A Different Sport
Illawarra Mercury
Saturday October 25, 2008
Ticking the boxes on a performance car is usually a relatively easy exercise.
Sharp looks, an aggressive body kit, serious wheels and rubber, a heavy hitter under the bonnet and at least five speeds in the box of cogs that helps make the whole thing go. It is a tried and true formula and the whole automotive world seems to be largely in step with it. And then there is Skoda, the Volkswagen-owned, Czech Republic-domiciled car maker that has re-entered the Australian market after wowing the critics in Europe. For Skoda some aspects of the performance world are a bit different. Already selling a hot RS version of its Octavia sedan here the company is just weeks away from launching the Octavia RS TDI.It's a station wagon wearing a body kit and bearing a Volkswagen-sourced 2.0-litre, turbo-diesel beneath its bonnet and venting its 125kW and 350Nm through a six-speed manual gearbox. Not only does it wear tricked bodywork, it also has lowered suspension and gets 18-inch diameter alloy wheels with 225/40-series tyres. On the safety front the hot diesel wagon gets the seemingly obligatory six airbags (front, side and side curtain) and active front head restraints as well as a full electronics suite that includes electronic stability, anti-lock brakes, traction control and engine braking control. Octavia RS TDI is due for release here in early December.
© 2008 Illawarra Mercury