Skoda organised a cycle race in Ladakh where the racers were closely followed by the Karoq SUV which is yet to be launched in India.
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The Skoda Karoq has been spotted in India escorting cycle racers riding up the treacherous mountains of Ladakh. Skoda organised a cycle race which included four renowned bicycle riders – Valenti Sanjuan, Andrea Schiliro, Eva Lindskog and Bartosz Huzarski as participants who raced up the erstwhile highest motorable pass Khardungla. While scrambling up the undulated roads, the riders are accompanied by the Skoda Karoq which is the Pace Car for the event.
Titled as ‘Catching Breath: Cycling Up the Himalayas’, the video shows four bicycle riders fighting against the most extreme weather conditions of 5,300 meters high Khardungla pass where the oxygen level drops 50 percent to that of the normal conditions, according to the video. While the racers race it out to the top, the Skoda Karoq follows the racers along the trail which is full of gravel, sand, rocks and later, snow as well.
The Czech automaker hasn’t launched the Karoq in India yet, and this video looks like a marketing move from the company as it shows the endurance and off-road capabilities of the car. A keen observer can also spot a few Toyota Innova models in the video which have not been highlighted. Expected to be launched by late 2018, the Skoda Karoq will be the replacement of Skoda Yeti in India which was launched in 2010 but didn’t garner much sales. It is not the first time that we caught a glimpse of the Karoq here as it was spied testing in Mumbai a while back.
To be positioned below the bigger Kodiaq, the SUV in question is based on the MQB platform which is shared by other VW Group cars such as the Skoda Octavia, Superb and Volkswagen Passat. The Skoda Karoq sports an edgy design with the sleek headlamps and tail lamps highly resembling that of the Kodiaq. Electronically, the SUV is top notch with highly advanced features such as a 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with gesture control, wireless smartphone charging pad, adjustable ambient lighting adjustment system and many more.
Talking about the engine options, it is available in three diesel and two petrol trims in the international markets. The former consists of a 1.6-litre engine and 2.0-litre engine with the latter being available in two states of tune, while the latter option offers 1.0-litre and a 1.5-litre powertrains. The Skoda Karoq is expected to be launched by late 2018 in India and will rival the Jeep Compass.
Karoq Video
– Skoda Karoq has been spotted in India in a video
– It shows cycle racers being followed by the Karoq SUV up the Khardungla pass
– Skoda Karoq is expected to be launched by the end of 2018 or early 2019 in India
