“China is a central pillar of our global growth strategy. The world’s number-one growth market is already our strongest individual market,” says ŠKODA CEO Bernhard Maier. “Over the coming years, we shall strengthen our position on the Chinese market and continue to promote our model campaign in China. The focus here will be on expanding our range in the important SUV segment. At the same time, we are investing in our development in the field of ‘New Electric Vehicles’.”
At the end of March 2016, the Czech car manufacturer paved the way for further growth in China: a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in the Czech Republic during a state visit from Chinese President Xi Jinping. The joint venture SAIC VOLKSWAGEN Automotive Company Limited plans to invest around two billion euros into the expansion of ŠKODA’s model range in China over the next five years. This amount also includes expenditure on new electric drive concepts, innovative connectivity solutions and the digitization of individual mobility.
The ŠKODA VisionS now on show in Beijing after starring at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show gives an impression of ŠKODA’s new large SUV series model that will be introduced this autumn in Paris. The expressive, modern and dynamic lines, 4.70-metre-long SUV is celebrating its Chinese debut over these coming days. The design is based on ŠKODA’s characteristic balance of rationality and aesthetics. In addition to the future SUV design language, the show car presents the brand’s significant future technologies.
With regard to future electric drive concepts, the ŠKODA VisionS operates with plug-in hybrid drive technology. The system performance of the vehicle is 165 kW (225 hp) and can reach up to 50 kilometres running purely on electric.
The Czech carmaker is preparing a comprehensive SUV campaign for the Chinese market. The launch of ŠKODA’s large SUV is planned for the first half of 2017. In addition, another body variant of the large SUV is under development. Furthermore, the brand also intends to bring out a crossover utility vehicle (CUV) for ŠKODA’s strongest global sales market.
The compact ŠKODA Yeti, which is manufactured at the SAIC Volkswagen plant in Shanghai/Anting, shows Chinese customers’ great interest in modern SUVs: In the first three months of 2016 alone, sales of this model increased around 300% compared to the same period in 2015. ŠKODA is exhibiting the Yeti at Auto China 2016 in the Style and Ambition variants. Compared to the European version, its wheelbase is six centimetres longer.
The ŠKODA Fabia is an ideal car for the modern, urban mobility of today – in Beijing, the small car can be seen in the equipment line Sport. The ŠKODA Rapid, the next larger model, is presented in the variant Style; its sister model, ŠKODA Rapid Spaceback, in the equipment level Ambition Plus.
Two versions of ŠKODA’s bestseller ŠKODA Octavia – Ambition Plus and Style – feature 2017 model year’s innovations at the motor show. These include a striking front bumper, redesigned steering wheel, black glass sunroof and exterior mirrors.
The brand’s flagship, the ŠKODA Superb, can also be seen in the equipment levels Style and Ambition Plus. The spacious mid-class vehicle runs off the production lines at the SAIC Volkswagen plant in Nanjing. Additional SAIC Volkswagen sites where ŠKODA models are produced for the Chinese market, include Yizheng and Ningbo.
160421 Auto China 2016 in Beijing – ŠKODA Launches SUV Campaign in China
