Photo: Skoda
We've been so blinded by the seemingly unlimited success registered by the SUV segment that we've come to believe that every new model that any brand might he preparing is going to be an off-roader.
After the Yeti crossover, Skoda, the Czech brand in the Volkswagen portfolio, was rumored to be working on a larger SUV that was going to sell by the name of Snowman. Things seemed to make sense: an SUV was the natural direction that offered the greatest growth potential, while the alleged name was in line with that of the Yeti.
Well, in a surprising and unexpected twist, Skoda just unveiled the true nature of the Snowman, and it's no SUV. It does pack excellent off-road abilities, but it's not exactly the type of vehicle that you can take your kids to school in. Unless the school is on top of a ski slope, that is.
For the first time in the brand's long history, Skoda is building a snow groomer that will bring the company's values into a completely new segment. At 9.13 meters long (30 feet), the Snowman is an imposing presence, and that's before you even acknowledge its super-wide stance: 5.26 meters (17.25 feet). But if it's going to cruise over the snowy piste, the Snowman will need this huge ground contact patch to disperse its weight. The two wide tracks are also vital in this respect.
Another big novelty for the Mlada Boleslav manufacturer is the introduction of a plug-in hybrid drive. Delivering 400 hp and 650 Nm (480 lb-ft), the powertrain is able to propel the Snowman to a top speed of 20 km/h (12 mph) and up a maximum uphill gradient of 100 percent. Furthermore, the snow groomer can also recuperate energy when going downhill and store it in its Li-ion batteries.
As baffled as we are by all this, there is one thing in particular that simply refuses to go away: if the Snowman name is taken, what does that mean for the compact-sized SUV that Skoda will eventually launch? Well, it will probably be called the Skoda Big Foot. Or Skoda Sasquatch.
Well, in a surprising and unexpected twist, Skoda just unveiled the true nature of the Snowman, and it's no SUV. It does pack excellent off-road abilities, but it's not exactly the type of vehicle that you can take your kids to school in. Unless the school is on top of a ski slope, that is.
For the first time in the brand's long history, Skoda is building a snow groomer that will bring the company's values into a completely new segment. At 9.13 meters long (30 feet), the Snowman is an imposing presence, and that's before you even acknowledge its super-wide stance: 5.26 meters (17.25 feet). But if it's going to cruise over the snowy piste, the Snowman will need this huge ground contact patch to disperse its weight. The two wide tracks are also vital in this respect.
Another big novelty for the Mlada Boleslav manufacturer is the introduction of a plug-in hybrid drive. Delivering 400 hp and 650 Nm (480 lb-ft), the powertrain is able to propel the Snowman to a top speed of 20 km/h (12 mph) and up a maximum uphill gradient of 100 percent. Furthermore, the snow groomer can also recuperate energy when going downhill and store it in its Li-ion batteries.
As baffled as we are by all this, there is one thing in particular that simply refuses to go away: if the Snowman name is taken, what does that mean for the compact-sized SUV that Skoda will eventually launch? Well, it will probably be called the Skoda Big Foot. Or Skoda Sasquatch.
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