Charles Rolls

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars records another chapter in its long story today. It was on this day in 1904 that The Hon Charles Rolls first met Henry Royce at the Midland Hotel, Manchester – an encounter after which the motor car, and the world of luxury, would never be the same again. It is with a fitting sense of historical symmetry that production resumes at the Home of Rolls-Royce today, 4th May, on the anniversary of Rolls first declaring of Royce, “I have met the greatest engineer in the World”.

Together, Rolls and Royce shared a vision to make the future of motoring extraordinary. Henry Royce, an engineer, had a desire for perfection and an innate work ethic that later became the pillar of Rolls-Royce philosophy; “Take the best that exists and make it better.” Charles Rolls, an aristocrat, was an accomplished motorist, experienced in selling imported foreign motor cars. His business partner, Claude Johnson, stepped into the role of Managing Director of Rolls and Royce’s venture and expanded the fledgling company’s reputation.

The company they founded has faced extraordinary challenges and difficulties throughout its 116‑year history. Though still in its infancy, Rolls-Royce endured in 1918 when the greatest pandemic of the 20th Century, Spanish Flu, swept the world. A decade later, it again stood firm when the Great Depression laid waste to the global economy. Over the years that followed, Rolls‑Royce has withstood the shocks of economic and political crises at home and overseas, embodying calm and constancy in a tumultuous, uncertain world.

In its more recent history, the company weathered the financial crash of 2008 and came out the other side more resilient and determined than ever. The marque has always risen to every challenge with ingenuity, commitment, courage and solidarity, so while Covid-19 is possibly the biggest test Rolls-Royce has ever faced, it’s certainly not the first.

For the current generation of the Rolls-Royce family, working from home has been a new experience. For Sir Henry Royce, however, it was entirely normal. Indeed, some of his most influential designs were produced in the private studio he maintained at his home – Elmstead – at West Wittering, just eight miles from the present-day manufacturing plant and global Head Office.

Henry Royce

Royce clearly found inspiration and creative energy in the peace, quiet and solitude that working away from the bustle of the office and factory provided. Famously, while walking on the nearby beach one day, he sketched the initial design for the R-series aero engine in the sand with his walking-stick. A later development of that design, the Merlin, would earn everlasting acclaim as the engine which powered the legendary Supermarine Spitfire.

Royce’s home studio was also the birthplace of another, perhaps less storied engine that nevertheless occupies an important place in the annals of aviation achievement. In 1919, his Eagle VIII provided the power for the first-ever transatlantic flight, from St John’s, Newfoundland to County Galway in Ireland, by British adventurers Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Brown. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars commemorated the centenary of their astonishing feat, and the engine that made it possible, in the spectacular Wraith Eagle VIII Collection Car, limited to just 50 examples, released in 2019.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, “We are living through historic times. Our primary focus is, of course, on safely resuming production at The Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex; but in marking this amazing anniversary, we are taking a moment to reflect on what 116 years have taught us.”

He added, “As a company, we can draw strength from the knowledge that although Rolls-Royce has faced uncertainty many times over the years, it has emerged more resilient and confident, with its fundamental principles unaltered. Our present challenges may be unprecedented, but as we look to the future, I am confident there is no company in the world better prepared to overcome them.”

Former Top Gear presenter and motoring authority, Quentin Willson, has kindly put together these fitting words below.

Stirling was one of those rare blokes who only talked about himself if you asked him to. Startlingly modest, he’d shrug off his stellar achievements and always swerve the conversation in a different direction. Thoroughly self-effacing he wasn’t remotely preoccupied with his own legacy but preferred talking about the skills of other drivers. Over the years he became a friend and across a crowded room would always flash his genial, trademark smile.

But I realised just how important preserving the legacy of his contemporaries was to him when I was on the Lister stand at the Race Retro show launching their continuation Knobbly in 2014. Stirling was in his element telling spell-binding anecdotes about driving for Lister in the 50s and regaling us with tales of its can-do team culture and shoe-string budgets. But I remember watching his eyes shine as he talked about the bravery and determination of Brian Lister and Archie Scott-Brown.

Stirling skirted over his pole-to-finish victory in the British Grand Prix in July ’58 in the magnesium bodied Knobbly and told us that disabled Archie Scott Brown, who had died at Spa earlier that year, was one of the most talented drivers of his generation and that Brian Lister was the nicest team boss in the world. I saw a real passion to fill in the gaps in the Lister story. To make sure these two significant faces of 1950s British motor sport were finally, and properly acknowledged. That day Stirling was on a mission for history.

And when we politely asked if he might be interested in putting his name to a limited-edition magnesium Knobbly, he hesitated for an entire nanosecond. No negotiations, no wrangling, no small print. This, he told us, was simply ‘the right thing to do’. For an unfeasibly small amount of money Stirling agreed to the deal with a single condition: that we’d sit with him at home with his scrap books to make sure every detail of the car along with Archie’s and Brian’s contributions were historically and absolutely correct.

Several weeks later Lawrence Whittaker, Lister’s CEO, and I sat with Stirling in his living room and spent a day surrounded by a cornucopia of yellowed newspaper and magazine cuttings. This was one of the most memorable days I’ve ever spent. This kindly, gentle motor sport legend animatedly explained Archie’s considerable disability, fearless skill and prodigious talent. His affection and respect for Brian Lister was clear too and not just because his tiny team was up against the factory back up of Mercedes, Ferrari and Aston Martin, but because he believed in Archie so much. Brian, Stirling explained, knew greatness when he saw it. Stirling inherited his drive in the magnesium Knobbly just two months after Archie’s death and graciously spoke at length of Archie’s ‘astonishing lap times’ in the ‘sweet handling Lister’. He also made it tragically clear that Brian Lister never forgave himself for Archie’s crash in May ’58 and that it haunted him forever.

A true gentleman racer he spent our day together praising others. For me, that day sums up everything you need to know about Sir Stirling Moss. A humble, honourable, charming legend still deeply respectful of the people he raced with all those years ago. Uniquely, he was a man more interested in talking about the victories of others than his own. Stirling we miss you. Rest in peace.

Whilst 2020 marks Formula One’s milestone 70-year anniversary, April has also featured an historic 70 years since Maserati not only competed in the first Formula One World Championship season, but also recorded a famous Formula One ‘double’ win – achieved by two different Maserati racing cars driven by two audacious racing drivers, on two different circuits, on the same day.

This feat began with the 1950 Pau Grand Prix – an official but non-championship Formula One motor race – held on 10 April 1950 at the Pau circuit, in France. In what was regarded as the first race of the 1950 Formula One season, the 110-lap race was won by none other than legendary driver Juan Manuel Fangio in his Maserati 4CLT.

On the very same day across the channel, Reg Parnell completed a Maserati double in his privately-owned Maserati 4CLT, to lift the Richmond Trophy at Goodwood Motor Circuit, marking a Formula One ‘same day double’ win.

At the heart of both these extraordinary April 1950 wins, was the Maserati 4CLT. Developed in 1947, by Alberto Massimino, who became Maserati’s chief engineer, he evolved the Maserati 4CL-derived ‘sixteen-valve’ Formula One/A car to become the 4CLT. The additional letter ‘T’ stood for ‘Tubolare’, reflecting the car’s new tubular chassis frame.

The first pair of 4CLTs made their successful debut in June 1948 at San Remo. Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi finished first and second, earning the model the name the ‘San Remo Maserati’, as they went on to complete an extremely successful season in the shapely new Fantuzzi-bodied cars.

British driver and private Maserati race car owner, Reg Parnell, a haulage contractor from Derby in the North Midlands, became one of England’s leading racing personalities in the 1940s, most notably behind the wheel of his pre-war Maserati 4CL. After acquiring his 4CLT in the years that followed, Parnell went on to win several Goodwood Trophies, as well as The Richmond Trophy both in 1949 and in April 1950.

Maserati went onto even greater success in future Formula One World Championship’s, especially with the 250F, which saw Sir Stirling Moss finish 2nd overall in the 1956 season, and Juan Manuel Fangio win his fourth consecutive, fifth in total, World Championship title in 1957.

To this day, Maserati’s racing DNA very much lives on, with the introduction of the high performance Levante Trofeo launched last year which celebrated Maserati’s racing heritage, to the recently announced Maserati MC20 super sports car which will be unveiled later this year and becomes the natural evolution of the highly successful MC12, which was launched in 2004 and marked the return of the Italian marque to GT racing.

Bentley Motors today confirmed it is introducing a set of around 250 comprehensive and wide-ranging new hygiene and social distancing measures under an employee programme called ‘Come Back Stronger’ in order to implement a safe, phased return to production at the company’s headquarters in Crewe, England, from 11 May. The plan marks the biggest change to daily working life in the company’s 100 year history.

The measures are built around seven key areas – prior to leaving work, travel, entry, preparing for work, work stations, breaks, and exiting the site – and are designed to protect staff at the factory, which employs over 4,000 people and where every Bentley is hand-built.

The key process changes impact all areas, and include a redesign of the manufacturing facility itself to allow a two-metre distance between work colleagues, and one-way movement paths and traffic flows. Facemasks will now be compulsory in all factory and office areas, while Bentley will maintain a work from home policy for those who are able to.

The robust measures will ensure Bentley staff stay as safe as possible at all times. Personal protection equipment – including facemasks, gloves, goggles – will be provided as necessary, both to colleagues and in parallel donated to the local care sector, as well as health temperature checks for staff. There will also be an enhanced cleaning routine and clear guidance to the workforce on limiting the risk of infection on areas such as meeting governance, site access and travel.

This extends to new, stringent measures to control the population density on site at any one time. All entry and exit points have been reviewed and reconfigured to disperse the volume of people, there will be control measures in all catering facilities that limit capacity and allocated distanced seating, and office-based colleagues will work to a newly introduced shift-pattern. This will control the workforce density on site throughout the day, with extra defences also in place such as plastic separation screens in office areas.

A return to work guide, which covers all new hygiene and social distancing measures, is being sent to the home addresses of all colleagues and is available to review on the Bentley Employee News app where an airline-style instructional video outlines the key changes to colleague working patterns.

Adrian Hallmark, Chairman and CEO, Bentley Motors, said: “Throughout this unprecedented crisis, the health and safety of our colleagues has, and will continue to be, paramount. These extensive new working measures will allow both our people and Bentley to come back stronger than ever and even more focussed.

“The time is now right for Bentley to begin a gradual and controlled return to production, while ensuring our sites are the safest place any of us can be. Everybody will be able to play their part to ensure we can continue Bentley’s extraordinary journey into the future of luxury, sustainable mobility.”

Full production is anticipated to resume on 18 May with a later, staggered return to work for office-based colleagues and those able to work from home.

During the shutdown, Bentley colleagues have worked to support the crisis efforts and the local community. The aid will continue despite the restart of production recognising that the need is on-going.

The company is using its specialist skills to 3D print over 30,000 face-shields and supply them to the Cheshire care sector, including all care homes, the NHS and other local community services.

Simultaneously, Bentley is donating personal protective equipment such as gloves, facemasks, safety glasses and seat covers. The company also extended its Bentley ‘Meals on 22 inch Wheels’ service, where colleagues volunteer to deliver essential items in the community.

Seasoned observers never wavered in their faith that Honda would win on their return to Formula 1.

Although Honda had endured a tough time at the start of their return to Formula 1 in 2015, those who witnessed their engines dominating the sport in the late Eighties and early Nineties knew how relentless the Japanese company was in technical development and the pursuit of success.

At the start of 2019 they confidently predicted that Honda would win before the halfway point of the season, and when Max Verstappen won the Austrian Grand Prix in his Red Bull RB15, they were proved right. They understood the mindset that they brought to their F1 engineering, and that while the personnel had inevitably changed the company’s fundamental philosophy had remained exactly the same.

When Toro Rosso switched to the Honda RA 618H for 2018 they found it was markedly different to their previous power unit. Honda continued to employ the same system of a split, shaft-driven, turbocharger that had been used successfully by Mercedes since the start of the turbo-hybrid formula in 2014. There were packaging advantages from the start even though the engine sat further back in the chassis due to the mounting of the turbo’s compressor section at the front of the cylinder block, because the rear end of the power unit was less bulky. This thus conferred a small aerodynamic advantage in shaping the engine cowling and cleaning up airflow before it reached the rear wing.

During that season there were regular meetings which were attended by Honda, Toro Rosso and engineers from Red Bull Technology. However, Red Bull saw enough in Toro Rosso’s performance to be convinced that partnering with Honda was the right way to go forward from 2019, and were particularly impressed that in 2018 Toro Rosso’s engineers had been boosted by Honda’s willingness to work so closely and to encourage input into the packaging of components.

Another plus point was that the RA619H motor was fundamentally very similar to the RA618H, and even the RA617H from 2017, and that facilitated very efficient integration of the engine into the Red Bull RB15 chassis. By the time Red Bull were fully engaged and privy to all the relevant information, team boss Christian Horner was highly enthused by what he had seen and revealed that the integration process was the best they had experienced. It was not hyperbole. In interviews, Horner also disclosed how much his engineers enjoyed working with a genuine engine partner for the first time, rather than with just a supplier.

Toro Rosso had already noted in 2018 that the Honda RA618H was reasonably powerful, and Pierre Gasly had been very happy with its performance even then. When the new RA619H ran for the first time on the in-house dynamometer over the winter of 2018/19 it was clear from the outset that its performance was promising. Horner described it as “a rocket”.

When Max Verstappen first got to try the RA619H in the Red Bull RB15 in the first Barcelona test he was extremely enthusiastic about its performance and said he had no doubt that it had more power than he had had in 2018, but also that it wasn’t peaky, and that there was a wide power band.

The delivery of that power was also an improvement, as it facilitated smoother downshifts which helped to make the car more stable under braking and when downshifting while turning into corners.

The Australian GP season-opener in Melbourne indicated that there was still a slight deficit to Mercedes and Ferrari in outright power, but during the season three separate evolutions of the power unit were introduced and each was an improvement. By mid-season Verstappen believed they were on a par with Mercedes, and by the time they got to the higher altitude in Mexico City, which is around 7350 feet above sea level, it seemed that they had more power than their rivals.

By the Spanish GP, a revised front wing and endplates improved the car’s balance, and then a series of smaller but critical further upgrades in Canada, France and Austria honed that to a competitive pitch. Gradually, as PU reliability improved, the drivers were able to push the engines harder in both qualifying and the races.

The development of power unit and chassis finally paid off when Verstappen won the dramatic Austrian GP on Red Bull’s home turf, to give Honda their first F1 victory since Hungary in 2006. Two races later he did it again with a brilliant victory in the rain in Germany as many rivals made costly mistakes. Red Bull, Toro Rosso and Honda continued to make progress through the rest of the season, but it was towards the final part of the year that the partnership really shone. Verstappen, Red Bull and Honda were back on top and enjoyed the most impressive of their wins as they dominated in Brazil.

So, in the end, as the faithful had predicted, Honda did win in 2019. Not once, but three times. And Max Verstappen placed third overall in the world championship, behind the dominant Mercedes duo. There was strength in depth too, from Toro Rosso, with Daniil Kvyat finishing third in Germany and Pierre Gasly second in Brazil, which made the latter a Honda 1-2. But for an incident with Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages, Red Bull’s Alex Albon might have made it a 1-2-3.

On the basis of such a strong first year together, Honda and Red Bull believe that great things can be possible in 2020 – once some sort of season can get underway.

TVS Motor Company today announced the successful acquisition of Britain’s iconic sporting motorcycle, “Norton”, in an all-cash deal for a consideration of GBP16 million by acquiring certain assets of Norton Motorcycles (U.K.) Limited (in administration) through one of TVS Motor’s overseas subsidiaries. This will be one of the most interesting acquisitions of a storied motorcycle maker in recent times and will reflect TVS Motor Company’s and India’s rapidly rising prominence in the international two-wheeler market.

Founded by James Lansdowne Norton, in Birmingham, in 1898, Norton Motorcycles is among the most popular British motorcycle brands of all time and is one of the most emotive marques today. Since the 20th century, Norton Motorcycles is renowned for their classic models and eclectic range of luxury motorcycles ranging from authentic retro classic reboots of the famous Commando to their contemporary 200 bhp, 1200cc V4 super-bikes.

Commenting on the acquisition, Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director, TVS Motor Company said, “This is a momentous time for us at TVS Motor Company. Norton is an iconic British brand celebrated across the world, and presents us with an immense opportunity to scale globally. This transaction is in line with our effort to cater to the aspirations of discerning motorcycle customers. We will extend our full support for Norton to regain its full glory in the international motorcycle landscape.”

Sudarshan Venu further added, “Norton will continue to retain its distinctive identity with dedicated and specific business plans. TVS Motor will work closely with customers and employees in building the success and pre-eminence of the Norton Motorcycles brand and we look forward to growing together globally in the years to come.”

TVS Motor Company is excited about the existing and upcoming products at Norton Motorcycles including Commando, Dominator and V4 RR. Confident of the strong synergy between both the brands, we believe that Norton Motorcycles can leverage TVS Motor Company’s global reach and supply chain capabilities to expand to new markets.

The ongoing Coronavirus outbreak has put on hold the start of the 2020 MotoGP World Championship, and, during these months, different countries in the world are also adopting lockdown measures and travel restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus.

Italy has been one of the states most affected by the Covid-19, and since the last 9th March, all citizens are spending their times at home fighting together against the Coronavirus emergency. Based in Forlì, Andrea Dovizioso is also respecting the measure in his house, and he told about his feelings on it in this interview: “Nobody expected the situation to turn out this bad, so it is really strange. Now it is crucial to stay at home. I know it is difficult, but we all have to try to go out only when needed, also because it seems that this measure is working, so we need to continue like this”.

The Ducati Team rider also explained how he is coping with the lockdown and how he is spending his days. “At the beginning, it was quite hard. My girlfriend and I did a few housework, but now things have changed a little. My daughter is staying with us, and there is a lot of work to do with her”.

Apart from spending time with his family, Dovizioso explained how he is taking advantage of these weeks to increase his workouts: “I am training harder than before. Normally, our schedule is tight. We have to train, but also find some time to rest to be ready for the race weekend. Now I can train as much as I want”. Speaking also about his passion for motocross, Dovi added: “I am trying to follow motocross as much as I can, also because in America they are allowed to continue their activities, so I can watch what they’re doing. For me, it is like a sort of time to recharge”.

Before the cancellation of the opening MotoGP Grand Prix for 2020, which was due on the last 8th March in Qatar, the Ducati Team riders Dovizioso and Petrucci were able to undergo two official preseason tests in February, in Malaysia and Qatar, where they worked on the final development of their Desmosedici GP20 bikes. Looking back to those two three-day tests the Ducati rider said: “I think that two preseason tests are not enough for us. Our bodies are not ready yet to ride that much for three consecutive days. I spend most of the time trying new items, and we also need to be sure before deciding on which way continuing our development. That is why I am usually not that fast during the tests. I always try to try the materials during the right time and with certain tyres because I want to give the right feedback”.

Speaking on the new tyre solutions introduced by Michelin this year he also added: “At the beginning, it looked like the new tyres weren’t adapting well to our riding style and our characteristics. But I think, in the end, we were able to improve the overall feeling with the bike during the Qatar Test. Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean that we will be fine on all race tracks. The rear tyres are different, and they affect the front tyres a lot. We did a lot of laps, but during a test, it is difficult to find the same conditions as in the race”.

The Ducati Team rider also stated his goal for the 2020 season, which hasn’t changed from the years before: “Of course, we head into the new season to fight for the championship. If that will be possible, we are only able to find out during the season, but it is always difficult as there are a lot of fast riders. It is hard to be the best, but you need to have this mindset to become like that”.

Tazio Nuvolari behind the wheel of the Abarth 204A

Nearly 70 years ago to the day, on 10 April, 1950, the great champion Tazio Nuvolari ended his racing career behind the wheel of the Abarth 204A, the first model constructed by Carlo Abarth. The time trial ran from the Sicilian capital of Palermo up Monte Pellegrino: a steep, evocative climb, featuring multiple hairpin bends on tarmac. The starting grid included the “Squadra Carlo Abarth” team, with Tazio Nuvolari behind the wheel of the Abarth 204A, a two-seater racing car with an impressive 1,100cc engine. The champion took on the course with his characteristic zeal, finishing with a victory in his class and in fifth place overall.

The friendship between Carlo Abarth and the great champion began soon after WW2, when Nuvolari – who already had 55 victories in international Grand Prix and major road races under his belt – drove for Piero Dusio’s Cisitalia, with Carlo Abarth leading the racing team. When Dusio sold his racing cars to Abarth before he emigrated to Argentina, Abarth knew he could count on the support of Nuvolari, who also took on the role of spokesman for his paddle shift tuning kits and mufflers.

Abarth sports tuning kits converted city cars into race winners, enabling many young drivers to compete successfully. “Sunday on the track, Monday in the office” went Carlo Abarth’s slogan. He combined the production of racing components with working on the official team, whose victories were mainly on the track and in hillclimbs, in coupè and sports cars.

Following Nuvolari’s celebrated victory, Abarth won the International Manufacturers Championship six times running between 1962 and 1967, also racking up wins in the 1972 European Championship for Makes with Arturo Merzario at the wheel, plus four triumphs in the European Touring Championships in 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1969. The history of great successes for the Scorpion brand continued in rallies, with the Fiat 131 Abarth Rally winning three World Constructors’ Championships in 1977, 1978 and 1980, a World Drivers’ Championship in 1980 with the German driver Walter Röhrl behind the wheel, and an FIA Cup for Drivers in 1978 with Finland’s Markku Alén. Such major victories were complemented by wins in seven European Rally Championships between 1975 and 2011, and by the Abarth 124 rally’s 2018 and 2019 triumphs in the FIA R-GT Cup.

A success story with a dual significance: on one hand, continuing to feature in race events, with the Abarth 124 rally running in the 2020 ERC, along with the team acting as technical partner on the track of the Italian and German F4 Championships. On the other hand, for Abarth, racing has always been the ultimate testing ground for engines and technical components. Testing under the most extreme conditions can lead to extraordinary levels of performance and reliability, boosting the competitive spirit while preparing for future technology transfer to models in mass production.

Caterham Cars has launched its latest retro-inspired model – the Super Seven 1600 – after the enormous success of previous heritage cars.

With prices starting at £33,495 (Rs 31.75 lakhs approx.) or £325.99 (Rs 30,685 approx.) a month for 48 months, for a car in component form, the 135bhp (137 PS), 5-speed Super Seven 1600 fits perfectly into Caterham’s existing heritage line of products as a permanent addition, alongside the wildly popular limited-edition Sprint and Super Sprint models launched in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Inspired by the craftsmanship of the original Super Seven and the early cars created under the historic Caterham badge, the new Super Seven features a raft of retro details and styling cues.

These include the classic flared front wings, retro-inspired 14-inch alloy wheels, a spare wheel and carrier harking back to the touring Sevens of old, and a choice of Seven heritage paint finishes.

In the interior, the retro experience continues, with a timelessly elegant wooden-rimmed steering wheel and classically tailored leather upholstery.

Designed to evoke the glamour, colour and joy of motoring in the 1970s, with none of the drawbacks of ‘70s technology, the new-for-2020 car is the first Super Seven to be offered in the wider, more comfortable large chassis (SV), as well as the standard version (S3).

And it’s not just the car’s looks that hark back to the ‘70s – the Super Seven 1600 includes DCOE throttle body injection, found on any self-respecting rally car of the era and producing a distinctive growl, reminiscent of the twin ‘40s of the period.

Caterham CEO, Graham Macdonald, said: “Caterham has always been about individuality and the quality engineering that makes the Seven peerless when it comes to the driving experience.

“Ownership of any specification of Caterham Seven is a mark of distinction and a ticket to driving adventure, but our heritage line of models holds a special place in the hearts of the true brand enthusiasts. Both of our most recent retro-inspired Sevens – the Sprint and Super Sprint – sold out in record time so we know the appeal for these cars is strong.

“We’re excited to introduce the most powerful Super Seven ever built, a reimagining of a true modern icon, delivering exactly what the original was designed to offer – a focus on driving feel and race-inspired upgrades but with some touches of luxury to the finishes.”

Laurin & Klement / Skoda 110

Skoda celebrates its 125th birthday in 2020 and 115 years since the company launched its first car. Several of the brand’s historically important models are also celebrating jubilees in 2020.

From modest beginnings, the brand has produced a vast range of products over the decades, from bicycles to racing cars, with the original factory in Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic always at the heart of operations.

The 125th anniversary of the company’s founding also marks the beginning of a new era for the manufacturer: the all-electric SUV, Enyaq, is the brand’s first vehicle to be based on the Volkswagen Group’s Modular Electric Platform (MEB) and will go into series-production in the first half of the year. As part of its ongoing product campaign, Skoda will be launching 30 new models from 2019 to the end of 2022, more than ten of which will be partially or fully electric.

The story began in 1895
The Skoda story began in 1895, when cycling fanatics Vaclav Laurin (a mechanic) and Vaclav Klement (a bookseller) started designing and manufacturing bicycles under the name Laurin & Klement. The bicycles sold well, so Laurin and Klement decided to take the next step – and add motors. The pair started making motorbikes in 1899, producing nearly 4,000 motorbikes of various types. They then started experimenting with a new phenomenon – the motor car – which began to gradually replace motorbikes from 1905 onwards.

Voiturette A

During the early 1900s, Laurin and Klement could do no wrong and their first car, the Voiturette A, was a huge success, becoming a classic in Czech motoring history. When war began in 1914, the company started manufacturing for the armed forces too. However, due to the challenging economic conditions in Bohemia at the time, Laurin and Klement needed a strong industrial partner to strengthen and modernise their company.

They were now not only producing a range of cars, but also trucks, buses, aeroplane engines and agricultural machinery, such as motorised ploughs. To help realise their dream of building an even bigger company, they merged with engineering firm Skoda from Plzen in 1925.

Since then, the winged arrow has been featured on the brand logo on all vehicles from Mlada Boleslav. The first vehicle to be produced under the joint partnership was the Laurin & Klement / Skoda 110, which was available with numerous modifications including soft-top and hard-top versions. Its original modular design with a removable rear section enabled the passenger car to be converted into a practical two-seater flat-bed truck, so it could be used for business during the week and by the family at weekends.

1930s and 1940s
The early 1930s were challenging for Skoda as it wrestled with a large range and a market greatly affected by the Great Depression. Luckily, the brand made a breakthrough with the new and modern Skoda Popular, which was to become a legend in the second half of the decade. Weighing only 650 kg, the Skoda 420 Popular could reach 50 mph and was offered at a fantastic price. It was a true car of the people and adaptable enough to be converted into a range of utility vehicles, such as ambulances and delivery vans.

Skoda Popular

The Popular also empowered owners to venture far afield. In what would prove to be a great piece of product marketing for the brand, four factory-prepared Popular models embarked on a four-month trip to India, while the roadster version performed heroics on the 1936 Monte Carlo rally.

In the mid-1940s the company became a national enterprise. This period saw the Skoda Tudor successfully exported as far as Australia and later the introduction of the mould-breaking Skoda 1200.

1950s – 1970s
This year, marks the 70th anniversary of the factory crew’s 1950 participation in the 24-hour Le Mans in a Skoda Sport, commemorating Skoda’s long tradition in motorsport.

The 1950s also saw the launch of the Skoda 440 which, in 1959, evolved into the first Octavia, named because it was the eighth model to be produced after the end of World War II.

Skoda Tudor

The Czech economy performed well during this time but pressure began to mount as new technology advanced rapidly in the western Europe. In September 1960, Skoda presented the first Octavia estate at the International Engineering Fair in Brno.

In the spring of 1964 the Skoda 1000 MB replaced the popular Skoda Octavia; one of the most prominent models in the company’s history, it featured a fully new car with the 1.0-litre four-cylinder engine housed in the rear. In May 1965, more than 1,000 vehicles were rolling off the assembly line each month. By the end of the year, the company had been able to ramp up its daily production to at least 150 units, making the 1000 MB the first Czech vehicle to be truly mass-produced.

Skoda continued to make new and improved cars – in the form of the legendary Octavia, the elegant 2+2 coupe Skoda 110 R, the Felicia roadster, and the 1000 MB range – but production really only grew again with the arrival of the Favorit model range in 1987.

1980s – 1990s
The political landscape of Eastern Europe shifted again in 1989, when the Berlin Wall fell, the communist government was defeated in Czechoslovakia, and the new free market economy arrived. On January 1, 1993 the Czech Republic was formed. During this time, the new government began to search for a strong foreign partner in an effort to secure the company’s long term international competitiveness.

In December 1990, they decided on Volkswagen and a joint venture began the following year. Skoda became the fourth brand in the Volkswagen Group, alongside Volkswagen, Audi and SEAT.

2000s – Present
Under Volkswagen Group ownership Skoda has flourished. In three decades the brand’s production has grown sixfold as models such as the Superb, Octavia and Fabia have built a loyal fan base. The introduction of Skoda’s SUV family that includes Kodiaq, Karoq, and Kamiq have cemented the brand’s reputation for excellent engineering and value for money.

2020 will mark the beginning of a new era for Skoda with the arrival of the all-electric SUV, Enyaq – the brand’s first vehicle to be based on the Volkswagen Group’s Modular Electric Platform (MEB). As part of its ongoing product campaign, Skoda will be launching more than ten partially or fully electric cars before the end of 2022.

After 125 years, Skoda is active in more than 100 markets, delivering 1.24 million vehicles to customers worldwide.