Photo: SB-Medien
Skoda is getting ready for a considerable model offensive, which will include all-new Octavia and Rapid models. Trying to keep up, the Superb flagship wants a facelift.
Our spies spotted this thing testing in the Alps today, and we're not quite sure what's going on. The first sighting of the Superb facelift was in the fall of 2017, and everybody believed we heard the last of that story when 2018 updates had been announced this April.
This included a new SportLine Plus trim level and that all-glass infotainment system mirroring Octavia's facelift. But it's not uncommon to have several updates on big sedans like the Superb since they need to stay up to date with the rest of the market.
This test prototype has no camouflage, but sports larger provisional pannels that look like side air intakes. Also, the things sticking out of every wheel are there to gather data, so our hunch is that a new powertrain is being developed.
We know that the Superb is likely to become the first Skoda model with a plug-in hybrid setup sometime next year. That could be what's going on here. This could be something brand new from the VW Group, not just a Passat GTE engine. They've tested Golf 1.5 TSI prototypes with both a front and a rear-mounted electric motor.
Another possibility would be that the Superb facelift is preparing for the next generation of diesel engines, the EA288 Evo 2-liter units which can deliver as much as 204 HP.
It's worth pointing out that the Superb still doesn't have the bi-turbo TDI from Volkswagen and still relies on the 1.4 TSI instead of the newer 1.5-liter.
The technology package could include more safety systems, better gearboxes, and Simply Clever convenience features. Unfortunately, there's no way of knowing when the facelift will come out. But Superb II's facelift came after almost five years, while the current Superb III came out in 2015. So... 2019?
This included a new SportLine Plus trim level and that all-glass infotainment system mirroring Octavia's facelift. But it's not uncommon to have several updates on big sedans like the Superb since they need to stay up to date with the rest of the market.
This test prototype has no camouflage, but sports larger provisional pannels that look like side air intakes. Also, the things sticking out of every wheel are there to gather data, so our hunch is that a new powertrain is being developed.
We know that the Superb is likely to become the first Skoda model with a plug-in hybrid setup sometime next year. That could be what's going on here. This could be something brand new from the VW Group, not just a Passat GTE engine. They've tested Golf 1.5 TSI prototypes with both a front and a rear-mounted electric motor.
Another possibility would be that the Superb facelift is preparing for the next generation of diesel engines, the EA288 Evo 2-liter units which can deliver as much as 204 HP.
It's worth pointing out that the Superb still doesn't have the bi-turbo TDI from Volkswagen and still relies on the 1.4 TSI instead of the newer 1.5-liter.
The technology package could include more safety systems, better gearboxes, and Simply Clever convenience features. Unfortunately, there's no way of knowing when the facelift will come out. But Superb II's facelift came after almost five years, while the current Superb III came out in 2015. So... 2019?
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