27 Jul 05 16:20
We brought you undisguised spy shots of the next Skoda Octavia vRS last week, but here are the first official snaps of the latest Golf GTI rival. Skoda's fastest production car is available as either a saloon or estate, accelerates from 0-60mph in 7.3 seconds and will crack 149mph. The estate is fractionally slower to 60mph, and tops out at 147mph. The Volkswagen Group's turbocharged 200bhp 2.0 FSI engine provides the go, whilst Skoda engineers have been busy tuning the Octavia's suspension and steering for a more engaging drive. A high-performance diesel derivative is expected in 2006.
Its relatively low price compared to its Golf equivalent should ensure some would-be GTI buyers opt for the Czech, though Skoda couldn't confirm prices. Five paint colours exclusive to the vRS models will be available eventually, with only Race Blue on offer from launch. The car officially launches at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
