car tests

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

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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

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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

The Chinese are preparing their new Skoda Fabia. It will destroy it with everything it boasts, it will be an even bigger and cheaper car

an hour ago | Petr Prokopec

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Photo: MG Motor

The new Fabia intends to make a little of itself, because the VW concern, pushing for electromobility, will only offer it as a less usable car with almost twice the price. The Chinese controlling MG will bet on more traditional technology and get away with the price hundreds of thousands cheaper, even if they come with an even bigger car.

According to statistics, the Karlovy Vary region is the poorest in the Czech Republic, its residents receive an average of 11,000 crowns less than people in Prague. With a bit of exaggeration, we can say that for some people even a roll for 2.90 CZK will be expensive. So would you open a bakery and pastry shop in these places, offering a croissant for 50 crowns and a pinwheel for a hundred? Probably not, even if you managed to lure the local rich. Even they are not curious about the same thing every day.

Now put Europe in place of the Czech Republic, virtually any Eastern country in place of the Karlovy Vary region, and the Volkswagen concern in place of the aforementioned bakery. Or any other car company blindly desiring pure electromobility. It is pushed by politics, but for customers it is more like that one hundred-crown pinwheel, and a spoiled one at that – it can only look good, it’s not much to enjoy anyway. So, if the Germans really intend to make their plans a reality, then they must prepare one hundred percent for the fall in sales. Chinese brands are starting to penetrate the old continent more and more, which apparently have not lost their judgment and understand that more people will still be interested in rolls.

The traditional British brand MG, which is controlled by the Chinese giant SAIC, has been working hard on the third generation of the MG3 model for some time now. The approximately 4.1-meter hatchback, i.e. an even larger version of the Škoda Fabia, is due to arrive next year. However, we should not expect it in the electric version, instead the main device will be a combination of a four-cylinder one-five, an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 2.1 kWh. The system will then offer 109 combustion and 95 electric horses, i.e. relatively high performance.

Of course, it is still too early for the price, but the size of the battery will be one of the reasons why the British-Chinese hatchback will continue to stick to the ground. At the current price of 13,820 pounds (approx. 391,000 CZK), which, by the way, is only a few hundred crowns higher than the price for which the Dacia Sandero can be had in the country, it will not start, but over the target of 17,000 GBP (482,000 crowns) it should not tip over. And this is not only bad news for the VW concern, because for many people the Germans will not have anything to offer, while the Chinese will.

In order not to speak in general terms, we can immediately mention the ID.2all concept, which will result in production electric cars from VW, Škoda and Cupra. The cheapest version should start around 600,000 crowns, i.e. significantly higher than the MG3. At the same time, there will be no worries about range. In addition, the carmaker does not intend to send any bare-bones to the market, so it will already be possible to count on a pair of 12.3-inch displays as standard, one of which will be used for multimedia.

This is exactly what the Chinese threat looks like, which the head of the concern, Oliver Blume, downplays. That’s a look that may end up breaking his neck. It is enough to realize that people already consider such a basic Fabia for 369,900 CZK to be too expensive. However, its electric successor will start slowly at double that, i.e. even higher than where the top Monte Carlo equipment ends today. So will it really sell like hot cakes?

The Chinese also indicate that, depending on the conditions of individual markets, they will also come with other power units, this time purely gasoline or at most mild-hybrid. In the final, they will actually offer those rolls even at a reduced price. But VW still intends to stick to its plan, most likely intending to keep banging its head on the concrete wall until its skull cracks. And he is not alone, the management not only of MG can thus rub their hands over what Europe has gotten itself into.

The existing MG3 currently starts at 391,000 CZK in Britain, i.e. only six hundred crowns more than the Dacia Sandero, even though it is a bigger car than the Skoda Fabia. Its new generation, even with a hybrid system, should not cost more than 482,000 CZK. On the other hand, VW wants to deploy an electric car that is far less usable for more than 600,000 crowns. This really smacks of suicidal tendencies. Photo: MG Motor

Source: Carscoops

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 07:12:09
#Chinese #preparing #Skoda #Fabia #destroy #boasts #bigger #cheaper #car

The most desirable older car is the car whose manufacturer does not show its back to customers, others should learn from this

yesterday | Petr Prokopec

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Photo: Porsche

Recently, so many brands are turning their backs not only on loyal clients, but even on arbitrary customers and their wishes, that it hurts the heart. Porsche doesn’t do this for a long time with the 911 and reaps the fruits that others can only dream of. Isn’t it time to hold your nose?

This year, an unusual phenomenon may occur in the Czech Republic, as Škoda Scala and Kamiq will top the sales statistics for the first time ever and perhaps for the last time. Behind everything is the facelift that was introduced a month ago. However, the first specimens are not expected to reach people until the beginning of next year. However, the prices of the introductory version of the First Edition are already known, and in both cases the clientele has to pay CZK 599,900 out of pocket. This is not exactly a small amount, but you can expect excess pressure in the showrooms, due to the original versions.

The car company started offering the discounted Fresh variant, and at the same time discounts were introduced. In addition, they are not exactly cheap, hatchbacks and small SUVs can be purchased from around 450,000 crowns. At the same time, a liter three-cylinder producing 110 horsepower is working under the hood, i.e. the same unit as the First Edition equipment described above. So here we have a quarter of a difference between two slightly identical cars, because the facelift was barely visible from the start.

However, it is not only about Škoda and the resale of some models, there is talk of discounting on all fronts, not excluding the electric one. Manufacturers are finally starting to understand what we have been trying to tell them for a long time – that is, that new cars are becoming less and less attractive to customers, mainly because they go to the hands of the authorities rather than the clientele themselves. In addition, they are increasingly expensive. When we add to that inflation and the increase in the price of almost everything else, it is not surprising that orders for new cars are stagnant and sales are mainly fueled by the processing of those that are even a few years old.

But if someone expected that the market for used cars of all kinds would go hand in hand with this, they are probably in for a minor shock. It is true that discounting is happening, but few people even manage to notice it. This applies mainly to older cars (30 years or more) with a certain historical value. According to the Mobile.de portal, Europeans paid an average of EUR 34,038 (approx. CZK 819,600) in July, i.e. only 1.6 percent less than in the same month last year. At the same time, there were over 30,000 cars available this year.

The most sought-after car in this category is the Porsche 911 of the 964 generation, which was in production between 1989 and 1994. Apart from that, however, the Zuffenhausen sports car can be found one more time in the top ten ranking, at number eight. These are the pieces that have been produced since 1963. And to make matters worse, the Porsche 911 of the 996 generation also reigns supreme among youngtimers, i.e. among used cars whose age cannot be precisely defined, but let’s talk about cars from the turn of the millennium.

We don’t even have to speculate why this is so. The Porsche 911 has been meeting the wishes of the clientele for a long time, which is why it also remains with the rear engine and rear-wheel drive. In addition, it regularly dominates polls focused on quality and reliability. The car company itself maintains good relations with the owners of older models and does not intend to throw them overboard even with the advent of electromobility. On the contrary, with the help of its own production of synthetic fuels, it wants to keep new models with internal combustion engines on offer even after 2035.

It could be a lesson for other car companies, but they seem to have been mostly boarded up in recent years. As for other popular older cars, BMW remains popular, especially the 3 series. Audi then dominates among those young timers, with the TT, A6/S6/RS6 and A4/S4/RS4 models in the rankings. The complete list of both categories can be found below, we will only add that the average price of youngtimers is 7,832 Euros (188,600 CZK). Even this does not represent a significant decrease compared to last year.

The 10 most wanted oldtimers in 2023 according to Mobile.de

1. Porsche 911 (964)
2. Opel Kadett
3. Ford Mustang
4. BMW 325
5. Audi 100
6. VW Beetle
7. BMW 320
8. Porsche 911
9. Mercedes-Benz 190
10.Volkswagen T3

The 10 most wanted youngtimers for 2023 according to Mobile.de

1. Porsche 911 (996)
2. Volkswagen T4 Multivan
3. BMW 520
4. Volkswagen T4
5. Mercedes-Benz E200
6. Audi TT
7. BMW 320
8. Audi A6/S6/RS6
9. BMW 318
10. Audi A4/S4/RS4

The Porsche 911 has been attracting customers for sixty years, while used car buyers are currently interested in both the first water-cooled generation 996 and pieces produced from 1963 to 1994. Photo: Porsche

Source: Mobile.de

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.

2023-09-01 14:54:06
#desirable #older #car #car #manufacturer #show #customers #learn

The dashboard camera once again filmed what can happen to your car in the service when you are not looking

3 hours ago | Peter Miller

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Photo: Vortex Radar, press materials

We want to believe that the vast majority of car repair shops are staffed by honest people who want to help you with your problem, get paid adequately for it, and nothing else. At least the exceptions to the rule appear with iron regularity.

Entrusting someone more or less unknown with something that means something to you for whatever reason is always tricky. If you entrust your apartment to craftsmen, you have to hope that they will not start using it as their own, that after coming home in the afternoon you will not find cigarette butts and a drunken beer bottle that you saved for yourself in the trash, a silhouette of a figure on the bed, and the residue of bodily fluids in the toilet, put diplomatically. But no one can ever guarantee you in advance that it won’t happen if you don’t stand behind the person in question all day. And you probably won’t, because if you do, you can slowly do it yourself.

It’s the same with a car. You entrust it with a service and a key, with the understanding that its employees will do some work on it, but your car may just be useful for someone on a shopping trip. Or he’ll like it, so he’ll just hang out with him, show him to the “girls”, whatever. It’s extremely unprofessional if the person doesn’t get your approval (I tell a mechanic I know in advance: “Go ahead and drive it if you like it,” but that’s because I really know him and know he’s going to treat the car politely), yet unfortunately it happens more often than is healthy.

The latest such case took place at an official Chevrolet dealer in Burlington, North Carolina, where one of the owners of an exceptional C7 generation Corvette Z06 wanted to fix a misfire on one of the cylinders. It was already difficult to get the repair shop to do anything, when he first entrusted the car to him and the garage did nothing, then he took it, entrusted it to him again and did nothing, and in the end it took almost a month to fix the car. But the real shock came after taking over the car.

Sunglasses were missing from inside the car, so the owner looked at the dash cam footage from the main photo, which can be purchased as an accessory to the radar detector. Only then did he understand what was happening to his car. The car was gradually misused by two employees, one of whom went to show the car to his wife, girlfriend or anyone, just a complete stranger. She even understood that the camera from the window is probably recording everything that happens to the car, but the service employee was clearly not excited about it.

The other, for a change, was very excitedly driving the car on public roads, but he too probably understood that he might be being recorded, saying, “It’s good,” just to be sure, before explaining his behavior by saying, “I have to make sure it’s good for the customer.” Yes, a post-repair drive is necessary unless the customer discovers that problems persist. But this was far beyond a proper verification of the state of things, not to mention the first trip. Unfortunately, this is far from the first time we’ve seen something like this, so especially with the more interesting cars, you’d better be careful if you don’t want this. Even in authorized services, some people apparently can’t help themselves…

A similar Corvette Z06 has become the subject of abuse, which you can see for yourself in the video below. It’s not really a pretty sight. Illustrated photo: Chevrolet

Source: Carscoops

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.

2023-08-27 07:02:24
#dashboard #camera #filmed #happen #car #service