Photo: Skoda
This story isn't for the die-hard Fabia RS and Ibiza Cupra fans because they're either rolling coal at Santa Pod or have graduated to a BMW X3 20d. No, this is for everybody who wants a fun hybrid, because that's just what Volkswagen Group is probably working on right now.
Persuading car enthusiasts that hybrids are fun is the task of both Skoda and SEAT, it seems. Both companies have discontinued the hot Fabia and Ibiza supermini models and will consider them unviable unless the hybrid tech is used.
Speaking to Autocar, Skoda CEO Bernhard Maier said the following: "The Fabia vRS was a lot of fun and I would love to be able to offer such a car today, but it is not going to be manageable for the next two to three years. For the next generation of Fabia, there could be an alternative – we could look at the opportunities a bit differently."
That sounds like a random rant about what a Skoda official would like. However, this isn't Jaguar, who talk about every idea that pops into their heads. Maier didn't really love the 1.4-liter powered Fabia RS; he's just teasing the development of a hybrid model.
Why? Because we saw the next-gen Fabia prototype a few months ago, and the prospect of a hybrid-RS is just the thing to get people talking. Apparently, SEAT wants the same thing for the Ibiza Cupra, which can't be a coincidence.
Once again, the Fabia and Ibiza are getting something different to their Polo GTI counterpart, which has just been launched with a 200 HP 2-liter turbo. Remember how both the lesser models featured a 1.9 TDI while the Polo used the 1.8 turbo?
We believe the hybrid drive will combine the 150 HP 1.5 TSI with some slight engine management improvements and light hybrid assist to give us about 180-200 HP. Such a setup is already available in the Golf GTE that can do 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds.
Speaking to Autocar, Skoda CEO Bernhard Maier said the following: "The Fabia vRS was a lot of fun and I would love to be able to offer such a car today, but it is not going to be manageable for the next two to three years. For the next generation of Fabia, there could be an alternative – we could look at the opportunities a bit differently."
That sounds like a random rant about what a Skoda official would like. However, this isn't Jaguar, who talk about every idea that pops into their heads. Maier didn't really love the 1.4-liter powered Fabia RS; he's just teasing the development of a hybrid model.
Why? Because we saw the next-gen Fabia prototype a few months ago, and the prospect of a hybrid-RS is just the thing to get people talking. Apparently, SEAT wants the same thing for the Ibiza Cupra, which can't be a coincidence.
Once again, the Fabia and Ibiza are getting something different to their Polo GTI counterpart, which has just been launched with a 200 HP 2-liter turbo. Remember how both the lesser models featured a 1.9 TDI while the Polo used the 1.8 turbo?
We believe the hybrid drive will combine the 150 HP 1.5 TSI with some slight engine management improvements and light hybrid assist to give us about 180-200 HP. Such a setup is already available in the Golf GTE that can do 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds.
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