Czech automaker Skoda Auto has commenced work on the next generation Superb sedan that is due for launch in 2015. Sharing its underpinnings with the eighth generation Volkswagen Passat that was unveiled earlier this month, the 2016 Superb will carry an all-new and distinctive exterior design inspired from Skoda’s VisionC concept, which was showcased at the Geneva Motor Show, earlier this year. While the design details are yet to be revealed, our in-house design expert Anupam Parihar has sketched up the rendering of the next generation Skoda Superb, giving a glimpse at the design of the sedan.
Taking inspiration from the VisionC concept, expect to see the 2016 Skoda Superb with a more raked profile. The sedan features a muscular hood and a prominent grille, reminiscent of the new Octavia and is flanked by sweptback headlights that will feature LED DRLs. The next generation model will be given the appearance of a four-door coupe with a sloping roofline complimenting the strong shoulder line of the sedan. Skoda had termed the VisionC concept to be an emotive design, with the stance and profile of a coupe, and also stated that the design of the next generation Superb will be nothing short of a revelation.
Expected to be unveiled by the end of 2015, the third generation Skoda Superb will be underpinned by the new MQB platform and will be sharing a lot of its components with the new generation Passat. The 2016 Superb is expected to be significantly lighter than its predecessor, thanks to the use of high-tensile strength steel and aluminium parts in construction leading to exceptional weight savings. The sedan is also expected to get a longer wheelbase over the outgoing model, offering even more interior space to its occupants.
In terms of powertrain, Skoda will be discontinuing the powerful but thirsty V6 engine, while the four-wheel drive feature is expected to be offered as an option. The all new Superb will get a host of high-powered petrol and diesel engine options under the hood, while the new 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo diesel engine producing 240 PS from the new Passat is most likely to be on offer as well. A hybrid variant is also said to be on the cards and will join the line-up later in the sedan’s lifecycle.
Internationally, the next generation Superb will be offered in sedan and estate options, and the company confirmed that the dual boot opening system will be dropped to save costs. Skoda India launched the facelifted Superb earlier this year, inducing a fresh new appeal into the much loved premium sedan that will keep the model fresh easily for another two years. Expect the next generation Superb to reach Indian shores only by 2016, and will continue to be brought in as a CKD in the country.
