Geneva show: Skoda unleashes Octavia RS245

SKODA unleashed its Octavia RS245 at the Geneva motor show this week and the Czech brand’s global chief executive Bernhard Maier has confirmed to GoAuto that Australians will “of course” be offered the chance to snap up the high-performance flagship.

Due in Australia later this year to crown the the mid-life update for the mid-sized sedan and wagon range, the RS245 is the Volkswagen-owned brand’s most powerful production model to date, producing 180kW and 370Nm of torque from its turbocharged 2.0-litre TSI four-cylinder engine.

“It is a worldwide offering and I think it will come in the course of this year,” Mr Maier told GoAuto at the unveiling of the new variant in Geneva.

However, unlike the previous Octavia RS230 – which landed in Australian showrooms last year in strictly limited numbers and exclusively with a manual gearbox – Mr Maier said the RS245 will not be restricted in production and will include the option of a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. A six-speed manual will be fitted standard.

“Of course, we have limited production numbers due to the capacity of our plant, and we are currently driving really at full speed, so in that respect we are limited,” he said.

“But I hope we can meet the demand of our customers in the course of the year.

“Every single market is important and Australia especially because we have earned a great success story so far and we are about to continue especially in that manner.”

The RS245’s 180kW maximum power is up 11kW over the RS230, while its 370Nm peak torque figure – up 20Nm on the RS230 – is delivered from 1600rpm to 4300rpm.

The RS245 will hit a top speed of 250km/h and can accomplish the landmark 0-100km/h sprint in a claimed 6.6 seconds, making it faster than the Toyota 86 and Mazda MX-5, while only 0.1s slower to triple digits than the Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Sitting 15mm lower than its standard Octavia siblings and with a 30mm-wider rear track compared with the RS230, the hot new Czech sedan promises strong handling characteristics to match its potent straightline performance.

Also underpinning the new Octavia is a Sport-mode selectable electronic stability control system, along with progressive steering, adaptive dynamic chassis control and an electronically governed VAQ front-axle limited-slip differential.

Exterior highlights include 19-inch wheels as standard and a new front fascia with a wider gloss-black grille and honeycomb-shaped air inlets.

An entirely LED lighting signature is featured on the RS245, including the headlights, foglights, tail-lamps and numberplate illumination, while a sports exhaust system (finished off with black tailpipes) is fitted for increased aural pleasure.

RS-branded front sports seats and door sills greet occupants when entering the cabin, while drivers are handed a multifunction leather-clad sports steering wheel (with shift paddles in automatic versions).

Expect to see pricing, options and specification information surface closer to the Octavia RS245’s 2017 launch, which is expected after the mainstream facelifted mid-size range hits the market in July.