Here are the first pictures of Skoda's all-new midsize saloon. It is clear at first glance that there's something very familiar about this picture. The nose belongs to the Skoda Fabia, and the rest to Volkswagen's Vento. We have also discovered that Skoda will call this car the Lauretta which, in a Latin vein, is similar to Alfa Romeo's Giulia and Giulietta.
This junior Laura is basically Skoda's version of the VW Vento. The design language for the Lauretta was earlier thought to be based on the Vision D concept car shown at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. But Skoda finally chose to use existing bits from the Fabia for this car. Codenamed SK251, this ‘hybrid' of sorts consists of standard Skoda and VW body parts, with some new parts thrown in to help the two designs blend. The headlights, the grille and the fogs come from Skoda's Fabia.
These give the Lauretta its strong Skoda identity. Then to help the Skoda and VW bits blend, there's a new bonnet, new fenders and a mildly altered chin. The bonnet is longer, the new fender has the Vento's sharp crease built into it and the chin is slightly altered at the corners where it merges with the Vento's beautifully executed wheel arches.
The doors and roofline are identical to the VW, as these are the most expensive bits to alter, and Skoda naturally didn't want to go for a major, expensive redesign — doing so would only add unwanted costs to a car that is entering a very price-sensitive segment of the market. But the rear is different from the VW. Granted you'll have to look even closer at these pictures and compare it directly with a Vento, but you can tell that Skoda has inserted its ‘C' motif in the tail-lights, the area where the numberplate sits has been altered and there is a new, more sculpted bumper.
The engines will be shared with the Vento, which means there will be a 1.6-litre, 105bhp petrol and a 1.6-litre 105bhp diesel, both making class-leading torque figures. Differences, if any, from the Vento's engines will lie in their state of tune of these engines. Both petrol and diesel will be offered with a five-speed manual and considering Skoda brought the first diesel automatic to India with the Octavia, the Lauretta could come with a diesel automatic as well.
Also expect the interiors to offer the same sort of space and comfort as the VW. Plenty of legroom, generous width and well-supported front seats. And from what we can see, the interiors should look similar to those on the Vento. A new Skoda steering wheel, new dials, a new gear lever and possibly new audio and air-con controls should be on the car as well.
You can expect the Lauretta to be slightly cheaper than the Vento. And there's also the possibility of Skoda launching an even cheaper version, with some kit deleted. The Lauretta is all set to fill the void left by the Octavia's departure.
