The second production model after the KUSHAQ from the INDIA 2.0 project spearheaded by SKODA will be known as the SLAVIA. The new premium mid-size sedan for the A0 segment was named keeping in mind the early days of SKODA AUTO. Starting in 1896, one year after the founding of the company marketed their first, jointly developed bicycles under the SLAVIA name.
Mr. Zac Hollis, Brand Director, KODA AUTO India, says, “KODA has a rich global legacy spanning more than 125 years. The SLAVIA name represents the beginning of a success story that has seen KODA become one of the most renowned car makers. Rich in tradition, the SLAVIA name will now once again mark the start of a new era for the KODA brand, in the Indian market. The SLAVIA will bring forth impeccable build quality, reliability and driving experience. We look forward to substantially growing our volumes in India and the SLAVIA will play a key role in delivering this objective.”
The SLAVIA name goes back to the very early days of SKODA AUTO. It was in 1895 that founding fathers Václav Laurin & Václav Klement first started repairing bicycles in Boleslav. Soon they began designing their own bikes, successfully marketing them under the SLAVIA brand name from 1896 onwards. In the case of the new premium mid-size sedan for the Indian market, this name pays homage to the company’s beginnings while establishing a link to its Slavic heritage. While the SKODA KUSHAQ took inspiration from Indian tradition, the SLAVIA represents the close ties between the Indo-European as well as Czech and Indian cultures.
In the early days of the 20th century, the bicycles manufactured in Mlad᠂oleslav under the brand name SLAVIA stood for reliability, affordability and inventiveness. These are still the key virtues defining SKODA AUTO’s Simply Clever philosophy today. The name SLAVIA quickly became synonymous with quality and innovation and was also adopted for the motorbikes introduced by Laurin & Klement in 1899. More than 120 years later, the new KODA SLAVIA embodies these same ideals and will perfectly complement the OCTAVIA and SUPERB sedans in India. The new SLAVIA will once again be an elegant, powerful and safe mid-size sedan, which is exactly what Indian buyers expect from SKODA.