11 Jan 06 17:10
Skoda Yeti
Skoda is to put a version of its Yeti concept car - seen in hard-top form at the Geneva Motor Show last spring and with a lift-out roof panel and canvas hood at Frankfurt in the autumn - into production.
A Skoda spokeswoman told 4Car that the model, which may not necessarily take the Yeti name, will be launched at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show.
The Fabia-based Yeti is front-wheel drive, but with off-roader pretensions - high ground clearance, an upright windscreen and roof, big bumpers and so on, to give the impression of rugged styling. But it's not just a pseudo-4x4 poser, like the Rover Streetwise, Volkswagen Polo Dune or Citroen C3 XTR: it has also been developed to provide tough, basic transport in countries with poor road infrastructure.
The show car seen in Geneva was kitted out with roof rails, a glass-panelled roof and a two-piece tailgate with bike-carrier, as well as cooled water containers and a removable sat nav/GPS system, which all hinted at aspirations towards the "lifestyle" market. However, it also showed touches such as a single windscreen wiper, removable easy-clean plastic trays in place of carpets, and a user-friendly control system, with all functions operable by a single hand movement, large levers and push-buttons.
The Yeti Cabriolet shown in Frankfurt took the idea a stage further, with a Karmann-developed roof system. This comprised a lift-out, targa-style hard-top panel in the front section (and storage compartments to put this in) with a further rear-folding, removable canvas hood. Although maintaining a four-seater cabin, there was also a flat rear load bay, meaning that with the canvas roof stowed away, it could work as a proper pick-up truck. In truck configuration, it looked similar to the popular Skoda Felicia Fun pick-ups of the 90s, but with more potential to also function as a comfortable passenger car.
While not all of the features of the show cars may make it to production, it's likely that the finished Yeti will be a practical, versatile and fun vehicle, similar in spirit to the original dune buggies, Mini Mokes and suchlike that sparked off a craze for jeep-style vehicles - and thus mini-off-roaders - in the first place. And of course, it will be competitively priced.
In the meantime, however, Skoda has also confirmed that it will formally launch its Roomster compact MPV at the Geneva Motor Show this spring.
