[khan_sultan]

Skoda invited Team-BHP for an Interactive Design Workshop at their headquarters in Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic. The intent was to hear from their new chief designer, Oliver Stefani, on his inspiration and vision for the future of Skoda Design. There was also a visit planned to the Skoda Museum to trace their 120-year history in design and engineering.

The original invite (edited to mask phone numbers and contact details). The building shown in the invite is their design headquarters:


As the dates for the travel approached, the agenda was revised and spending time with the Skoda old-timers (vintage cars), a brief drive in the Vision RS, Karoq and Kodiaq RS were also added, in addition to visiting the factory to see some cars being made on the assembly line.

Quite a fun agenda for one and a half days I must say!

[khan_sultan]

We were a group of 10 automotive journalists from India and we landed at Vaclav Havel airport in Prague around noon. The weather forecast was clear & sunny which proved to be a blessing for the rest of the day:


We all regroup after de-boarding the plane and meet our local contact at the arrivals section. As we step out of the airport, we see these beautiful Kodiaq RS vehicles waiting to chauffeur us to the hotel:


We are staying in the old town area and it takes approximately 30 - 40 minutes for us to reach there. As we check-in, I notice a cute little scooter parked in a corner:


It's a Cezeta 506 scooter, Czech Republic's first electric vehicle, and this 506 is custom made for the hotel:


As per the hotel website:

"...the first and only hotel in Prague to offer their guests an unforgettable ride on a design icon: the legendary Čezeta scooter. Manufactured from 1957 to 1964 in Czechoslovakia the Čezeta motor scooter was synonymous with aerodynamic design, the spirit of the space age – and instant freedom.

On the 60th anniversary of its creation last year Čezeta debuted the Czech Republic’s first electric vehicle, a brand-new custom-built scooter based on the original Soviet-era model minus the petrol tank. Precision-crafted, fun and stylish, a special-edition of the commemorative Čezeta Type 506 has been designed exclusively for adventurous Hotel Josef guests who value luxury, timeless design, and above all thrilling performance."

You can read more details of the scooter here on the hotel website & here on the Cezeta website.

The old town has its own quaint charm with narrow cobbled streets and I was nicely surprised how cars managed two-way traffic in those narrow streets without any issues! (Side note: Driving on the cobbled road does get irritating after some time due to the noise that filters in the cabin):


We all freshen up quickly and are ready to go. The Kodiaq RS cars waiting to pick us up:


We drive to Cafe Imperial for a quick lunch. The interiors of the cafe are impressive and the milky white ceramic finish with gold and dark wood panel pillars gives it a very 'art-deco' look:


We finish lunch and then are off to another place as per the agenda. The narrow cobbled stone streets near the cafe:

[khan_sultan]

We take a 20 - 30 minute drive to PVA EXPO PRAHA, which is an expo center (think of a mini Pragati Maidan) on the outskirts of the town:


We reach a pavilion where we find these three old-timer beauties and 2 Karoqs waiting for us at the entrance:


These are (L to R): Skoda Octavia (original), Skoda 430 (4 Cylinder, 30 HP) & the original Rapid:


I am enamoured by the old-timers and have almost failed to notice the Karoqs. Too tempted to spend time with them, but we are called inside the pavilion for a briefing:


We have Stepan Rehak, spokesperson, Skoda Product Communications, brief us on the agenda for the rest of the day and logistics for test-driving. Notice the Vision RS in the background? That's what we cover next!

[khan_sultan]

The Vision RS was unveiled as a concept during the 2018 Paris Motor Show. The Vision RS is the hot hatch from Skoda that will go against the hot hatches from VW, Ford, Renault, etc. in the European Continent. It's a hybrid, with a 1.5L TSI, in addition to an electric motor (101 BHP) giving a total of nearly 247 BHP and a 0-100 km/h time of less than 7 seconds.

You can read more about the Skoda Vision RS on the skoda website & on our forum.

We have a designer explain to us the design philosophy behind the various lines of the Vision RS. It's really an experience listening to designers explaining the design inspiration of the car - it's like poetry in a different way. Designers see things in the creases of a car which normal people can't even imagine!

Oh yes, the empty pavilion - that's the only place where we can take the Vision RS for a short spin and that too with a Skoda official beside us. I think it's a fair call as one can't risk a prototype car being crashed by an over-enthusiastic journalist!


The front is sharp, edgy, aggressive and the grill has LED lights that illuminate (read later in this thread how the inspiration from old-timers are incorporated into modern day Skoda design):


The side profile. In my mind, I am thinking, "raise it a little, put 17-inch wheels with higher profile tyres and you have an urban cross-over / SUV":


Runs on 20-inch tyres. The black inserts in the alloys are performance accessories and are claimed to aid in aerodynamics. They clamp on to the alloys. Do notice the sharp lip on the lower bumper area:


Generous use of carbon fiber throughout the car. The very prominent rear spoiler is one example:


The OVRMs are also made of carbon fiber and have integrated LED lights running the width of the OVRM. Do notice the channel inside the OVRM casing to allow air to pass through. Nice idea!


The rear is quite pretty and the rear lights are similar in design language to what we see on Skoda cars these days. The 'S K O D A' lettering on the rear is a conscious choice by Skoda and they feel confident that the brand now commands enough respect to have the SKODA name prominently displayed on the car:


The SKODA lettering is made of crystal and is hand made. Czech Republic is famous for crystal work and we are told that Skoda is now leveraging those artistic capabilities to use crystals in their cars:


The boot area. Notice the two rear seats, which are inspired by race styling with integrated seat belts:


The interiors have black Alcantara upholstery with red contrast stitching and look the part with crystal and carbon fiber elements. The door handles (red strip visible in the picture on the passenger door) are made of the same material as that of the car's seat belts. No conventional door handle from inside in this one. I found it very classy and these small touches add character to the car:


The interior is modern with a minimalist approach leading to de-cluttering of buttons and controls. Tablet-based interfaces are the way forward, it seems. The edges of the dashboard protrude out into the doors and make the dashboard look wider than it actually is:


Interior colours can be changed as per your mood or driving mode. It is par for the course these days:


As mentioned earlier, we get only a very short drive within the pavilion. 1 car, 10 journalists taking turns, and also doing videography will mean some waiting. I plan to spend time with the old-timers instead of waiting.

Here is a short video of the Vision RS drive within the pavilion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smE56NewnxU

Oh yes, at the end of the drive, the Vision RS was safely tucked into an enclosed carrier and taken away. No driving it on road as yet:




Side Note: In the above two pictures, you can see huge steel scaffolding being worked upon. Adjacent to the Expo Center is a huge ground which hosted the concert by Muse the previous night. The concert stands, stage, etc. were being dismantled.

[khan_sultan]

The old-timers had intrigued me and I decided to spend time with them and preferred them over the Karoq and the Vision RS. We had three old-timers and I understand that these were private collection vehicles which were brought in here especially for us. They would drive us around in these vehicles and answer any queries we may have.

I got to know that one can drive old-timers regularly in the Czech Republic if you have a normal black plate. You need to get an equivalent of an MOT fitness certificate every 2 years. If you have a green plate for an antique car, it can be used only on special occasions. The insurance is also different for antique cars and no 2 years MOT needed. Of the cars there, the Skoda Octavia and the Rapid had green plates and the 430 had normal black plates - meaning it could be driven like any other car in the country.

I decided to experience the 430 first. The 430 nomenclature stands for 4 cylinders and 30 HP. This is from the late 1920s and over 3,000 of these were produced. The model lineup also featured 645 (6 cylinder & 45 HP) and 860 (8 cylinder & 60 HP):


This one was a convertible and with a clear sunny day, I could not let go of an opportunity for a ride in it:


The interiors are spartan and as would be prevalent in that era, liberal use of wood and leather can be seen all around. The 'camera' like thing on the passenger side of the dashboard is a cigarette lighter. Do note that the steering is on the right-hand side as Czech was a drive on the 'left of the road' country before 1938 (read more here about this interesting change that was hastened due to WWII and Nazi occupation of Czech Republic):


The logo has faded on the switches but can be unmistakably recognized as Skoda. See that chrome plated stalk under the steering wheel? That's for...


...the mechanical turn indicators, using arrow symbols:


Definitely, the lock & the locking system are not the original ones:


Leaf springs all over:


A simple steering mechanism. One can't get any more direct feedback than this:


We couldn't drive these old-timers ourselves (and rightly so), but we could ride shotgun on the country roads nearby. I gladly got into the 430 as the passenger and went for a short drive of approximately 30 minutes. Must say that the seats of these old-timers are a class apart. The immediate comfort that one gets after sitting in it is not matched by many modern cars even today. Feels like sitting on a sofa at home.

The ride is comfortable for a leaf spring vehicle and the speeds of up to 50 km/h that we were able to manage on country roads felt nice with the wind in the hair feeling. As we drive more, I realize how times and the tech have changed - while these old-timers have a different charm, driving them daily would be a pain in today's era. For me, even though I enjoyed the drive, I think after an hour or so, the novelty would fade and I would get impatient to 'move on'.

Here is a short video of the drive on the country roads:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvCT967F9Yo

[khan_sultan]

After spending approximately 45 minutes with the 430, I turned to the original first generation Octavia in a beautiful shade of blue.

Trivia from Skoda about the Octavia:
# Octavia was developed as the modernized version of the 440 / 445 / 450 model cars (popularly knows as Spartak in Czech Republic) with a really LARGE trunk.
# The name 'Octavia' was derived from the Latin word Octo (eight) and was branded as the eighth model of the production line..
# The cost of the Octavia was approx 29K CZK + a voucher from the government. At this time, the average salary in the Czech Republic was 800 CZK. Such was the demand that people used to camp outside showrooms for days and sleep on the streets. Skoda even started selling the equivalent of camping gear for these people to be comfortable while sleeping on the streets.

From 1959 to 1971, some 400 thousand+ copies of this car (in multiple variants) were made. In 1996, the brand name was resurrected for the widely known first-gen Octavia. The 1959 Skoda Octavia featured all-wheel independent suspension and coil springs on the front axle:


From the front & side, it did bear design resemblance to the old Fiats & Morris Minor:


I take a 360-degree view of the car from outside and enjoy every moment looking at it:




Done admiring from the outside, I open the doors and see an interior maintained in pristine condition. The steering wheel, the seats, and the carpets were immaculate and feels as if the car has just come out from a waxing, polishing and detailing session that would make even our OCD infected moderator Vid6639 smile with his eyes:


I wanted to take pictures of the front interior and realized that the only way to do so will be from the rear seat. I moved the driver seat forward and got into the rear seat. Wow! It felt like sitting on a sofa:


Sitting in the rear, I realized a small attention to detail about the angle of the hand rest on the rear door. The angle was perfect to comfortably place the forearm while sitting. If it were straight, it would not have been so nice:


The dashboard reminded me of the Fiats & the Ambassadors. I was told that the heating system could be bought as an accessory:


The dials mentioned PAL. I immediately told the folks there that it sounds Indian, only to be told that PAL is a Czech brand and so is AutoPAL!


The immaculate engine bay. 1.1L engine churning about 39 BHP with a top speed of 110 km/h:


The details of the car. 1960 manufactured, 39 BHP @ 4200 RPM, weighing 890 kg:


Behind the pink pipes, one can see the firing order of the cylinders mentioned on the engine:


The latch to open the boot is in the front door:


The trunk, which was considered big at that time, also housed a spare wheel. Do note the green plates that certify it to be an old-timer:


Couldn't resist taking a picture of me at the steering wheel:


As I moved on from the Octavia, I was oblivious to the fact that tomorrow I was going to see an SUV based on this car's underpinnings, designed and manufactured in a far away land!

[khan_sultan]

By now, the evening has started to set in and even though we have long sunlight hours available, we need to wind up by 6:00 pm as per schedule. I still had the Karoq to explore. Hence, I had to make do with a quickie with the Rapid.

Made during the WWII era, it was one of the last cars that was right-hand drive in the Czech Republic and was priced reasonably cheap due to the great depression and supposed production line improvements:


The rear bears resemblance to many of the cars during that time:


A very simplistic interior with wood as the predominant material used:


Comfortable seats...


...and pedals:


With this quickie, I decided to call it a day with the old-timers and turn towards the modern Karoq.

[khan_sultan]

The Karoq, based on the VW MQB platform, is an integral part of the India 2.0 strategy and is expected to be launched in India in mid 2020. The compact SUV space is one of the fastest growing segments and is the most competitive right now with the Harrier, Compass, Creta, and Duster slugging it out and more manufacturers like MG and Kia waiting to join in the slugfest soon.

In fact, the compact SUV segment has become the preferred choice of entry into the Indian market for new manufacturers rather than sedans or hatchbacks, which used to be the case earlier. With 2020 still sometime away, who knows if the Karoq will be a case of Johnny-come-lately or better late than never. In my short time, I found nothing that can stand out as an USP of the vehicle, but it did feel like an honest vehicle that would do its job day in and day out. Let's see how the Indian market responds to the Karoq. By that time, they would have tasted loaded to the tech-gills and internet savvy cars that respond to Alexa's of the world!

You can read more about Karoq here on the forum and an ownership report here from StarrySky.

At first glance, one could confuse it with the Kodiaq. It features the same design elements as it's bigger brother - the same sharp headlights, front grill, bumper etc.:


Side profile says that this is a compact SUV and not a full blown one:




Runs on 18-inch wheels. Notice that the wheel arches have no black cladding which makes it look beefier like in the Kodiaq. The model we had was the Sportline (1.5L TSI petrol, 6-speed manual gearbox):


Rear is kind of bland & boring!


The spacious boot with a number of nettings to keep things from moving around:


Clean flat underbody with decent amount of ground clearance:


The interiors feel well put together and although they do not invoke premium feel, they do feel made to last:


Another view of the dashboard. Apart from the now almost mandatory touch screen, you also get a battery of switches doing similar things as one could do using the touch screen:


The console is all digital and can be configured to ones liking. Notice the bars on the sides for fuel gauge and temperature. Nice touch!


The rear is comfortable for 2 and a squeeze for 3 (courtesy the seat design, the tunnel in the floor and the protruding rear AC control). The seats have good legroom but at the cost of under-thigh support:


The panoramic roof does make the cabin feel spacious and airy:


It was getting late and we had to leave. I decided to have a picture of the Karoq & Kodiaq together and asked the crew to park them facing each other before we moved on. Here's how the Karoq looks compared to the Kodiaq. A true big brother meets the small brother feel for both the cars:


Here is another picture I was able to take at a different location showing the rear:

[khan_sultan]

Done for the day, we drive to a hotel in the old town for dinner. We drive through the cobbled streets till the cars could go no more:


We all walk in the narrow alley and come to a beautiful place, climb up the stairs...


...to reach the rooftop restaurant that has these magnificent views:


The food menu is uncomplicated and time passes by indulging in conversations on various subjects under the sun and enjoying the magnificent view:


Before we realize, it's night and time to call it a day:

[khan_sultan]

The next day, we start early and have a busy day ahead. The weather forecast says 90% chances of rain. We drive through the city, through open country roads...


...through beautiful tree-lined roads to finally reach...


...Mcley Chateau, where we will be spending the first half of the day.


The Chateau has large greens in the front and for a moment, I thought those sheep were real:


We walk through long corridors...


...climb several flights of stairs that kept narrowing down and down...


...to reach an attic that seemed like a small study cum observatory with dark wood tables and furniture:


We settle down and have a presentation on the history of Skoda by a very knowledgeable person on Skoda old-timers:


You can watch the presentation video here:

https://youtu.be/ccLxKCv7MQ0

Key highlights from the presentation that I was unaware of:

• Skoda is the 4th oldest automotive brand in the world
• An SUV called Trekka, built in New Zealand, is based on the Octavia
• ~93% of Skoda volumes came from exports in 2018
• Never could have imagined that Skoda has had touch with India since the 1930s when Skoda cars traveled to India as part of the around-the-world in 97 days tour

Presentation done, we are now presented with a choice of a short time with the Kodiaq RS or the Trekka. It starts drizzling and seems like the sky can open up any moment:

[khan_sultan]

Being an off-road enthusiast, I was drawn towards the old SUV parked in front. I decided to spend time with the old SUV, preferring it over the Kodiaq RS.

For a moment, when I first saw it from a distance, I was wondering what a Land Rover Series II is doing here:


Could have never imagined that this is a Skoda, let alone a Skoda Octavia underneath, and all the way from New Zealand. It also carries the unique distinction of being the only car designed and mass-produced in New Zealand. Ever! (You learn something new every day):


I am intrigued and anxious to know more! Vítezslav Kodym, the same knowledgeable person who did the presentation, is kind enough to explain all about the cute looking SUV.

So, it seems that in far away New Zealand, the government in the '60s decided to promote increased local content in the motor industry there and started imposing higher tariffs and restrictions on imports (this sounds familiar). A person named Phil Andrews, who used to import Skoda vehicles, came up with the idea of building an Agricultural Utility Vehicle based on the Skoda Octavia Combi mechanicals. The body is made of steel with either a canvas or fiber-glass top. So, import the engine, gearbox, chassis, drivetrain, and axles of the Skoda Octavia Combi and bolt a body on top and you have the Trekka!

Some 2,500 of these cuties were built and sold between 1964 & 1973. During that time, New Zealand gained the status of "Vehicle Exporter" (Trekka was exported to Australia, Indonesia) and till date, the Trekka remains the only vehicle designed & mass-produced in New Zealand! The '70s saw the import barriers being lifted and the Trekka could not hold a candle to the more modern and capable Japanese vehicles.

This one has been brought from New Zealand and restored by Skoda Czech. Most of the bodywork, etc., has been kept in original form as would have been done by the customer in their ownership history.

You can read more about the Trekka here on their New Zealand website:


I ask Vítezslav Kodym to go for a short drive around in the Trekka:


Lo and behold, we are not even a few minutes into the drive and the heavens open up. The rains are creating a ruckus on the fiber-glass rooftop, the wiper moves but is as effective as one can imagine, and the roof panel joints start leaking water inside. I now feel truly at home - it's like driving a Gypsy or a MM540 to the trails. In those tree-lined country roads, it was sheer bliss, true joy & happiness for the off-roader in me:


The rains gods were not happy with my happiness so after some 10-12 km, we decide to turn back. We chit chat along the way and the conversation obviously has to touch upon Jawa / Yezdi at some point in time. He shares with me a tidbit on how the name Yezdi could have come along. He says that there were Czech mechanics in the Jawa factory at Mysore and they would tinker with the bikes whenever they would breakdown. When the bikes started working again, they would shout Yezdi Yezdi, which means "it's working" in Czech language / parlance. That's how the name Yezdi came about! Not sure if this is true but made for an interesting folklore though.

Several more such conversations later, we are back at the Chateau and the rains have become a very light drizzle. I decide to take some pictures of the Trekka. Folks driving Gypsy & MM540 would feel at home here with this basic interior. Notice the RHD steering:


It even has an MOT equivalent fitness certificate from '92. It says 'keep with you at all times'. It's no bigger than a parking ticket and can't imagine how folks would have kept it safe:


The rear. Do remember, this is all built by hand in New Zealand. I am told the shovel is an accessory added by the owner. The twin spare tyres are also a modification by the owner. From the factory, it came with one spare that was placed inside the vehicle between the front passenger and rear cabin area:


Open the rear door and you see side facing benches for rear passengers and a panel separating the front area with the rear cabin (that's where the spare tyre from the factory was kept):


A very basic dashboard. The meters and dials worked during our short drive and we could touch speeds of 50 km/h easily in the rain:


The 1.2L engine from the Skoda Octavia churns out approximately 46 BHP @ 4500 RPM:


Manufactured in Otahuhu, New Zealand, with specs mentioned on this plate:


A small bottle contraption (in the top corner of the pic) with a pipe going down to feed lubricant to the joints of the steering so that they could be well lubricated (again, owner alteration and not from factory):


The underbody. This complete underpinning is from the drivetrain imported from Czech. Notice the all-wheel independent suspension:


A closeup of the rear suspension setup. Notice the leaf springs sitting in a horizontal setup above the rear differential:


The front suspension:


NOTE: The front suspension is the same as that of the Octavia. See post here.

I saw dozens of Skoda branded candies inside the vehicle and was told that when they drive such cars in vintage rallies, they carry these candies as give away for kids who come to watch these vintage cars. How sweet! (I took a few of them for myself :-)):


The technical specs from the factory in New Zealand:


Tech spec source: Trekka

Related Trivia: A similar experiment was done in our neighboring country, Pakistan, with the model being called SKOPAK and sold as a 2 or 6 seater utility car. Between 1969 & 1971, some 1,000 copies of SKOPAK were sold:


Image source: Caradisiac

I had spent more than enough time with this beauty and it was time to move on...

...but not before all of us had a group picture taken with the Trekka:

[khan_sultan]

Read the most comprehensive review of the Kodiaq here on forum.

Throughout the 2 days, the Kodiaq RS was our transport vehicle and I got to spend enough time in the rear seat and also the front passenger seat. Must say that the car is special and on the highways, it got to unmentionable speeds in the blink of an eye.

So, what's different from the regular Kodiaq that makes the RS version stake claim to be the fastest 7 seater SUV around the famous Nordschleife?

To start with, it has the most powerful diesel engine ever built in the history of Skoda:


The 237 BHP + 500 Nm of torque propels this gigantic SUV resulting in a 0-100 km/h time of less than 7 seconds:


And these are the ingredients that make the RS version a special dish in an uncomplicated cooking manner:


For the geeky folks who want to read more on this engine, this is the place to go and read up.

So, what's visually different on the RS from the regular one? VRS badging on the grill, beautiful alloys, larger 20-inch tyres that fill the wheel well nicely, and red brake calipers:


At the rear, the 4x4 badging moves to the left and the VRS badging takes it place, the red LED strip on the bumper runs all the way across and it also gets chrome finished twin exhaust inserts:


On the inside, it gets an all-black theme, sporty seats with VRS badging, and red contrast stitching on Alcantara that is used on the door panels also:


The passenger seat also gets fully electric seat adjustment with memory function:


The steering not only gets VRS badging but is also more sporty with a flat bottom and has perforated leather stitching. The dash has carbon fiber finish and the sporty pedals are made of aluminum and get rubberized inserts. The gear lever gets VRS lettering instead of 4x4 lettering:


The familiar touchscreen has controls to change driving modes:


The VRS badging is also carried over to the rear seats:


The coolest 'party trick' of the Kodiaq RS is the simulation of a sporty V8 sound from the exhaust in Sport mode. It's funny when you hear it both from outside the vehicle & inside and how the diesel clatter mixes with the V8 growl.

Skoda calls it Dynamic Sound Boost for an emotive driving experience.

As per their global website:

The new ŠKODA KODIAQ RS is the first of the brand’s models to feature Dynamic Sound Boost. The system provides a characteristic and emotive acoustic experience both inside and outside the car. Dynamic Sound Boost works using data from the in-car electronics to make the car’s acoustic character more attractive and intense. The special device produces a specific note, which complements the natural sound of the exhaust system and refines the engine’s sound profile.

Dynamic Sound Boost works in conjunction with Driving Mode Select. There are three levels of modified sound available for the ŠKODA KODIAQ RS depending on the selected driving performance. The sounds range from a gentle note in the ‘Comfort’ profile to a ‘Normal’ profile featuring a dynamic setup, up to the ‘Sport’ profile, which provides the most sporty and potent setting. This gives the ŠKODA KODIAQ RS a particularly dynamic note. The ‘Eco’ profile emphasises the car’s natural acoustic character.

For me, it was nice to hear, but once you know it's fake and not coming from the engine, it kind of is a letdown.

Visit this link to hear the sound in different driving modes. (If this link doesn't work, try this link and scroll down to the 'Emotive and distinct sound with Dynamic Sound Boost' section).

Some trivia about the Kodiaq:

[khan_sultan]

We all have a quick lunch and then we are off to the rest of the day's agenda which includes a visit to the museum, factory & finally an interactive design workshop.

We drive along nice country roads. The sky is overcast but it's not raining, making for a nice afternoon:


We come across a railway crossing and we have to wait. I am waiting for a passenger train to pass by but to my surprise, a train full of Skoda cars is passing by. They are being dispatched from the factory in Mlada Boleslav.


We finally reach the museum. Fellow moderator Ajmat had covered the Skoda museum very exhaustively during an earlier trip and you can read it here. I will not be duplicating the same here.

The sign at the front of the museum. It's in Czech, so don't ask me what it means!


The Monte Carlo is what people see when they enter. (Side Note: Can you see the trays placed underneath the car? Guess what they are for?):


All cars have details against them mentioned:


We have a guide to take us on a quick tour of the museum. Some 70 odd cars are displayed and some 300 odd are stored in the depository area which is not accessible to the public. The report from Ajmat has details about the depository also:


The museum has artifacts that document the history of the company. For example, the evolution of the logo, letters written by officials, etc.:


The quilt type thing you see in the picture is the camping gear the company used to sell to prospective customers who used to camp and sleep on the streets outside the showrooms for days while waiting for delivery of their car:


As we exit the museum, I notice lots of information booklets and I pick a few to read along. Must say that the booklets are very informative and detailed. Also, never knew that Ferdinand Porsche was born in what is now Czech Republic:


Czech Republic has an active vintage cars scene and fellow member karlosdeville has documented various vintage cars seen on the streets beautifully here and here.

[khan_sultan]

The whole of Mlada Boleslav town is like a Skoda township and everything revolves around Skoda. A short drive from the museum, we reach the numerous assembly lines churning out various Skoda cars.

We are taken to an assembly line and as we enter, we see this light. Green means you can cross and move on the floor in that area:


We are given a guided tour of the various operations that happen in the assembly line:


There is continuous movement of parts from one place to another. Orange coloured T-shirts are worn by people in the supply chain who move parts from one place to another (white color T-shirts for full-time employees, blue color for contract staff, green color for supervisors):


The robots ferry parts along a predetermined 'black line' painted on the floor. They move at very slow speeds and it is very interesting to see them move around:


We did not get to spend much time at the assembly line or get into the details. Here is a short video that shows the body shells come from the painting booth and the various steps that follow till the car is finally made:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0D_reBmH2I

[khan_sultan]

We had to hurry and move to the design studio to meet Oliver Stefani to hear on his inspiration and vision for the future of Skoda Design. After all, that was one of the key agenda items of this visit.

We travel to a quaint part of the town where the design studio is located. This building is a villa from the 1800s and used to be the private residence of a textile manufacturer. This is now their main design studio churning out the designs of the future:


In this video, you can see the design studio (from 10-18 seconds):

https://vimeo.com/287376738#t=9s

No mobiles or cameras were allowed inside the design studio and hence no pictures were taken inside the studio. The studio had 2 cars - the Vision iV and a car under wraps (presumably the Vision X).

Oliver Stefani ran us through a 30-minute powerpoint presentation sharing the vision of the design inspiration for future Skoda vehicles. The summary was "Function with Emotion" drawing on Czech history of crystal making. Example: taking inspiration from old-timer models like the Monte Carlo for the treatment of the grill & lines on headlights.

Here is a picture I have tried recreating, from my memory, that coveys the message - the vertical lines on the headlights of the Monte Carlo have inspired the illuminated horizontal lines in the headlights of the Vision RS:


Trivia: Skoda design studio has designed the trophies for the prestigious Tour-de-France. Read more about it here.

Click here if you want to know more about Skoda design.

Presentation over, Oliver Stefani takes us through a tour of the Vision iV explaining the design elements of the car:


All this while, the support staff is keeping an eagle eye on all of us to ensure we don't get too close or touch the car that is kept under wraps. We all keep guessing what the car could be. Looking at the silhouette and the lines / creases against the wrap, I can say with some certainty that it is the Vision X, the subcompact SUV from Skoda that will be shown at the 2020 Auto Expo.

Read about the Vision X here and here on our forum.

Design studio tour over, we head back to Prague for dinner at an old brewery in the old town and then back to the hotel before an early flight back home.

I see this old-timer while going to board the flight at Prague airport. Nice recreation of cobbled streets with manhole covers:


Thus my friends, this concludes one and a half days of an informative and exciting insight into one of the world's oldest automotive brands.

Disclaimer: Skoda invited Team-BHP to the Czech Republic. They covered all the travel expenses for this trip.