In the second quarter of 2010, more shifts are planned for the production of Volkswagen’s Czech unit Skoda for three models, according to the Skoda’s union paper. The company intends to make up for the production lost last February due to the low demand.

Skoda union official Libor Dvorak said that the Roomster line would be given three more shifts, while the new Yeti sport-utility and top-end Superb would also have three more shifts. In the first quarter, Skoda cut shifts for smaller models, including Roomster, because demand had plunged after subsidies in its main export market, Germany, had ended. Since the month of March, the daily production of the best-selling model, Octavia, was reduced by about a quarter. With the car-scrapping schemes and expansion in China, Skoda was able to sell 684,226 cars last year.

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Tags:car news, Skoda, skoda factory third shift
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Skoda’s Fabia range – the hatchback, the estate and the Roomster MPV – has been facelifted and will soon be available in the UK with a new pricing range. The hatch model is priced from 9,330 pounds sterling, while the Roomster has a base price of 11,260 pounds sterling.

The redesigned models have new engines, a fresh radiator grille and new headlights that have been widened to emphasize the horizontal line of the front end design. Aside from that, the range also got new alloy rims and is now offered with a wider range of exterior colors. Continued after the jump!

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Tags:2010 skoda fabia facelift price, car news, fabia facelift price, Skoda
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Skoda has a very interesting lineup at the Geneva Motor Show. Facelifts for the Fabia, Fabia estate, Fabia Scout and Roomster were all displayed. The front end of all these models was redesigned, including a pair of headlights.

The front bumper and front grille were widened to provide a more “dynamic” look. The engine range has been revised as well. Skoda now offers four petrol units and two diesels across the range. Power outputs range from 60bhp to 105bhp in the Fabia and from 70bhp to 105bhp in the Roomster. Skoda claims that all these engines meet Euro5 guidelines and that they offer lower CO2 emissions and fuel economy over the current models. Skoda’s 105bhp 1.2 TSI engine will be offered in all the models. Consumers can opt for a seven-speed DSG gearbox. All diesel engines feature direct-injection. Another good thing about these cars is that they offer CO2 emissions of no more than 110g/km. Photo gallery after the jump!

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Tags:2010 geneva motor show, 2010 skoda fabia facelift, 2010 skoda roomster facelift, car news, fabia facelift, Geneva Motor Show, Skoda
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Skoda’s vRS awesome versions of the Fabia hatchback and Fabia estate were revealed at the Geneva Motor Show. These cars feature a sport suspension system and are powered by the Volkswagen Group’s 1.4 liter supercharged & turbocharged engine.

This is coupled to the seven speed DSG dual clutch transmission. With these specs, the car develops 180 HP. The engine is a premiere for the Skoda brand. Power is managed through an XDS electronic front differential that simulates the limited-slip function. With this powertrain, the two versions of the Fabia vRS are able to get to the 100 km/h mark in 7.3 seconds. Continued after the jump!

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Tags:2010 fabia rs, 2010 geneva motor show, 2010 skoda fabia vrs, Geneva Motor Show, Skoda
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Skoda has revealed new details about a low-cost family sedan set to rival the Logan, which is produced by Renault’s Dacia subsidiary. In the union’s weekly newsletter, Skoda union chief Jaroslav Povsik sid that a mock-up of the new car, which is dubbed A Entry, has been presented.

The Mlada Fronta Dnes Czech daily newspaper said that the model could have a price tag of about 260,000 crowns ($13,650), which places it at a notch somewhere between Skoda’s Fabia subcompact and the Octavia sedan. The newspaper thinks that the car would be targeting lower-income customers looking for a larger family car. Continued after the jump!

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Starting in March, Volkswagen AG Czech unit Skoda will cut production of its Octavia compact from 574 to 441 vehicles a day at its main factory in Mlada Boleslav, according to a company spokesman.

Last year, Skoda sold a record 684,226 cars, including 273,590 Octavias. The increase in sales came as a result of car scrapping subsidies in markets such as Germany and the expansion in China. Skoda exports about 90% of what it produces. In the first quarter, Skoda cut production of its smaller models due to a drop in demand with the termination of several car scrapping subsidies in west European markets.

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Tags:car news, Skoda, skoda octavia production cut
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Volkswagen AG Czech unit Skoda may have sold a record number of cars in 2009; however, it will view 2010 as a “demanding test.” In 2009, Skoda sold 684,226 vehicles, a 1.4% increase from 2008.

The increase in sales is attributed to its expansion in China as well as car scrapping subsidies in western European markets. In Germany, its main export market, a 57.3% rise in sales was recorded, where subsidies to scrap old cars for new ones boosted demand for the smaller models it produces. In China, sales doubled to 122,556 vehicles. The Czech automotive sector experienced a boost at the end of the year due to car scrapping subsidies in Western markets. This stabilized the export-reliant country’s industrial sector after a fall of more than 20% at the beginning of the year. The car industry is recognized as the most important Czech manufacturing sector, more than 90% of its output exported. Skoda’s sales are equal to about 5% of Czech economic output.

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Tags:car news, Skoda, skoda 2009 sales, skoda record sales
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Skoda’s 2010 Superb Estate, which is expected to arrive in UK showrooms in February, will be priced from £17,715. The pricing for the 125bhp 1.4 TSI model is remarkable as it costs significantly less than its nearest rivals. The 108bhp 1.6 Ford Mondeo estate is priced from £19,895 while the 108bhp 1..6 Volvo V70 costs from £23,245.

The Estate offers six engines, including three petrol and three diesel units. At the top of the range, Skoda has the 3.6-litre V6 260bhp DSG 4×4. Moreover, three rim levels will be offered - S, SE and Elegance. These have standard equipment that includes 16-inch alloy wheels, climate control and split folding rear seats. When it comes to boot space, the Superb Estate also beats its rivals. With its rear seats are folded flat, the Superb Estate can hold 1865 liters to the Mondeo’s 1733 liters and the V70’s 1600 liters. Photo gallery after the jump!

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Czech carmaker Skoda this week started building the 2010 Superb Combi at the Kvasiny production plant. Priced at CZK 589,900 (about US$34,600), the new mid-size station wagon is also referred to as Estate in some markets. The Superb Combi measures 4,838 mm long, 1,817 wide and 1,510 high.

It has a luggage compartment of 633 liters (1,865 liters with the rear seats folded down). In standard configuration, the car comes with a 1.4-liter TSI engine that develops 92 kW (123 horsepower) and mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The car is offered with several engine configurations, either gasoline or diesels, with outputs ranging from 125 hp to 170 hp. With regards to displacement, most of the units will be in the 1.4l range. Completing the lineup is the top of the line 3.6l V6 that develops 260 hp. Photo gallery after the jump!

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Skoda, the Czech unit of Volkswagen AG, will soon have a low-cost family sedan to rival the Logan, which is a product of Renault’s Dacia subsidiary. CEO Reinhard Jung said that within two or three years, Skoda will have its new model go on sale for a price that is estimated to be between 10,000 and 12,000 euros.

While the CEO failed to provide more details, we’ve received reports from German press that the new car will be positioned between the Octavia compact and Fabia subcompact and would use components from both those models. Continued after the jump!

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Tags:car news, Skoda, skoda logan fighter, skoda low-cost sedan, skoda news
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