kind of push type handle or slide type device ? The side profile seems like the new Jetta

[999]

Originally Posted by rxpaul

The Mission L is not the Lauretta/Rapid for sure. But if the mission L is gonna be the new Laura, then what about Vision D ? The mission L seems to have no regular door handles....is it some kind of push type handle or slide type device ? The side profile seems like the new Jetta

I think it will be. Take a close look air the air dampner in the front, a staight lift from vento with changed grills. Side profile is Jetta/Vento. Tail lamps looks similar in size to the current vento albeit a different design. Saving for the front grill, I still think it can be a Rapid (no Lauretta apparently). THe front facia needs to be seen first. Mission L looks too small for a laura replacement. Also in IAA they say it will be launched end of 2011

[amitg79]

Originally Posted by suyr

customers in India will see it arrive in the market even earlier, before the end of 2011.

This is interesting. Another model, different from the Lauretta / Rapid AND getting launched in the next 3 months? The Octavia making a comeback sooner than expected?

Or are they talking about the Lauretta / Rapid getting this design language treatment?

[Y@SH]

This is confusing. If this is coming to india before 2012 how come skoda hasnt started testing it here? I guess this is the next gen laura which would be named octavia and the rapid/lauretta will be in the C segment but not like this for sure. This from no angle looks like a car below 10 lakhs. Skoda India we need more clarifications!