Friday 14th December 2012

New Octavia vRS photos leaked

Skoda's own configurator shows us what the the next-gen vRS will look like. Briefly.

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Lovers of alternative hot hatches and undercover police drivers, rejoice: here’s a sneak preview of the new Octavia vRS, thanks to an inadvertent leak from Skoda itself.

Soon to be seen with blue lights behind the grille

The new vRS will make its official debut next July, and should look something like this. It’s a case of evolution rather than revolution, with the new model’s looks based heavily on those of the previous generation. Square-set grilles, thumping great exhausts and a boot-mounted hoop spoiler all echo older vRSs. There’s nothing groundbreaking here, but it isn't offensive, either.

There’s no word yet on the technical specification of the new model, but it's looking as though it’ll get a version of the Mk7 Golf GTI’s 2.0-litre TFSI engine, which should be rated somewhere around the 200hp mark.

Pictures of the new model appeared briefly as part of the online car configurator on Skoda’s Slovak website. Apparently, configuring your Fabia in a certain way brought up these pictures of the new vRS. Unsurprisingly, the configurator has now been taken down for ‘technical reasons’. Oops.

First-gen estate still a great buy

Meanwhile, it’s now possible to get hold of one of the first-generation vRSs for £2,000, which seems pretty good value for a genuinely entertaining driver’s car that has space for the whole family. This one’s done reasonable mileage, if a touch above average, and still looks good despite its age. Or, for £400 more, you can get the estate version, which drives just as tidily and has vast reserves of carrying capacity in its boxy behind. Both models have 180hp from the proven 1.8-litre 20v turbo that has seen service in the Golf GTi, Leon Cupra and Audi S3, plus a whole host of others. And if that’s not quite enough power for you, it’s easily re-mappable, too. Tempting, no?

[BorkFactor]

Surely a publicity stunt of some sort? If not that is quite a mistake!

Looks a nice car anyway, always fancied one of those.

[Rawwr]

Sort of has a Mercedes-Benz C-Class look about it.

[g3org3y]

[BlueMR2]

Looks like they are trying to save even more money and take skoda down a level.

Still, I'm sure plenty of people will want a seat exeo hand me down with new bumpers.

[-crookedtail-]

BlueMR2 said:

Looks like they are trying to save even more money and take skoda down a level.

Still, I'm sure plenty of people will want a seat exeo hand me down with new bumpers.

Why is this based on a b7 A4 too?

[SpudLink]

BorkFactor said:

Surely a publicity stunt of some sort? If not that is quite a mistake!

Small screw up in the software release process. Happens often, but sometimes the mistake is more high profile than others.

[justa1972]

Rawwr said:

Sort of has a Mercedes-Benz C-Class look about it.

thats what I thought - I quite like it

[farrendahl]

BlueMR2 said:

Looks like they are trying to save even more money and take skoda down a level.

Still, I'm sure plenty of people will want a seat exeo hand me down with new bumpers.

As this is a brand new model based on the VAG group MQB platform it makes you statement rather null and void. Yes the styling is more conservative and staid than other Skodas of late but I personally think it suits the brands direction 100%

[Bohemianesque]

farrendahl said:

As this is a brand new model based on the VAG group MQB platform it makes you statement rather null and void. Yes the styling is more conservative and staid than other Skodas of late but I personally think it suits the brands direction 100%

+1

[lewisf182]

Is it me or is virtually every main stream car more of a evolution than revolution these days? (perhaps ignoring the insignia and astra). The passat, 3 series, golf etc all look virtually the same as the previous model and more of a face lift? Is it maybe the fact that they invested less in design/ R&D during the late 00's due to the economy and we are now seeing the effects of this cost cutting?

[farrendahl]

lewisf182 said:

Is it me or is virtually every main stream car more of a evolution than revolution these days? (perhaps ignoring the insignia and astra). The passat, 3 series, golf etc all look virtually the same as the previous model and more of a face lift? Is it maybe the fact that they invested less in design/ R&D during the late 00's due to the economy and we are now seeing the effects of this cost cutting?

I think that may have something to do with it, at the same time although new car sales are starting to increase manufacturers are still loathed to risk alienating buyers with completely brand new designs in what is still an extremely tough economic climate, The old adage, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, springs to mind. After all, if you know people will buy the old design in their droves why risk by completely changing it all? It may not be the most imaginative or creative approach to design, but fiscally it makes masses of sense.

[anonymous-user]

Now that is a very good looking car, much better looking than the Merc/Audi/BMW counterpart.

[va1o]

I really like the look of the standard spec new Octavia, but this just looks awkward to me. The shape doesn't really work with the VRS styling elements.

-crookedtail- said:

BlueMR2 said:

Looks like they are trying to save even more money and take skoda down a level.

Still, I'm sure plenty of people will want a seat exeo hand me down with new bumpers.

Why is this based on a b7 A4 too?

No its not, uses the Golf MK7 MQB platform.

[CHIEF]

Of topic slightly does the old 1.8T actually use the S3 engine, I always thought the S3 had forged pistons and crank?

I always assumed the VRS was the VAG 1.8t engine with a bit more boost?

[Mikey G]

CHIEF said:

Of topic slightly does the old 1.8T actually use the S3 engine, I always thought the S3 had forged pistons and crank?

I always assumed the VRS was the VAG 1.8t engine with a bit more boost?

1.8 20VT is found in many VAG's with varying levels of performance, not just the S3 or Octavia VRS.

[marcosgt]

I like it.

I was a big fan of the mark 1, but never really liked the bloated mk2 much.

This looks like a return to form, much sharper lines than the Mr Blobby model.

M.

PS I thought the S3 just had a bigger turbo? The 210 BHP SEATs were an ECU upgrade.

[va1o]

Mikey G said:

CHIEF said:

Of topic slightly does the old 1.8T actually use the S3 engine, I always thought the S3 had forged pistons and crank?

I always assumed the VRS was the VAG 1.8t engine with a bit more boost?

1.8 20VT is found in many VAG's with varying levels of performance, not just the S3 or Octavia VRS.

1.8 20v T was an Audi developed unit IIRC, but essentially the same engine used across the VW, SEAT and Skoda ranges.

[loveice]

PSBuckshot said:

Now that is a very good looking car, much better looking than the Merc/Audi/BMW counterpart.

Do Merc/Audi/BMW have counterparts for this car? I don't think so.

Octavia has always been a C Segment 4-door saloon (or 5-door estate). Merc/Audi/BMW have C-Segment hatches/ cabs/coupes, but no saloons.

The nearest thing to Octavia from Germany is VW's Jetta/Bora which is the same car with different skin.

[trashbat]

Why's that A4 got a Kia grille on it?

[kambites]

loveice said:

Octavia has always been a C Segment 4-door saloon (or 5-door estate). Merc/Audi/BMW have C-Segment hatches/ cabs/coupes, but no saloons.

The Octavia has never been available with four doors; always five.