Skoda teases future design direction

SKODA has released a teaser image depicting its future design direction, as the Czech brand eschews the quirky designs of the past for a more clean-cut, sculptured look for its future models.

The teaser image bears a striking resemblance to the VisionC concept from the 2014 Geneva motor show, a five-door coupe that previewed the design of the Superb sedan and wagon that arrived in Australia in March last year.

Triangular headlight and tail-light designs on the shadowed image match that of the VisionC, opening the doors for the possibility of a Skoda-badged Volkswagen Arteon making its way into the line-up in the future.

The Arteon is the replacement for the CC, the Passat-based liftback sedan that will sit atop the Volkswagen passenger range when it arrives in Australia in October.

Given that the Superb is the mechanically related sibling to the Passat, there is a distinct possibility that a re-badged Arteon could eventually be homologated into the Skoda line-up.

The Arteon employs the same 206kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder found in the range-topping Passat and Superb variants, mated to a six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic with power being sent to all four wheels.

Skoda Australia general manager corporate communications Paul Pottinger said that while nothing had been confirmed, an Arteon-based Superb would be a logical addition to Skoda’s line-up.

“Look, it’s not on the cards at the moment – there’s certainly no indication of that”, he said.

“This goes to the fundamental nature of MQB (Volkswagen Group’s modular architecture platform) and its modularity, so I think if a platform can support cars as diverse as an Octavia and a Kodiaq, then certainly it wouldn’t be illogical to suggest it could support something that’s much closer in nature as a Superb and an Arteon-like vehicle.”

Mr Pottinger also indicated that the quirky Yeti small SUV will fall into line design-wise with other new Skoda product when it is next updated, and will bear a strong resemblance with the soon-to-be-released Kodiaq large SUV.

“The Yeti is going to be very much in the vein of the Kodiaq,” he said.

“The Kodiaq is very much in the vein of our design language now, and I think that the so-called ‘quirkiness’ is probably a thing of the past and more svelte, sculpted lines are very much where Skoda is now.

“So that more practical, utilitarian aspect of Skoda for which it’s been synonymous is going to henceforth be covered with more classic, sculpted external lines.”

The Czech manufacturer also said that the new design direction draws upon native crystal glass art, as evidenced by the angular, triangle-shaped headlight and tail-light designs of the teaser image.