ŠKODA Auto India launched its much awaited C segment sedan ŠKODA Rapid in India on Wednesday. With superior quality design and exclusive features tailor made for the Indian market, the Rapid will be available at a price of Rs. 6.75 lakhs ex showroom Delhi. Symbolizing ŠKODA’s brand value – “Simply Clever”, the Rapid is ideal for the Indian streets with an attractive design, ample space, excellent safety equipment and modern proven technology. With this offering, Rapid is expected to become the cornerstone for brand ŠKODA in India.
The Rapid has been created keeping the Indian customer in mind and marks ŠKODA’s entry in the extremely important C segment. It is a comfortable car for the family with an elegant design, ensuring an efficient drive. The Rapid will be produced at the group’s Chakan plant in Pune.
> It will be priced at Rs. 6.75 lakhs ex showroom Delhi
> India is the debut market for ŠKODA Rapid
> Launch of the Rapid reinforces ŠKODA’s commitment to the Indian market
> It is a made in India and made for India car
With the central philosophy of “Clever engineering with a human touch” and the attitude of “Listen closely to customers’ wishes”, ŠKODA also unveiled its new corporate identity with a young, fresh and precise logo in India.
“ŠKODA Auto India marks a crucial milestone in India with the launch of Rapid. We intend to strengthen our presence in the highly competitive C segment in the country with this launch. We are confident that this car will become the cornerstone for the ŠKODA brand in India. It’s distinctly fresh, young, smart and clear-cut design makes Rapid a well-balanced car and therefore successfully fills the gap between ŠKODA Fabia and the current Laura”, Mr. Thomas Kuehl, Member of the Board & Director, Sales & Marketing, ŠKODA Auto India commented.
The typical buyers in this segment are people who have succeeded in their profession on their own. The Rapid customer loves driving and wants the tactile feel of a well-engineered, solid, comfortable car. These people are self-confident, they have high expectations of the car they buy, and they demand quality and performance; while at the same time valuing an optimum cost of ownership.
Mr. Thomas Kuehl further added, “The Rapid is positioned as a family car, compact enough for the city and spacious enough for longer trips. Our plans for the Rapid in India are fairly ambitious, given that we expect it to become the bestselling car in our model line-up in India, in the near future. We aim to penetrate in the competitive C segment and have an advantage over our competitors with our high quality design and unique features for the Indian market.”
ŠKODA currently has 90 dealerships in India, and expects to have about 100 by the year end.
ŠKODA Rapid Prices
ŠKODA Rapid variants-Prices (in Rs)______ Ex Showroom Maharashtra_______Ex Showroom Delhi
Active 1.6 MPI MT_______________________662,363___________________675,000
Ambition 1.6 MPI MT_____________________695,717___________________709,000
Elegance 1.6 MPI MT_____________________784,007___________________799,000
Ambition 1.6 MPI AT_____________________793,818____________________809,000
Elegance 1.6 MPI AT_____________________882,108____________________899,000
Active 1.6 TDI CR_______________________780,084____________________795,000
Ambition 1.6 TDI CR_____________________813,437____________________829,000
Elegance 1.6 TDI CR_____________________901,728____________________919,000
ŠKODA Rapid specifications
· Available in petrol version with manual and automatic transmission
· Available in diesel version with manual transmission
· Available in three variants – Active, Ambition and Elegance
· Available in five colours – brilliant silver, candy white, cappuccino beige, deep black pearl and flash red
· 4386 mm in length, 1699 mm in width and 1466 mm in height, wheel base of 2552 mm and ground clearance of 168mm.
· 1.6 litre petrol engine with maximum power of 77kW(105PS)@5250rpm and maximum torque of 153Nm@3800rpm
· 1.6 litre diesel engine with maximum power of 77kW(105PS)@4400rpm and maximum torque of 250Nm@1500–2500rpm
‘Simply Clever’ solutions
· Front passenger seat adjustment from rear seat using ergo-lever
· Anti-pinch windows
· One-touch operation for electrically adjustable windows
· Adjustable dual rear air-conditioning vents
· Security code for audio player
· Height and Length adjustment for steering wheel
· Foldaway cup holders
· Rough Road package
Key Product content
· Driver & front passenger airbags
· ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
· Škoda 2-DIN integrated audio player w/ aux-in socket + SD/MMC data card reader
· Front passenger seat adjustment from rear seat
· Height & length adjustable steering wheel
· Climatronic – automatic air conditioning w/ electronic regulation of cabin temperature
· Adjustable dual rear air-conditioning vents on rear centre console
· Remote controlled central door locking w/ comfort operation of electric windows
· Electrically adjustable external mirrors
· Multi-function information display
