The first strategic model introduced by the Skoda brand into the Chinese market, it achieved a brilliant sales volume of 30,000 units in the year it entered China (2007), and the name of Shanghai Volkswagen Skoda also became famous. Before entering China, Octavia had been competing in overseas markets for many years. Let us look back and see how a model gradually became a classic step by step.
Let’s briefly talk about the history of Skoda
Skoda was born in 1895. It is a century-old car company with its headquarters in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic. One of the four oldest car manufacturers, the other three are Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot and Ford, of which Ford was born later than Skoda.
Vaclav Clement (left) and Vaclav Laurin (right)
In 1894, a Czech man named Vaclav Klement Vaclav Klement (1868-1938) was a 26-year-old young man. One day his bicycle broke down and could not be repaired locally. He had to send it back to its place of origin, Germany, for replacement parts. At the same time, he wrote a letter of request in Czech. Soon after, he received a reply: "If you want us to give you an answer, at least use a language we can understand." The young man felt that his patriotism had been insulted. In 1895, Vaclav Klement and the talented mechanic Vaclav Laurin (1865-1930) hit it off and established the predecessor of Skoda - the famous Laurin & Klement company, referred to as L&K company.
At that time, the company had only 7 people and was engaged in the production and maintenance of bicycles. At the beginning of its establishment, it used Slavia as its trademark, and it was not until 1905 that the logo was changed. The Czech word Slavia means "slave". Since the Czech Republic was enslaved by the Austro-Hungarian Empire at that time, they used this to warn people not to forget their national humiliation. L&K Company introduced itself at that time as "L&K Factory, which produces Slavian bicycles, motorcycles and cars", which also showed the strong ambition and lofty aspirations of the two young people.
Voiturette A
At the end of 1905, L&K launched its first real car, Voiturette A, becoming the first car in the Czech Republic after the Tatra. Two ancient car brands. This model made its debut at the Prague Motor Show in 1906, and its charming appearance fascinated everyone. In addition, the car is sold all over the world, and this Czech car brand has become world-famous, known as the "Golden Corolla of Cars".
Emil Skoda (1839-1900)
After World War I, the L&K company was affected and its operating conditions were poor. The industrial group Skoda purchased the factory, and the two parties complemented each other and gradually grew. At that time, Skoda's main business was luxury cars. In 1924, Skoda launched its masterpiece Hispano Suiza, which was well-made, luxurious and expensive. Even the chassis was more expensive than a Rolls-Royce. It naturally became the first Czechoslovakian car. President Masaryk's car.
After the end of World War II, Skoda's automotive department was independently separated and became the equally world-famous Skoda Auto (?koda Auto), and began to create civilian models and build cars for the people. In 1959, Octavia was born. This is also the first car we are going to talk about today. We will talk about it in detail later.
On April 16, 1991, Skoda became a subsidiary of the German Volkswagen Group. The Volkswagen Group purchased 70% of the shares of Skoda, and the remaining 30% of the shares were acquired in 2000. Skoda then became the German Volkswagen Group. It is Volkswagen's fourth largest brand after Volkswagen (VW), Audi (AUDI) and SEAT (SEAT). In 1996, Skoda resurrected the Octavia model and launched the first-generation Octavia. The story of the classic model continues from then on.
Previous life: The Octavia 60 years ago (1959-1971)
Octavia
Sixty years ago, in 1959, the first two-door version The Skoda Octavia rolls off the production line at the Mladá Boleslav plant. The word "Octavia" originates from Latin and means the number "8". It is intended to indicate that this is the eighth model launched by Skoda after World War II, as the Skoda 440 The successor of the /445, Skoda has injected many innovative attempts into it, such as the use of coil springs and stabilizer bars on the front axle, which has improved comfort and handling. The weight of the Octavia is 1270kg, which is not much different from today's Octavia, but it is only driven by a 1.1L engine with a maximum speed of 110 km/h. It adopts a front-wheel drive layout .
On September 11, 1960, Skoda released the Octavia travel version, with an upper and lower two-piece tailgate in the trunk. As a travel version, its space has been greatly improved, with the trunk volume reaching 690L, and it reaches 1050L with the second row of seats folded down. The weight of the travel version reaches 1365kg. In order to cope with the extra weight, this car is equipped with a 1.2L engine with a larger displacement.
On December 21, 1971, the last Octavia station wagon rolled off the production line at Skoda's factory in Kovasny, and the Octavia officially ended its life cycle. Between 1959 and 1971, Skoda produced 360,000 Octavias, of which more than 54,000 were station wagons. It can be seen that the people-friendly route taken by Skoda's car is correct and successful.
Volkswagen took over and the first-generation Octavia was born (1996-2004)
In 1989, the socialist countries in Eastern Europe disintegrated. With the changes in the Czech economic system, Skoda needed to find a new one. As a partner, obviously the famous Volkswagen Group is a good choice. In 1992, not long after the partnership between Skoda and the Volkswagen Group began, the two parties began to develop a new Octavia model. By 1996, the first-generation Octavia was officially launched. The new car was built on the Volkswagen Group's PQ34 platform. Models on the same platform also included the first-generation Audi A3 and the fourth-generation Golf/Jetta (MK4, named Bora in China). It was the result of the Volkswagen Group's acquisition of Skoda The first Skoda brand model produced later, from then on the Octavia model has a standard German origin.
The first-generation Octavia has a very strong "popular flavor" and has an overall appearance very similar to the fourth-generation Jetta (named Bora in China), especially the design of the side and rear. The difference is that It adopts a hatchback design, making the use of the trunk more convenient. The body dimensions of the first-generation Octavia are 4511/1731/1429mm in length/width/height respectively, and the wheelbase is 2512mm.
In terms of interiors, if the Skoda brand logo is covered, it will really be hard to tell the difference between Volkswagen and Skoda, because the interior of this generation of Octavia generally follows the design language of Volkswagen. , the classic four-spoke steering wheel is also equipped on the fourth-generation Jetta, but careful observation can reveal that Octavia has made a certain difference from Volkswagen in the instrument panel readout design.
In terms of configuration, the first-generation Octavia can be said to be very advanced, with dual front airbags, ABS anti-lock braking system, ESP electronic stability control system, electric exterior mirrors, automatic air conditioning, driving Computers, seat heating, reversing radar, etc. are all available. This kind of configuration is still very confident even now.
With its affordable price and more practical hatchback design, the Octavia is even more popular in Europe than the fourth-generation Jetta of the same period. In the European market, travel models are very popular, so the first-generation Octavia also has a travel version in addition to the sedan hatchback. The first-generation Octavia is equipped with a variety of engines to choose from, including 1.4L/1.6L/1.8L/2.0L inline four-cylinder naturally aspirated engines, 1.8T turbocharged engines and 1.9L inline four-cylinder diesel engines. It is a 5MT/4AT/5AT gearbox, and the chassis adopts front MacPherson and rear torsion beam semi-independent suspension.
Although the first-generation Octavia was not put into production in China, a small amount was introduced into the country at that time, which was translated as Ouya. Most of the first-generation Octavia that entered the country were equipped with 1.6L and 2.0L naturally aspirated models. Engine model.
The second-generation Octavia (2004-2013) entering the Chinese market
The performance of the first-generation Octavia was obvious, so Volkswagen decided to continue its efforts and develop a second-generation Octavia for the Chinese market. generation models. At the Geneva Motor Show in March 2004, the second-generation Skoda Octavia, designed by Thomas Ingenlath and Peter Wouda, was officially released. It is based on the Volkswagen PQ35 platform and is similar to the second-generation Audi A3 and the fifth-generation Golf/Jetta (domestically named Sagitar). ) are produced on the same stage.
From the front, the second-generation Octavia is no longer so "popular". In order to distinguish it from Volkswagen models, Skoda began to adopt its own design style, although many design elements of the first-generation Octavia are still in this generation. It is still used in the model, and the changes at the rear of the car are not obvious. However, the second-generation Octavia is much more recognizable than the first-generation model, especially its iconic straight waterfall grille, which makes people look at it at first glance. You can tell it's a Skoda just by looking at it. In terms of body size, the sedan model has a body size of 4569/1769/1468mm and a wheelbase of 2578mm, surpassing the first-generation model in all aspects, and the cabin space is more spacious.
Although the interior design has not changed much, the configuration upgrades can show the sincerity of the second-generation Octavia, including front airbags, air curtains, ABS anti-lock braking system, and EBD braking force. The introduction of many safety configurations such as the distribution system and ESP electronic stability control system ensures driving safety, including a trip computer, electric seat adjustment, seat heating, automatic air conditioning, electric sunroof, multi-disc CD audio, and xenon headlights (with cleaning function), reversing radar and other configurations take the driving experience to a higher level.
The powertrain options of the first-generation Octavia are very rich, and the second-generation Octavia is even better, with 1.3L/1.4L/1.6L/2.0L naturally aspirated engines, 1.2T /1.4T/1.8T/2.0T turbocharged engine, 1.6T/1.9T/2.0T turbocharged diesel engine are available for you to choose from. It can be said that the second-generation Octavia has more than half of Volkswagen’s engines. In terms of the transmission system, 5MT/6MT/6AT/6DSG/7DSG gearboxes are all equipped on many models of the second-generation Octavia. Recall that the powertrain of the second-generation Octavia is basically fixed compared to most current models. The choices are dizzying. In terms of chassis, the second-generation Octavia adopts a front MacPherson and rear multi-link independent suspension structure, which has greatly improved comfort and handling.
In October 2008, the second-generation Octavia underwent a "new" facelift. The front face underwent a "facelift" and became wider, fuller, and the rear of the car did not change much. In China, this facelifted model was introduced into production in April 2010.
·The second-generation Octavia entered China as a joint venture car
In 2007, Skoda and SAIC-Volkswagen began to cooperate. The second-generation Octavia was the first model after Shanghai Volkswagen launched the Skoda brand. , the domestically produced Octavia, while inheriting Volkswagen's latest overseas technology, has made a large number of localized improvements according to the needs of the Chinese market, and simultaneously launched the Octavia travel version. Domestic consumers have highly recognized this new car, and it is the first car on the market. In one year, Octavia achieved sales of 30,000 people. Two years later (2009), it exceeded the 100,000 sales mark. By 2012, the 500,000th Octavia officially rolled off the assembly line. The Octavia model has gained great popularity in the Chinese market with its outstanding product strength, and it has also given the Skoda brand a firm foothold in the Chinese market.
The third-generation Octavia: a contemporary classic (2013-present)
In December 2012, the third-generation Octavia made its debut at the Skoda Museum in Bolislav, Czech Republic. The new car was designed by the Czech Republic Design engineer Jozef Kaban is responsible for the design, referring to the design elements of the Mission L concept car, making great changes in the styling design, and building it based on Volkswagen's new MQB platform. It is the first domestically produced MQB platform model in China.
Compared with the second-generation model, the appearance of the third-generation Octavia has indeed undergone earth-shaking changes, as if it has changed from a mature and steady "uncle" to a young and energetic "boy". It is also a move to cater to the youth trend of the automobile market. The front shape of the new car is very stretched and has formed a mature design language system, making it different from Volkswagen models while forming its own recognizable design. On this generation of models, the Skoda logo is no longer located inside the air intake grille, but above it.
The sides and rear of the third-generation Octavia are still simple and full. The C-shaped taillight internal structure is finally different from that of the Volkswagen series, forming a unique feature of the Skoda brand. It is worth mentioning that the body size of the third-generation Octavia is 4659/1814/1462mm, and the wheelbase is 2686mm. The wheelbase has been greatly increased by 108mm. The longitudinal space in the cabin has been greatly improved, and the trunk volume has also been increased. to 590L, and the expanded volume has reached 1580L, which can better meet the needs of daily household use. At the same time, the third-generation Octavia uses new lightweight materials, which is 102kg lighter than the second-generation model, and its fuel consumption and handling have been optimized.
The interior design of the third-generation Octavia has completely gotten rid of its old-fashioned style. Like other Volkswagen models, great efforts have been made to create a fashionable and sporty feel. The large-size LCD central control screen, the new-style multi-function steering wheel, the instrument panel with LCD screen, etc. all give the third-generation Octavia a sufficient sense of sportiness and technology.
In mid-2017, the third-generation Octavia received a facelift, with a more personalized appearance. The models on sale today are also based on this facelift. It is worth mentioning that the travel version of Octavia is also made in China during this facelift, which enriches the car purchasing choices of domestic consumers.
The four-eye lamp design after the facelift is still a very eye-catching design. The use of horizontal split headlights further deepens Skoda’s unique design language. Although the grille has not changed, it is in line with the large headlights. The lights are connected to extend the horizontal visual effect of the grille area.
Due to the redesign of the body kit, its length has been increased by 16mm, making it look very much like a mid-size car, with a very large visual sense and a higher grade.
The most obvious change at the rear of the car is the taillight. The flat design follows the trend of contemporary aesthetics, and the C-shaped internal structure is still used.
The hatchback-style trunk door is still the best in the same class. The larger opening area not only shows its "powerful style", but also greatly improves the practicality. At the same time, it is also The Octavia model has a unique identity that has been passed down from the past to the present.
The configuration also keeps up with the trend of market development, including adaptive cruise system, automatic parking assist system, road sign recognition system, driving mode selection, electric panoramic sunroof, keyless entry system/one-button start System and other configurations are equipped.
Similarly, the third-generation Octavia also has a wide range of power options, including 1.2T/1.4T turbocharged engines and 1.5L naturally aspirated engines. The 1.2T engine has a maximum power of 85kW (116PS). ), peak torque 200N·m, matched with 7DSG dual-clutch gearbox; 1.4T engine with maximum power of 110kW (150PS), peak torque of 250N·m, matched with 7DSG dual-clutch gearbox; 1.5L engine with maximum power of 85kW (116PS), peak torque 150N·m, matched with 5MT manual gearbox or 6AT automated manual gearbox.
·Evolution again in 2019
In 2019, Octavia was upgraded again. Based on the facelift model, Octavia Smart Travel has once again reformed the vehicle system. The added Zebra Smart Travel Internet System greatly adds points to the vehicle experience. At the same time, users can enjoy basic traffic for free through real-name authentication. Audio entertainment is given in a limited amount for three years, and Wi-Fi hotspot traffic is given in a limited amount in the first year to further enhance Product competitiveness of vehicle models.