Success story: RS models excel at adapting proven motorsport technologies for use in series production

› More than 350,000 Octavia RS and nearly 40,000 Kodiaq RS models have been sold to date
› Škoda Auto looks back on nearly 125 years of motorsport history with numerous victories at the Monte Carlo Rally and world championship titles
› Motorsport provides the ideal setting for development and testing
› The abbreviation “RS” stands for “Rally Sport” and has also characterised Škoda’s most powerful production models since 2000

Mladá Boleslav, 24 February 2025 – Motorsport is an integral part of Škoda’s DNA. The Czech car manufacturer has been involved in motorsport competitions for nearly 125 years. This commitment also provides a testing ground and development platform for the production models. The abbreviation “RS” stands for “Rally Sport” and points to numerous successes on racetracks and rally circuits around the world. Since 2000 it has also referred to the sporty, powerful range-toppers of Škoda production models.

“The RS models have a long tradition at Škoda. They bring motorsport technology and emotion to our series production cars and excite our customers worldwide. They are the epitome of sportiness “made in Mladá Boleslav” and the delivery figures speak volumes when it comes to their success over the course of the past years: with more than 350,000 vehicles sold to date, the Octavia RS is a cornerstone of the model range and the entire brand. In its first generation, the Kodiaq RS successfully brought the RS spirit to a new segment. With almost 40,000 units sold, the sporty range-topper has made an important contribution to the success of our large SUV.”

Martin Jahn, Škoda Auto Board Member for Sales and Marketing

The Škoda motorsport history, like that of the entire brand, goes back to two wheels and started 124 years ago. Václav Laurin and Václav Klement presented their first motorcycle – the Slavia Type B – in 1899. And in June 1901, they competed in their first race from Paris to Berlin, which covered a distance of 1,196 kilometres. Four-wheeled racing vehicles were developed soon after and the first major success was celebrated in January 1936. That was when the Škoda Popular came second in the legendary Monte Carlo Rally in the class up to 1,500 cc. In international rallies, Škoda really took off with the Octavia Touring Sport – TS for short, which achieved three successive class victories at the “Monte” in 1961, 1962 and 1963.

The 1970s rang in the RS era at Škoda Motorsport. 1974 was marked by the development of the 180 RS and 200 RS rally prototypes. The following year saw the arrival of the legendary Škoda 130 RS. It became known as the “Porsche of the East”, with successes including a double victory in its class at the 1977 Monte Carlo Rally. In 1981, Škoda was crowned European champion in the brand classification of the European Touring Car Championship with the 130 RS. The Škoda Favorit even rang up four consecutive “Monte” triumphs in its class between 1991 and 1994. After the Škoda Octavia WRC around the turn of the millennium, various rally versions of the Škoda Fabia in particular added to this success story. The Fabia R5, the Fabia R5 evo and the current Fabia RS Rally2 have won a total of 16 world championships for drivers and teams in the WRC2 category since 2015, as well as five victories in Monte Carlo.

Škoda Auto continuously develops new high-tech solutions with its Škoda Motorsport racing department and tests them under the toughest conditions in international rallying for later use in road models. These solutions make their production debut in the brand’s sporty range-toppers, which have borne the abbreviation RS for the past 25 years.

- Octavia RS I (2000–2005) – equipped with a turbocharged 1.8-litre engine producing 132 kW (180 hp). It also debuted as a Combi estate in 2002.

- Fabia RS I (2003–2007) – surpassing the 200 km/h mark with a 1.9-litre turbo diesel producing 96 kW (130 hp).

- Octavia RS II (2005–2013) – offered a choice between a 2.0 TFSI petrol engine with 147 kW (200 hp) and a 2.0 TDI with 125 kW (170 hp). A six-speed DSG was available as an option.

- Fabia RS II (2010–2014) – powered by a 1.4 TSI with 132 kW (180 hp) and a 7-speed DSG. A Combi estate variant was launched as well.

- Octavia RS III (2013–2015) – the first TSI petrol engine in the model’s history with an output of 162 kW (220 hp) and an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. The 135 kW (184 hp) diesel engine was available with all-wheel drive for the first time.

- Octavia RS 230 (2015–2017) – equipped with a 2.0 TSI/169 kW (230 hp).

- Octavia RS 245 (2017–2020) – equipped with a 2.0 TSI/180 kW (245 hp). From 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.6 seconds, and the standard equipment included an ESC system with a sport mode and an electrohydraulically controlled front limited-slip differential (VAQ).

- Kodiaq RS (2018–2024) – first RS SUV. With its 176 kW (240 hp) 2.0 TDI and all-wheel drive, it set a track record on the legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife. In 2021, the most powerful diesel in Škoda history was replaced by a new 2.0 TSI with 180 kW (245 hp).

- Enyaq Coupé RS (2022) – the first purely battery-electric RS model. It came with two electric motors, a system output of 220 kW (299 hp) and all-wheel drive. This made it the most powerful production vehicle in Škoda history.

- Enyaq RS with all-wheel drive (late 2022). In 2023, the power output of both Enyaq RS models increased to 250 kW (340 hp).