Skoda monsters the Yeti Xtreme

SKODA has given its Yeti a menacing makeover with a wild-looking Xtreme concept rally car set for a reveal at the Worthersee Festival in Austria later this week.

The Czech brand is showing off the rally-themed compact crossover at the 33rd Worthesee Festival – a Volkswagen tuning show held every year in Reifnitz, Austria – alongside the tiny Citigo-based CitiJet convertible concept.

A bright yellow-green roof that also matches the colour of the rim inserts in the 17-inch alloys fitted with massive off-road tyres contrasts the Yeti Xtreme’ s matte grey body.

A sturdy bumper with bright yellow recovery points, wide air intake and LED headlights dominate the front end when compared with the regular Yeti, while off-road credentials are lifted via a chassis with an adjustable ride height.

The Xtreme takes the design of the recently facelifted Yeti up another notch with flared guards and prominent door sills, while at the rear the Skoda integrates a pair of large tail-pipes into the chunky bumper, which houses another recovery point.

Skoda has left out silencers from the exhaust system to give the Xtreme a “particularly throaty” sound, according to a release from the Volkswagen Group-owned car-maker.

Producing the noise is a 1.8-litre TSI petrol engine tuned to 112kW and 250Nm, compared with the regular Yeti’s 90kW and 200Nm from its 1.4-litre engine, and giving it a 0-100km/h sprint time of nine seconds before hitting a claimed top speed of 192km/h.

The all-wheel-drive Xtreme is paired with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, and is fitted with a special version of the brakes normally used on the much more powerful Octavia RS mid-size sedan and wagon.

Skoda has carried the lairy yellow theme into the cabin, including highlights and stitching on the dash, the four Recaro sports seats that feature integrated four-point seatbelts, and the “Super Sport” three-spoke steering wheel with paddle shifters.

The floor panel is made from aluminium, while and carbon-fibre was used to make inner door covers that house a sand shovel and a thermos flask in case occupants find themselves stuck in a difficult situation.

Aluminium also extends to the door sill plates and on the pedals, while carbon-fibre touches and dark, soft-touch Alcantara feature throughout the cabin.

Pushing the go-anywhere rally car theme, Skoda has incorporated standard rally accessories in the centre console, including a fire extinguisher and a belt-cutter, and a first aid kit in the glovebox. A tablet cradle is also integrated into the dash.

Should the Yeti get into any trouble, Skoda has included a full-size spare wheel and recovery tracks – mats that slide under the wheels to provide traction if the vehicle ends up stuck in sand.

Skoda board member for sales and marketing, Werner Eichhorn, said the purpose of showing the Yeti Xtreme at Worthersee was to inject some emotion and excitement into Volkswagen’s budget brand.

“We want to continue the positive development and to grow further with new models over the coming years,” he said.

“Therefore we are going to strengthen the emotional vibrancy of the brand. Skoda Yeti Xtreme – as a dynamic and powerful compact SUV concept – demonstrates the brand’s strong expertise in four-wheel drive technology, as well as our know-how when it comes to rally sports.” Meanwhile, Skoda will also reveal the CitiJet concept at Worthersee, a two-seater convertible concept developed by 16 Skoda apprentices over a six-month period and powered by a 55kW 1.0-litre petrol engine.

The facelifted Yeti went on sale in Australia in early May kicking off from $23,490 excluding on-road costs for the base Active 77TSI manual, and topping out with the 4x4 Outdoor 103TDI DSG from $33,590.