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New models - Skoda - Octavia - rangeSkoda Czechs in to AustraliaIt's Czech, mate: Octavia pricing starts from just under $30,000. After more than two decades, Skoda returns Down Under with two sub-$30K models9 Oct 2007 AFTER a 25-year absence, Volkswagen’s Czech brand Skoda was relaunched in Australia this week. Leading the charge are the Roomster and Octavia – two four-cylinder models aimed at buyers seeking European style at Japanese prices. Mazda is a main target. The Roomster is a distinctively designed, front-wheel drive, five-door hatchback in the Renault Scenic vein, meaning it has flexible and removable rear seating and up to 1780 litres of cargo space. Underneath, the Roomster employs the Volkswagen Polo-based Fabia light car’s front suspension, and a derivative of the previous Volkswagen Golf’s rear arrangement.  A single, well-equipped model is offered in a choice of three 77kW drivetrain configurations – a 153Nm 1.6-litre petrol powerplant available in either five-speed manual ($26,990) or six-speed Tiptronic automatic ($29,290) guises, or a 240Nm 1.9-litre TDI turbo-diesel with a five-speed manual gearbox ($28,990). No diesel auto is in sight for now.Stability control, six airbags, climate-control air-conditioning, remote central locking, cruise control, alloy wheels, power windows and a trip computer are fitted standard. Meanwhile, Skoda is hurtling straight into the Mazda6 and Honda Accord Euro heartland with the Octavia – its biggish small-car contender. Based on the current Golf V platform, the Octavia comes in 16 varieties – seven hatchbacks and nine wagons (including two all-wheel drive models). Priced from $29,990, there are three Octavia variants – base Ambiente, luxury Elegance and sports RS. Five four-cylinder engines can be chosen, mated to five-speed or six-speed manual, six-speed Tiptronic automatic, or six-speed DSG dual-clutch transmissions – depending on the model in question. The Ambiente uses a 77kW/250Nm 1.9-litre TDI turbo-diesel the Elegance offers three engines – a 110kW/200Nm 2.0-litre FSI petrol, 118kW/250Nm 1.8-litre TFSI turbocharged petrol, or 103kW/320Nm 2.0-litre TDI turbo-diesel units while the RS boasts the 147kW/280Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol powerplant from the Golf GTI. Besides value, key selling points will be Volkswagen Group ownership, German technology and high owner satisfaction results in Europe. Roomster has also achieved be a five-star Euro NCAP rating, while Octavia managed just four. Skoda will see out 2007 with about 400 vehicles, and will judge volume expectations for next year according to consumer reaction. Management expects that up to 80 per cent of all Skoda sales will be made up of the Octavia. So far, 10 dealers have been appointed nationally, with a further five on the way, 20 expected by the end of next year and about 30 slated by 2010.
Read more:Official: Octavia RS to headline Skoda returnSkoda's Australian Czech-mate! All new models Alfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chery Brabham Chrysler Chevrolet Cupra Citroen DS Dodge Fiat Ferrari Foton Ford Great Wall FPV Haval GWM Honda Holden Hyundai HSV Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Pagani Opel Porsche Peugeot Ram Proton Rolls-Royce Renault Saab Rover Smart Skoda Subaru SsangYong Tesla Suzuki Volkswagen Toyota VolvoOctavia pricing
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