Skoda To Go Down Under
Volkswagen Group-owned Czech car maker Skoda has announced that it will return to the Australian market - nearly 25 years after it left the market in 1983 - with a debut at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney in October 2007. Skoda will, along with Volkswagen and Bentley, take up the residence in Hall 6 of the Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre. Hall 6 has been renamed "The Pavilion", after "the transformation it [the hall] will undergo at the hands of the three brands' highly creative stand designers." Jutta Dierks, Managing Director, VW Group Australia said that "we are excited about having our own dedicated hall and we're making a big display effort." Since the Sydney Show will mark the public debut of Skoda on the Australian Market, "we are doing what we can to make sure consumers notice and remember our new cars" Matthew Wiesner, head of Skoda Australia, added.
Skoda will launch two models with their vRS derivatives for the Australian market; The Octavia Sedan and hatch, as well as the crossover Roomster wagon. Skoda's Yeti concept car, a small SUV showing elements of Skoda's future direction, will also be on display.
In 2006 Skoda sold 549,667 vehicles and sales in the first six months of 2007 are up 13.2% over last year at 311,062 units. Australia will become the fifth continent, where Skoda will sell its cars.
Press Release
SKODA AND THE PAVILION EXTEND MOTOR SHOW APPEAL It's not often that the introduction of a new car brand fundamentally changes the shape of a motor show. However, the Australian debut of Skoda at the Australian International Motor Show in October has done just that. The fast-growing Czech carmaker is taking up residence in Hall 6 of the Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre, along with parent company Volkswagen and its ultra-luxury Bentley brand.
"We are looking forward to having a significantly enhanced presence at the Sydney show," said the managing director of the VW Group in Australia, Jutta Dierks.
"Our group display is an appropriate reflection of our recent rapid growth in Australia and signals our ambitions to grow further," she said.
"We are excited about having our own dedicated hall and we're making a big display effort."
Hall 6 has been re-christened The Pavilion in honour of the transformation it will undergo at the hands of the three brands' highly creative stand designers.
Skoda has built a reputation in Europe for quality and innovation and its display in The Pavilion will reflect those brand values.
"The Sydney show will mark the public debut of Skoda on the Australian market, so we are doing what we can to make sure consumers notice and remember our new cars," said the head of Skoda Australia, Matthew Wiesner.
"Skoda will bring European design and quality to market segments traditionally the preserve of the Japanese and Korean brands. We think that's a combination that will appeal to a broad range of Australian consumers."
Skoda will launch two production models at the show: the mid-sized Octavia sedan and hatch and the Roomster, a small crossover wagon.
Underlining its design-forward credentials, Skoda will also display its Yeti concept car - a small Sports Utility Vehicle which strongly hints at the brand's future direction.
"One of the key values of the Skoda brand is additional interior space and ergonomic design, and the Yeti and Roomster are great examples of that," Mr Wiesner said.
The establishment of The Pavilion by Volkswagen, Skoda and Bentley means the 2007 Australian International Motor Show expands to become the biggest ever.
"The expansion of the auto brands into The Pavilion has allowed us to change and improve floor arrangements, making the show look and feel substantially different from past years," said FCAI chief executive Andrew McKellar.
"Visitors walking the floor of the show will find more variety and greater interactivity amongst the displays.
"The Volkswagen Group, including Bentley and Skoda, are to be commended for the vision and entrepreneurial spirit they have displayed in establishing The Pavilion," Mr McKellar said.
The brand will offer the Škoda Roomster and Škoda Octavia models, including their vRS versions. The launch is planned for the Australian International Motor Show 2007 in Sydney (October 11 – 21). Škoda will start its operations with approx. 14 dealerships across the country. “The launch in Australia is another symbol of Škoda Auto´s international expansion,“ said Fred Kappler, Škoda Auto BOD Member responsible for sales and marketing. Australia will become the fifth continent where Škoda Auto sells its cars. At the same time, the country is rounding off the number of the brand´s markets to 100. Škoda Auto sold altogether 311,062 cars worldwide over the first six months of 2007 (+13.2 % compared to 2006). In 2006, Škoda Auto´s total sales worldwide exceeded the half-a-million threshold for the first time in the Company´s history, reaching 549,667 Škoda vehicles delivered to costumers (+11.7% compared to 2005).
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