car comparison tests

Škoda has to change the name of its key model, the famous singer succeeded in her lawsuit against the car company

today | Peter Miller

/

Photo: Jaroslav Vavera, Autoforum.cz

A big line over the budget, that’s how people inside the car company evaluate the result of a court case lasting several years. The court sided with the Irish diva at a time when Škoda had already managed to build a name for its model across Europe.

The story formally called Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin Vs. Škoda Auto as has reached its resolution. When saying the above-mentioned words, you might think that today we will be talking about some local Indian trade dispute, but such an assumption could not be further from the truth. It is the civil name of the singer, whom the world knew under the stage name Enya. And you probably already know where the wind is blowing from.

From the beginning, the Irish diva didn’t like the fact that Škoda, without any consultation with her, already in September 2020 stuck the name Enyaq on its latest model – basically her name with the letter Q at the end. The effort to get the car company to cooperate or at least find another kind of business solution to the obviously different views of the two parties on the possible use of the letters E, N, Y and A did not lead to success, so Mrs. Bhraonáin filed a lawsuit against the Czech car company through her lawyers. Target? To stop Škoda from using her name for a car product, saying that it is parasitic on her fame, which she started building decades before any Enyaq came on the market.

Thus started a protracted legal dispute, which people from Škoda have long downplayed. “We found it absurd, Enyaq can barely be heard while Enya screams as if she is being stabbed,” one of the employees of Škoda’s legal department, who did not want to be named because he is not authorized to speak for the company, told us about the matter. Over time, however, the dispute gained seriousness, and the court of first instance ruled in favor of the Irish woman. Less than four years and several stalls later, the final verdict was reached.

The Court of Appeal in Young Gloryhurts concluded that Škoda must have known what it was doing given Ms Bhraonáin’s familiarity. According to him, Škoda Auto a.s. “consciously chose the name of the car parasitizing the name of a famous artist without any sign of willingness to admit the potential contribution of this aspect to the commercial success of the product” and the Czech car company with his decision “forbids further use of the name Enyaq to designate any product and with effect from April 2 2024 to end its use in the company’s promotional materials”. The verdict is final and cannot be appealed. The same applies to the awarded compensation in the amount of 10 million Euros (253 million CZK), which the Škoda company must pay to the singer along with all court costs.

Financially, these are relatively small for Škoda, the problem is the necessary renaming of the car and the change of all presentation materials – here the technical costs will already be higher, not to mention the potential business impacts. Today, Enyaq is an established product and a key model for Škoda, now it will have to call itself something else. “We should have agreed with her at any cost,” says our source. “But Schäfer (head of Škoda – editor’s note) said that she can be happy that we are taking her out of [uměleckého] grave and won’t give her a penny,” he added.

The Czech carmaker must now quickly figure out what to do with the car, starting tomorrow it must not sell it under today’s name. And one way is emerging – Škoda has already been contacted by the Kenyan embassy, ​​saying that they are even willing to pay for it if the automaker switches to the Kenyaq label, unlike the often mentioned Irish company, they would consider it a good promo. Paste K at the beginning, that would work. Now just so they don’t hear from Mattel – Barbie’s “Kenyan” might also be unhappy that he wasn’t thought of…

If it seemed to you on April 2 that Enyaqu’s name had not changed, don’t forget which day preceded that date. We wanted to stay true to tradition, even though this year April 1 falls on another traditional day…

Shame on Kenyaq? You may be looking at it right now, the Enyaq label is popular in Mladá Boleslav. Photo: Škoda Auto

Source: Autoforum

Petr Miler

All articles on Autoforum.cz are comments expressing the editor’s or author’s opinion. Except for articles marked as advertising, the content is not sponsored or similarly influenced by third parties.

2024-04-01 20:23:27
#Škoda #change #key #model #famous #singer #succeeded #lawsuit #car #company

Once you could buy a Škoda Superb in a luxury version with a V6 TDI engine and a manual, even in this condition it is a rarity today

9 hours ago | Peter Miller

/

Photo: Basti, published with permission

The idea of ​​any new Škoda with a six-cylinder engine seems completely surreal today, and if it was even a diesel, it would be a perfect utopia. But even such an engine could once be bought for a Superb, even with a manual gearbox. This is one of the few preserved pieces.

Anyone who likes cars and didn’t live through the beginning of the new millennium in the “car boom” must be a happier person today. It is absolutely fascinating from today’s point of view what versions of new cars of all kinds were offered back then, something like this has never come back and we fear it never will.

It doesn’t really matter if you can think of anything from an Alfa Romeo 147 to a Volkswagen Golf IV, you could have almost anything in two words. Alfa could be had with gasoline from 1.6 R4 to 3.2 V6, in addition to several diesels, a number of transmissions. But the true experts in variability were at VW, when even an ordinary Golf could be equipped with four-, five- and six-cylinder engines, front and all-wheel drives, automatic transmissions of several types, and three types of bodywork (or five, if we count the Boro as well). Today’s range of engines, drives and transmissions for practically anything more ordinary is a mockery.

Škoda also profited from this situation at the time, which offered, among other things, the first generation Superb. Although it was a relatively unsuccessful car from today’s point of view, you could also have it in a flood of motorizations. So it happened that a six-cylinder turbodiesel got into a personal Škoda for the first time – and unfortunately also for the last time. Believe it or not, today a dead type of engine even for cars like smaller Mercedes, it was possible to have an ordinary Superb under the hood, alongside several four-cylinder variants and another six-cylinder.

It was a 2.5 TDI engine, from today’s point of view a bit archaic with 163 hp, but let’s be fair – the range of 1.9 TDI versions for the Superb ended at 130 hp at the time, so this was an option to aim even higher. And it wasn’t so much about performance as it was about elegance, this is a fine engine next to the TDI PD units with four cylinders. It’s quite understandable that whoever bought this car usually drove it heavily, it’s the highway cruiser par excellence. The vast majority of sold cars have been in junkyards for a long time or are sitting in the corners of bazaars with many hundreds of thousands of kilometers on them. But the three owners of the car in the photos below were not like that.

The car with this drive and luxurious specification with a number of extras saved quite a bit, so after 17 years in the world it still has an acceptable 160,900 km. This is really not enough for such an old Superb V6 TDI, and although the car is far from new, even in this condition the six-cylinder version today represents a rare offer. In addition, it should be added that the engine in this case is connected to a manual gearbox, which was exotic even then for a six-cylinder diesel. Today… Well, we’d rather not deliver the night.

He is seriously a great messenger from the past, whose existence some will not even believe. But this car is real and can be yours for 5,799 euros, i.e. about 143,000 crowns. Whether it is too much or too little, judge for yourself, if you are interested in it, you have to go to see the private owner from far away in Bremerhaven, Germany. But this car can certainly be worth it to someone.

Skoda actually once offered a car with a V6 TDI engine, it was the first generation Superb. Even in combination with a manual gearbox, this piece is reminiscent of this to this day. Photo: Basti, published with permission

Source: Skoda Superb 2.5 TDI V6 Elegance@Mobile.de

Petr Miler

All articles on Autoforum.cz are comments expressing the editor’s or author’s opinion. Except for articles marked as advertising, the content is not sponsored or similarly influenced by third parties.

2024-01-01 13:52:40
#buy #Škoda #Superb #luxury #version #TDI #engine #manual #condition #rarity #today

What does it look like inside the engine while running? The Russians showed it on a unit with a transparent block

4 hours ago | Peter Miller

/

Photo: Pavel Janda, Autoforum.cz

We have seen similar attempts before, but they usually showed what was happening inside the unit through the transparent cylinder head. The Russians went further – they kept the engine head original, they made the block transparent. The result is a truly quirky show.

It was the winter of 2022 and the folks at Garage 54 had another crazy idea. They took an engine from an old Moskvich and mounted a transparent cylinder head on it to show what was going on inside it while running. It was an interesting experiment, but in the end it ended like many other experiments of Russian mechanics – although we could see something, the transparent head quickly became cloudy and began to flow. It was not worthless, but this attempt was far from a clear success.

Fortunately, those in question are stubborn enough not to give up such efforts right away. So this time they bet on a slightly different, more transparent material, from which they created not the head, but even the engine block with cylinder liners. To reduce compression, they increased its volume compared to the factory condition and minimized stress between the head and the crankshaft. And it immediately got better, but not that much better.

The first attempt to start failed, the second did not. Well, not right away. The mixture in the transparent cylinder ignited too late and detonation occurred, resulting in the block bursting. But fortunately not so that the attempt does not continue. So, after adjusting the engine settings, there was another ignition and voila, the transparent engine really started. And due to the use of more transparent Plexiglas, we can see in remarkable detail what is happening inside it.

Soon, however, the initially small crack began to enlarge, and after a few seconds the chosen material capitulated to the flood of heat that began to spread inside the unit. Nevertheless, it can be considered a success that the experiment reached this stage. Take a look for yourself, you won’t see the inside of an internal combustion engine in a similar way.

Automobile companies sometimes allow us to see the inside of their power units using cuts (here of the 1.0 TSI Skoda Octavia engine), but only statically or with an external drive. Below you can see the engine from the inside in a situation where it is powering itself using internal combustion. Illustration photo: Pavel Janda, Autoforum.cz

Source: GArage54@YouTube

Petr Miler

All articles on Autoforum.cz are comments expressing the editor’s or author’s opinion. Except for articles marked as advertising, the content is not sponsored or similarly influenced by third parties.

2023-10-29 06:39:49
#engine #running #Russians #showed #unit #transparent #block

Basically, the new BMW X2 looks terrible, people have a hard time believing it’s a BMW at all

4 hours ago | Peter Miller

/

Photo: BMW

Elegance, timelessness, originality? This “Bavarian” didn’t see any of this even from the express car. The completely interchangeable design is perhaps no longer even trying to shock cheaply, it is simply unsuccessful. And you haven’t seen the basic design yet.

A few days ago, BMW showed the world the new generation of the X2 model, and the echoes of the subsequent gasps can still be heard today. We called the car a monster, and perhaps we were even milder towards it. Reactions to the visual concept of the latest Bavarian novelty are almost exclusively much more uncompromising – they are uncompromisingly critical.

At the same time, with the “Bavarians” from recent years, we have somehow gotten used to various design experiments. The giant kidneys of the 7 series, the vertical same as the current M3 and M4, the uncharacteristically massive M2, the cartoonish XM or the confused electric iX, all this and much more prepares a person for a lot. None of these oddities, however, can prepare a person for the faintness and lack of concept of the new X2, which basically did not impress BMW at all. If we ignore the front kidneys, this car could easily be called a Kia and no one would be surprised.

Another aspect is that the mentioned models such as M2, M3, M4, Series 7 or SUVs iX and XM are at least technically or otherwise factually interesting and you can take the design as something secondary, you can also take it as an attempt to shock cheaply, which simply did not work for you . But the new X2 is a dozen front-wheel drive with added rear-wheel drive for an extra charge, which has absolutely nothing to impress – from the basic concept to only three- and four-cylinder engines. And the electric iX2 only forces you to swallow dry – with a weight of 2.1 tons and a length somewhat less than that of the Škoda Octavia, with a maximum speed of only 180 km/h, it is a car completely outside the standards of the competitiveness of modern cars. And as a cheap design shock, its concept will not pass either, there is actually nothing extraordinary and daring, the car is simply ugly.

And you know what’s worst? We’ve always seen better. At the premiere, the automaker only boasted shots of richly specified versions with the M package, but for this particular model, low gasoline and diesel specifications in the basic version will also be frequent choices. We can see that now, and if the sight of the top-of-the-line new X2 was a shock, only now can we say without hesitation that the new product looks truly shocking.

See for yourself, especially the view from the rear three-quarters will spoil your day, the car resembles something like a Pontiac Aztek or other famous horrors of automotive history. Sure, looking at design is always subjective, but we’re not alone in this. The reactions of the Internet discussants are almost exclusively negative, and perhaps the most common comments are those in which people refuse to believe that this is a BMW. Unfortunately it is.

Will anyone buy it without the tendency to ride it with a bag over their head? That is a question to which only time will give an answer, but we will tell you ours right now. With a price starting at over 1.1 million CZK (at least now when recalculating the German prices, the Czech ones have not yet been published), we consider a car that looks and is technically designed like this to be very difficult to sell. Not to mention the electric version starting at around 300,000 crowns more.

This is the basic BMW X2 and iX2 without the M package. If you are now shouting something like: “My eyes, my eyes!” we have complete understanding for you. Photo: BMW

Source: BMW

Petr Miler

All articles on Autoforum.cz are comments expressing the editor’s or author’s opinion. Except for articles marked as advertising, the content is not sponsored or similarly influenced by third parties.

2023-10-15 04:10:32
#Basically #BMW #terrible #people #hard #time #believing #BMW

Even Škoda already produces more SUVs than anything else, the challenge of the head of production in connection with this makes you smile bitterly

yesterday | Petr Prokopec

/

Photo: Škoda Auto

We really don’t see the popularity of SUVs anymore, but we can’t help but be surprised by the steps taken by the Czech car company. On what planet does the brand’s head of production and logistics live when, in the face of clear sales figures, he sees the future in cars like the Škoda Enyaq?

Currently, there are only a handful of car brands that can do without an SUV in their lineup. Brands such as Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce eventually headed into these waters, and we have to head towards exotics such as McLaren, Pagani or Koenigsegg to discover exceptions. It is therefore not a shock that even in the case of Škoda, they already make up over half of the portfolio – we mainly have the well-known trio of Kamiq, Karoq and Kodiaq here in Europe, which are very important for sales today. The electric Enyaq, together with its Coupe version, tends to languish in markets flooded with subsidies, only the Scala sells worse. In addition, there is the relatively successful Indian Kushaq, and the Kamiq GT and Kodiaq GT derivatives are also offered on the Chinese market. In contrast, only the Fabia, Octavia, Superb and the mentioned Scala stand.

The Mladoboleslav carmaker has recently announced that it has already produced its three millionth SUV, with 841,900 Kodiaqs (including the GT version) and 705,800 Karoqs. In third place we find the no-longer-offered Yeti (684,500 units), while the Kamiq (again including the GT version) is fourth with 537,100 “notches” on the stock. At first glance, the Kushaq (63,900 units) does not look like a very successful model, but let’s not forget the fact that it will only be available from 2021, and that too in a single market. At the same time, ordinary Indians are not known as a nation drowning in money.

However, what caught our attention the most in the press release was the statement by Andreas Dick, who is in charge of production and logistics at Škoda. He mentioned that “our mission is clear: we are fully committed to electrifying our SUV range and adapting our production facilities accordingly. Challenge accepted!” But something like that can’t even be called determination, it’s a blatant disregard for reality. As we mentioned, the Enyaq is no slouch, this year in Europe it has only 31,000 sales until July, and even the Octavia surpasses it by three times. The aforementioned Indian Kushaq is also very close to its current sales.

In addition, the electric SUV basically only benefits from subsidies, it found only 1,027 buyers in our country this year, which is less than a quarter of the mentioned Scala. Still, does the brand see a future in electric SUVs? What on earth is this strategy? Or perhaps Dick feels that the challenge is trying to sink to the bottom as quickly as possible? If so, then we are not even surprised that he is burning with enthusiasm for her. Such a mission can be fulfilled, although we are not sure that anyone besides the brand’s production chief will be happy about it.

It can only be added that the Kodiaq in black and with Sportline equipment became the jubilee three-millionth SUV. Even this fact makes you smile. At a time when Škoda is pushing electromobility like crazy, being the brand’s PR department we would really make sure that any Enyaq becomes that milestone, even if it is the only such car produced on the necessary day. It didn’t happen, instead we have a car that will only be available in the upcoming second generation with at least some form of electrified system, namely with hybrid units.

Mladoboleslav boasted three million SUVs already produced. Their journey started in 2009 with the Yeti model, and the latest innovation is the electric Enyaq. The brand also mentions the Trekka model in its press materials, which was produced in New Zealand between 1966 and 1972. However, the car manufacturer, as AZNP, only supplied this SUV with technical sets consisting of engines and gearboxes. Photo: Škoda Auto

Source: Škoda Auto, JATO Dynamics, SDA

Petr Prokopec

All articles on Autoforum.cz are comments expressing the editor’s or author’s opinion. Except for articles marked as advertising, the content is not sponsored or similarly influenced by third parties.

2023-09-23 12:42:51
#Škoda #produces #SUVs #challenge #production #connection #smile #bitterly

The Russian car market is once again the third largest in Europe, narrowly missing second place

6 hours ago | Petr Prokopec

/

Photo: Chery

The impact of the sanctions imposed on Russia will certainly be discussed for a long time and there is no point in jumping to conclusions. From a medium-term point of view, however, it is obvious that at least they did not sink the Russian car market. And the places of brands like Škoda were taken by the Chinese.

Economic sanctions, in addition to the provision of various forms of aid, are the main way Western countries have responded to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is a usual and understandable step, but the nature of some of the sanctions introduced from the beginning does not look like a path that should harm exclusively or dominantly the Russians.

First of all, we have never understood why the sanctions are intended to restrict the export of anything non-military to this country. Such restrictions can be accepted by Russia itself as a reaction to the ban on the export of its goods to the EU or the USA, but why are we banning it ourselves? The idea that someone will make significant use of the Skoda Octavia in the war is naive, it looks more like an attempt to punish the Russians by not being able to buy something. But who does it hurt more in the end?

If anyone felt that this would sink the Russian car market simply because there would be nothing to buy, they were wrong. This was fully demonstrated in August this year, when a total of 109,731 new cars were sold in Russia after several months of growth. Compared to the same period last year, this is a 2.6-fold increase in registrations, in which, apart from Lady, mainly Chinese car companies have a share, which took advantage of the offered opportunity and quickly occupied the empty space vacated by brands such as Škoda. For them, Russia was the second largest market in the world, now it is nothing for them.

It is not the first time that we have mentioned that sales in Russia are growing rapidly again, but what is particularly noteworthy is its return to the automotive map of Europe. Thanks to the mentioned sales, the country became again the third largest car market in Europe, only Germany (273,417 units) and France (113,499 units) sold more new cars in August. The land of the Gallic Rooster is also within easy reach.

The balance for the first eight months of this year is not so good for the Russians, but even in this respect it is evident that the market is returning to its old ways. Almost 607,000 new cars were sold, i.e. 41 percent more than last year. Analysts thus assume that this year’s final bill could even rise to 950,000 to 1 million cars. That’s really not enough.

Currently, just for the sake of completeness, we will add that Russia has surpassed both Great Britain, Italy and Spain. In these countries, 85,657, 79,756 and 55,597 new cars were sold in August, respectively. In all these markets, including leader Germany and second France, there was year-on-year growth. Compared to Russia, however, this is only a small shift.

Bestsellers in Russia are cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 SUV, which is also produced in the country. Chery itself is taking more and more bites out of the Russian pie, and it has something to offer, sales there are almost back to where they were before the war. This Chinese brand alone can claim up to 200,000 Russian registrations this year. Photo: Chery

Source: Avtostat

Petr Prokopec

All articles on Autoforum.cz are comments expressing the editor’s or author’s opinion. Except for articles marked as advertising, the content is not sponsored or similarly influenced by third parties.

2023-09-09 11:23:00
#Russian #car #market #largest #Europe #narrowly #missing #place