November debut for new Skoda Octavia

VOLKSWAGEN Group officials have reportedly announced a November world debut for the all-new Skoda Octavia, ahead of the start of global sales early next year.

Confirmed to appear in Australia in 2013, the new model will be appreciably larger and more upmarket than the current model, this time competing in the medium-car segment.

The Octavia will no longer have to straddle the small and mid-sized passenger segment, thanks to the arrival of the new Rapid small car in the first half of 2013.

The latest iteration of the Czech company’s global best-seller will be the fourth model (and the first Skoda) based on Volkswagen’s flexible new MQB modular platform, after the Audi A3, Seat Leon and the forthcoming seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf.

The switch to lightweight MQB underpinnings should also see the new model shed some weight over the current generation, despite stretching to around 4800mm in length (around 250mm longer than current version, which is based on the previous Golf).

UK publication Autocar reports that the top end of the new range will be pushed further upmarket to match more established European brands, meaning higher prices than before, but expect entry versions to continue to offer more space for less money than key rivals.

From top: Volkswagen's MQB platfrom Skoda Rapid Current Skoda Octavia.

The design of the new Octavia has not been revealed, but Skoda Australia director Matthew Wiesner previously told GoAuto that the new model would have “more confident” styling, perhaps taking a leaf from fellow Volkswagen Group brand Audi.

Expect the final design to feature aspects of the Vision D concept from the 2011 Geneva motor show.

Powertrains will be sourced from the new Golf – premiering on September 4 in Germany – meaning upgraded 1.4-litre petrol engines and likely a 1.6-litre turbo diesel.

The new Golf will feature a pair of direct-injection 1.4-litre engines producing either 90kW/200Nm or 103kW/250Nm depending on tune, with the latter featuring fuel-saving cylinder deactivation technology.

Autocar reports that a hot RS Octavia will again top the range, likely using a version of the EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine from the next-generation Golf GTI, producing circa-165kW.

The addition of the new Octavia next year, as well as the aforementioned Rapid, should help Skoda Australia maintain similar levels of sales growth in 2013 as those it has had so far in 2012.

Skoda sales are up 90.4 per cent in Australia this year, largely thanks to the addition of the Yeti small SUV, and the company this month sold its 10,000th new vehicle Down Under since its launch in 2007.