Frankfurt Motor Show 2005 - Skoda

What's the star of the stand?
Skoda has built another 4x4 concept, the Yeti. It first appeared at the Geneva Motor Show this year, but this time around it has a removable hard-top.

With two design studies now in the bag, Skoda insiders now admit that a production version will almost certainly be built. We'd expect to see the car in showrooms in around three years.

While the detachable hard top might be lost from production version, much of the styling is likely to remain. That includes the new front-end styling which will be used for all future Skoda models, including next year's compact MPV based on the Roomster concept shown earlier this year in Paris.

They say?
'Definitely one of the most attractive features of the study is its variable roof system with a number of combinations making the Yeti a true master of transformations.'

We say?
OK then, but this might be difficult to get right in practise. We'd prefer to see a conventionally roofed vehicle. We think compact MPV is a more logical way to extend the family.

Anything else?
The most powerful Skoda ever is on display at the show in the shape of the Octavia vRS. Based on the current Octavia hatchback and estate, the vRS uses the 197bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged engine from the Golf GTI. Skoda claims the hatch will sprint from 0-62mph in 7.3sec, while the estate gets to the same speed in 7.5sec. The hatchback will cost £17,500 and the estate £18,200 when they go on sale at the end of the year.

Two new 1.4-litre three-cylinder diesel engines for the Fabia are also here, one producing 70bhp and the other 80bhp, to replace the current 1.4 and 1.9 TDI engines in the supermini.

Any gossip?
Many thought the production version of the Roomster was going to be at Frankfurt but you are going to have to wait until Geneva next year to see it.