With the launch of the new Superb, Czech Republic car manufacturer Skoda is all set to launch the 2016 Skoda Rapid facelift, its highest selling car in India, in the second half of this year.
Skoda Auto has just launched an all new version of its luxury sedan, the Superb recently at a launch event. At the event, Skoda hinted towards the launch of the facelifted Rapid, its entry level sedan, somewhere in the second half of 2016. Incidentally, the Rapid is also the company’s highest selling car in the Indian market, amounting close to 75% of its sales here.
Skoda’s growth rate is currently hovering at around 4% in India, and it feels it has the armory to push that figure by over 250% towards and over the 10% mark. The Rapid is currently locally manufactured at the company’s Chakan plant. Skoda’s compact SUV, the Yeti, Octavia and the Superb are also manufactured locally, but at its Shendra based plant. If Skoda intends to strengthen their position here, then the Rapid will certainly be a major contributor to it.
The Skoda Rapid facelift is rumoured to get a major design change on the exterior, much like the one in its home market. It might also borrow some of the latest tech from the Vento, Volkswagen being its parent company, such as automatic rain-sensing wipers, DRLs and an updated features package including in-built navigation tech and a fully loaded entertainment system. It is also said that the Rapid facelift will be engineered entirely in India.
Skoda currently offers the Rapid in 1.6-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines, both getting automatic variants too. The petrol version makes 105 PS of power and 153 Nm of torque, while the diesel engine similarly outputs 105 PS of power but makes a higher 250 Nm of torque. Both engines come mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox while the petrol and diesel automatics come with 7-speed and 6-speed gearboxes respectively. The engines are also borrowed from the Vento, with exactly the same power and torque figures.
2016 Skoda Rapid Facelift
– Facelifted version of the Rapid to launch in second half of 2016
– The Rapid contributes to nearly 75% of Skoda’s total sales in India
– It might borrow some of the features offered in the Vento
