Skoda confirms two new models

Skoda are to introduced two new models, a Skoda City Car based on the VW Up! and a new small saloon for emerging markets.

It’s now got to the point with Skoda where the skip-on-wheels reputation of the ’70s and ’80s – and even the ‘Cheap’ VW tag of the ’90s and ’00s – has been completely eclipsed by the perception of Skoda as quite simply the maker of some crackingly good cars.

Cars like the brilliant little Skoda Fabia vRS – which we’d take over the Polo GTI (much more character) – and the equally brilliant Skoda Yeti which, although it might not quite live up to Clarkson’s recent tongue-in-cheek assertion as the best car in the world is, nonetheless, exceptionally good.

That change in perception is clear in the confident model range on offer from Skoda and the clever way in which it’s marketed. And, let’s not forget, record levels of sales in 2010 and plans to double that by 2018 prove how much Skoda is getting right.

Skoda’s confident – and individual – design language is key to their success, and at Geneva we had the Skoda Concept which is said to point to a new Skoda design language (and which looked a bit bland to us). Now we get confirmation of two new models utilising that design language.

First up will be a new Skoda City Car – based on the VW Up! – which will become Skoda’s entry-level offering, hoovering up sales in Europe from buyers looking for something small and frugal, and on sale by the end of 2011.

Also in the mix is a new small saloon car which will slot in between the Fabia and Octavia and which Skoda are aiming at emerging markets. Both new models will continue with Skoda’s mantra of ‘Simply Clever’ and both will be styled in line with the Skoda Vision D Concept.

We just hope they look less bland as a production car than ‘In the White’ at Geneva on the Vision D.