Skoda to Bring Special Fabia RS+ and Octavia RS+ at Wörthersee Meeting

The VW Group will be going full force at next week's GTI tuning event at the Austrian lake Wörthersee. Aside from the two special VW Golf GTIs and seven Audi A1s, the German group will also showcase conceptual versions of the new Fabia RS and the Octavia RS.

Inspired by the S2000 rally model, the Fabia RS+ design study will be wrapped in a two-tone vinyl with matching green alloy wheels. The hot hatch will also feature an aero kit that includes a new bonnet with air vents, front spoiler, side skirts and a rear diffuser, as well as an updated interior boasting bucket seats and a sportier trim.

No word if Skoda's engineers fiddled around with the Fabia RS' mechanical hardware, but as a reminder, the standard version is powered by a 180HP 1.4-liter TSI turbocharged petrol engine that drives the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission with paddle-shifters.

The Octavia RS+ will feature similar mods including an aero kit, new alloy wheels in a green tint and an upgraded interior. Again, Skoda did not say if it made any performance updates to the car's suspension and/or the 200HP 2.0 TSI engine.

We'll have full details and pictures of both cars at next week's Wörthersee event.

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Skoda Expands Octavia Range with New 1.2-Liter Turbo Petrol, Adds DSG Option to 1.6 TDI

The refreshed Octavia, which is essentially Skoda's (better) take on the VW Jetta, has received new engine and transmission options for 2010. In particular, both the liftback and estate versions are now offered with a new, downsized 1.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder TSI gasoline engine with direct-injection while the 1.6 TDI CR 105HP diesel models can now be equipped with the VW Group's DSG dual-clutch transmission.

The 1.2-liter TSI produces 105 horsepower and can be matted to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed DSG dual clutch transmission.

It propels the hatch from zero to 62mph (100km/h) in 10.8 seconds (Estate: 10.9 seconds) while returning a combined fuel economy of 49.6mpg UK, which is equal to 41.3mpg US and 5.7 lt/100km (Estate: 48.6mpg UK).

In the UK, prices for the Octavia 1.2 TSI start from £12,935 for the liftback and from £13,835 for the Estate.

At the same time, Skoda added the option of a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox to the latest generation 1.6-liter turbo diesel with 105HP. The DSG is available with the same bodystyle and trim combinations as the 1.2 TSI (S and SE) as well as in Elegance guise. Prices for the 1.6 TDI DSG models start from £16,495 for the hatch and from £17,395 for the Estate.

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Would You Believe that this Skoda Octavia RS Photo has More than 3,400 Diggs in Less than 48 hours?

Sometimes we begin to wonder if there's any logic at what makes internet users 'click'. Take this photo for example. You'd think that it wouldn't be worth a second look, but believe it or not, this cropped picture of a red-colored Skoda Octavia RS Mk1 has received more than 3,400 votes on Digg (so far, that is) in less than 48 hours! And like most of you that are reading this post now, we too were curious to find out what makes this photo so special to draw the attention of so many internet users.

Well, to answer that question we headed over to the comment section of the specific Digg post. While some commentators "saw" a snake and others a... toilet seat at the rear bench, what really made internet users 'tick' in this case was the bear sticker on the window as it was linked to the so-called "Pedobear" which in turn is associated with pedophiles - swear to God, first time we ever heard about this.

Not surprisingly, to most folks that explanation sounds a lot better than let's say, the owner's kid simply put the sticker on the window...

But as one user on Digg wisely put it, "It's amazing how easily people are amused these days...". Nuff said.

Via: Digg , Photo: Imageshack

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VIDEO: Meet the 2009 Skoda Octavia RS Facelift

You've read the details, seen the photos, time to watch Skoda's facelifted hot Octavia RS in a bit of video action. Like its forerunner, the sportiest model of the Octavia range offers buyers the choice of two turbocharged four-cylinder engines, a 2.0-liter TSI gasoline unit with 200HP that averages 7.5lt/100km (31.4mpg US or 37.7mpg UK) and a 2.0-liter TDI diesel with a combined consumption of 5.7lt/100km (41.3mpg US or 49.6mpg UK). Both engines are hooked up to a six-speed twin-clutch DSG transmission. -Thanks for the tip Bert!

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2009 Skoda Octavia RS Facelift: Updated Album with 30 High-Res Photos

After releasing initial details and photos of its facelifted Octavia RS (or vRS for the UK market) in late April, Skoda has now published a full gallery of both the five-door and estate variants of the model. For 2009, the Czech automaker's family-happy GTI gets a restyled front fascia, revamped tail lights, updated interior trim and minor chassis upgrades. Both Octavia RS models are offered with two engine options, a 2.0-liter TSI petrol unit with 200HP and a 2.0-liter TDI diesel producing 170HP. Skip the jump for the picture gallery or click here for more detailed information.

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2009 Skoda Octavia Scout Crossover: First Photos of Facelift Version

Along with the updated 2009 Octavia RS saloon and estate models, Skoda also released the first official photos of its facelifted Octavia Scout. The new crossover-ish version of the Octavia features a redesigned front grille and headlamps, plus body-colored side mouldings, and restyled bumpers and tail lights. Unlike the rest of the models in Skoda's Scout range, the Octavia is equipped with VW Group's all-wheel drive system that features a fourth-generation Haldex clutch, which can transfer as much as 86 percent of the torque to a single wheel.

Furthermore, the Octavia Scout has a higher ground clearance (179mm) than the standard Estate versions upon which it is based. The Scout is available with two engines options, the 160HP 1.8 TSI petrol and the 140HP 2.0 TDI diesel, both of which are combined with a six-speed manual transmission.

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Facelifted Skoda Octavia RS - First Official Photos of Golf GTI Based Sport Models

After launching the facelifted Octavia sedan and estate at the Paris Auo Show late last year, Skoda has now updated its range topping Octavia RS (or vRS for the UK market) that's available in both five-door liftback and station wagon variants. Changes on the vehicle that could be described as a more practical and spacious version of the previous generation Golf GTI as the two models share the same platform and 200HP 2.0 TSI gasoline (there's also a 170HP 2.0 TDI diesel engine), concern the sheetmetal as well as the chassis..

On the outside, the 2009 Octavia RS models feature a redesigned front mask with an RS logo and reshaped headlamps that, for the first time in the RS version, can be fitted with xenon units combined with an adaptive front lighting module. The RS also gets restyled bumpers and tail lamps while Skoda also offers a new metallic paint (Anthracite) and 18-inch Neptune alloy wheels. In the interior, Skoda has revised the Octavia RS's trim while the Climatronic air conditioning system gets new controls.

Under the sheetmetal, the Czech automaker has lowered the Octavia RS's chassis road height to 127 mm while the car's weight has been reduced by a significant 20kg or 44lbs in the petrol version and 15kg or 33lbs in the diesel one.

Skoda hasn't announced performance figures but it did claim that the maximum speed is higher, and the car's responsiveness and acceleration have also been improved due to these changes.

As with the Golf GTI and GTD, European buyers can opt between a 200HP 2.0-liter gasoline engine that goes by on an average of 7.5lt/100km (31.4mpg US or 37.7mpg UK) and a 170HP 2.0 TDI diesel with a combined consumption of 5.7lt/100km (41.3mpg US or 49.6mpg UK). Both engines are exclusively equipped with a six-speed twin-clutch DSG transmission.

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