Let’s take a first peek into the much-awaited supermini, almost 12 months before it hits the showrooms in the UK.
The New Fabia
Skoda devised a fresh design language that commenced in the form of Vision D at the Geneva Motor Show in the year 2011. This conservative and unassuming style has already made its presence felt in the latest Octavia and Rapid models. However, we have recently found out that the new Fabia has been designed on completely different lines.
The existing Fabia, which was introduced in 2007, happens to be the first among the latest-gen VW superminis to have hit showrooms. Hence, it kind of makes sense for it to be the first one to be replaced.
Design and Construction
Its Chief Design expert Jozef Kaban has confirmed in a recent tête-à-tête that the latest model will be designed to look extremely extrovert; with its broad front grille, LED taillights and angular head-lamps.
He further added that the new Fabia will incorporate a version of the existing model’s stocky, up-sloped C-pillar. And that Skoda is considering offering contrasting hues for the roof, door mirror casings and wheels to give it a swanky appeal, in response to its exclusive Monte Carlo edition’s enormous popularity.
The chief automobile designer, Kaban, also expressed that the entire Skoda clan is utterly excited to create a car that can be very well recognised as a part of the family, while being better communicative than expedient family vehicles of the likes of Skoda Octavia and Rapid Spaceback.
The current Fabia model is built using Volkswagen’s PQ24 platform – a precursor to the latest PQ25, on which the existing VW Polo, Audi A1 and the smashing SEAT Ibiza sit. But the upcoming, 2014 Skoda Fabia will pioneer a new move for the VW group’s small family 4-wheeler segment in the form of an abridged version of the latest Golf’s MQB platform.
The development mule appears to have a tad lengthier wheelbase compared to the Polo’s, which is expected to enhance stability and improve legroom at the rear. The bootlid carries a sticker, which stands for ‘brake test’ in German; however, the wheel-velocity sensors fitted to the hubs unintentionally spill the beans – they sport miniature Skoda labels on all wheels.
The testing prototype we drove was stuffed with weights; which is why it sat in a lower-than-normal position. Also, the additional weight was meant to give the braking system and the drivetrain a really tough workout.
While vRS Fabias became popular in UK, Skoda had to struggle to sell these in other parts of Europe. The next-gen model of the sporty flagship hence, in all probabilities, might be dropped altogether. Instead, a fresh range of diesel and petrol-fuelled engines is being considered, all meeting the rigorous Euro 6 emission guidelines scheduled to be enforced in 2015.
The current Skoda Fabia is priced beginning at £9,945; and its future substitute is expected to be priced at a little more when it appears in showrooms around this time in 2014.
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