Photo: Skoda
Skoda doesn't make concept cars just for fun; all of them preview some kind of production model. And if that's the case with the Vision RS, the Rapid might get an interesting hot hatch version.
Even before Skoda started teasing this thing, we knew that the second-gen Rapid (excluding the classic car) would be a five-door only and compete with the Golf. Obviously, this lines up with the Vision RS being a hatchback, and we even have proportions for it. More on that later.
Making an RS version is kind of like putting the cart before the horse since you first need to make electric cars successful and only then try performance versions. We don't want to be Debbie Downers here, but the Golf GTE wasn't exactly a huge sales success.
Still, the specs for the Vision RS are way better. It has a 1.5 TSI engine making 150 HP in place of the 1.4 TSI of the GTE. Also, its electric motor is quite powerful, producing 102 HP for a total system output of 245 HP. That's a match for the yield of the fastest Octavia ever made and a 41 HP bump over the Golf.
According to Skoda, the 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) sprint in this car takes 7.1 seconds while the top speed is 210 kph. So why is this slower than the Octavia RS 245? Probably because it's heavy. The onboard battery holds 12 kWh of charge and can power the car independently of the gasoline engine for up to 70 km. CO2 emissions stand at just 33 grams per kilometer.
We can't take these specs very seriously since a car like that would cost too much money. But both the powertrain and the interior proves Skodas will be more sustainable soon. There's not a drop of dead cow inside the concept, and yet it still looks very cool.
Speaking of which, the Vision RS previews Skoda's digital age. We've been hearing a lot of chatter about the buttonless dashboard being planned for the next generation of MQB cars. The concept even copies Audi's screen idea for the climate control, so it must all be true.
Also, the Rapid is going to be practical and large, as its preview measures 4,356-mm long, 1,431-mm high, 1,810-mm wide, and has a 2,650-mm wheelbase. The trunk is 430 freaking liters big, as much as a wagon only a decade ago.
Making an RS version is kind of like putting the cart before the horse since you first need to make electric cars successful and only then try performance versions. We don't want to be Debbie Downers here, but the Golf GTE wasn't exactly a huge sales success.
Still, the specs for the Vision RS are way better. It has a 1.5 TSI engine making 150 HP in place of the 1.4 TSI of the GTE. Also, its electric motor is quite powerful, producing 102 HP for a total system output of 245 HP. That's a match for the yield of the fastest Octavia ever made and a 41 HP bump over the Golf.
According to Skoda, the 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) sprint in this car takes 7.1 seconds while the top speed is 210 kph. So why is this slower than the Octavia RS 245? Probably because it's heavy. The onboard battery holds 12 kWh of charge and can power the car independently of the gasoline engine for up to 70 km. CO2 emissions stand at just 33 grams per kilometer.
We can't take these specs very seriously since a car like that would cost too much money. But both the powertrain and the interior proves Skodas will be more sustainable soon. There's not a drop of dead cow inside the concept, and yet it still looks very cool.
Speaking of which, the Vision RS previews Skoda's digital age. We've been hearing a lot of chatter about the buttonless dashboard being planned for the next generation of MQB cars. The concept even copies Audi's screen idea for the climate control, so it must all be true.
Also, the Rapid is going to be practical and large, as its preview measures 4,356-mm long, 1,431-mm high, 1,810-mm wide, and has a 2,650-mm wheelbase. The trunk is 430 freaking liters big, as much as a wagon only a decade ago.
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