Photo: Skoda
When it comes down to motorsport, Skoda isn’t the first name that springs to mind. But the Czech brand – now controlled by the Volkswagen Group – used to go big or go home on the racetrack. The 1100 OHC is one of the racing icons that brought the Blada Boleslav-based automaker to fame.
A milestone in the company’s 116-year involvement in motorized sports, the 1100 OHC embodies the engineering know-how of Skoda back in the 1950s. Development began in the spring of 1956, and the first two examples were completed toward the end of 1957. The open-top pair was joined by two fixed-head coupes in 1959 with an aluminum body instead of glass-reinforced plastic, though none of the coupes survive this day.
The Skoda Museum found the remains of one of the two 1100 OHC Coupe models, and is working around the clock to bring the car to its former glory. The open-top sports prototype racecars are still with us, with one in the hands of Skoda UK and one exhibited at the Skoda Museum.
A small two-seater with styling that harks back to the Jaguar D-Type and many more Italian racing cars from the period, the 1100 OHC tips the scales at 550 kilograms (1,212 pounds). An idea shorter than the Ford GT40 (964 millimeters or 38 inches), the Czech interloper can top 200 km/h (124 mph) on full chat if configured with the high-speed axle ratio.
The top speed is achieved with the help of the slippery design, but the 1,089-cc four-cylinder engine is the one that works the most. The longitudinally front-mounted motor features two camshafts and develops just about 92 horsepower at 7,700 rpm if fed high-octane aviation fuel.
The pendulum rear axle with trailing arms is archaic by today’s standards, but don’t forget the year the 1100 OHC saw the light of day. On its very first outing in June 1958, the car was driven to victory by factory driver Miroslav Fousek on the munincipal circuit in Mlada Boleslav. Campaigned in the late 1950s and early 1960s, more wins and podiums would come Skoda’s way, even though the racing took place in socialist countries that were part of the Warsaw Pact at the time.
We’ll never see Skoda roll up its sleeves again to create a sports prototype like the 1100 OHC, for the automaker is now a volume-oriented brand within the Volkswagen Group. But because of its affiliation with VW, Skoda is more focused on electrification than anything else, with the first production-ready Skoda EV confirmed to launch by 2020.
The Skoda Museum found the remains of one of the two 1100 OHC Coupe models, and is working around the clock to bring the car to its former glory. The open-top sports prototype racecars are still with us, with one in the hands of Skoda UK and one exhibited at the Skoda Museum.
A small two-seater with styling that harks back to the Jaguar D-Type and many more Italian racing cars from the period, the 1100 OHC tips the scales at 550 kilograms (1,212 pounds). An idea shorter than the Ford GT40 (964 millimeters or 38 inches), the Czech interloper can top 200 km/h (124 mph) on full chat if configured with the high-speed axle ratio.
The top speed is achieved with the help of the slippery design, but the 1,089-cc four-cylinder engine is the one that works the most. The longitudinally front-mounted motor features two camshafts and develops just about 92 horsepower at 7,700 rpm if fed high-octane aviation fuel.
The pendulum rear axle with trailing arms is archaic by today’s standards, but don’t forget the year the 1100 OHC saw the light of day. On its very first outing in June 1958, the car was driven to victory by factory driver Miroslav Fousek on the munincipal circuit in Mlada Boleslav. Campaigned in the late 1950s and early 1960s, more wins and podiums would come Skoda’s way, even though the racing took place in socialist countries that were part of the Warsaw Pact at the time.
We’ll never see Skoda roll up its sleeves again to create a sports prototype like the 1100 OHC, for the automaker is now a volume-oriented brand within the Volkswagen Group. But because of its affiliation with VW, Skoda is more focused on electrification than anything else, with the first production-ready Skoda EV confirmed to launch by 2020.
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