Škoda Reimagines its “Hundred” as a Modern Electric Vehicle
Škoda is challenging its past positioning with a striking new design study for a modern interpretation of the Škoda 100. Traditionally, the Škoda 100 served as the Czechoslovakian people’s car, while luxury models were represented by Tatra or Soviet imports. This new concept aims too elevate the “hundred” to a class capable of competing with vehicles like the Audi A6 or BMW 5 Series.
The design, created by Škoda headlight design team member Martin Paclt, was developed entirely using virtual reality. Paclt drew inspiration from the proportions of the current Škoda Superb, resulting in a concept slightly larger in scale. He specifically chose the Škoda 100 as his subject due to its historical significance – it was the first Škoda model to exceed one million units produced, and a widely recognizable vehicle in Czechoslovakia, despite car ownership remaining a relative luxury in the early 1970s.
Paclt was drawn to the original 100’s “clean and timeless shapes,” finding resonance with Škoda’s current “Modern Solid” design language. he notes the angular design represented a significant aesthetic shift from the rounded “embéček” models of the preceding era, mirroring trends in Western European automotive design of the time.
The modern prototype incorporates design cues from the original Škoda 100, including a high door line, the classic three-box body shape, and intake holes in the rear fenders. Despite being envisioned as an electric vehicle, the design retains a functional air intake located on the rear roofline, reminiscent of the original’s rear-mounted engine. This intake serves to cool the car’s technology housed behind the cabin.
Further echoing the original, the rear windowless design is intended to visually mirror the shape of the front windshield, a characteristic of the early Škoda 100. The vehicle features rear-wheel drive and maintains a front luggage compartment, as in the original, alongside a smaller compartment above the electric motor. Modern touches include a sculpted hood bearing the Škoda inscription and integrated light strips at the front and rear, reflecting Paclt’s expertise in headlight design.
The design process began with customary pencil sketches before being fully realized in 3D on a computer. Paclt, an eleven-year veteran of Škoda, utilized the current Superb’s design as a foundational starting point, adjusting the proportions to achieve the final concept.
