29 Sep 06 13:37
Skoda's bright yellow Joyster concept shares some of its design elements with the distinctive, recently launched Roomster compact MPV. And just as the Roomster went to production with few changes from its concept predecessor, so could the Joyster.
Skoda describes the Joyster as 'a simple and at the same time clever solution,' 'a three-door car with compact exterior dimensions yet surprisingly generous interior space,' and 'a new combination of compact body design and a wide range of communications technologies and comfort equipment'.
This all suggests that this is a proposal for a new Skoda city car to fit in the range below the larger and more traditional-looking Fabia supermini, though the on-sale version is unlikely to get all the gadgets of this show car.
Production-wise, Skoda is launching a jacked-up Octavia estate in the vein of the Audi A6 Allroad and Volvo V70 XC. The four-wheel-drive Octavia Scout - no jokes about wiggling woggles, please - has its suspension raised by 1.3cm (giving ground clearance 40mm higher than the 2WD Octavia Combi and 16mm higher than the Combi 4x4) and gains new bumpers front and rear, special front door sills, front and rear underbody sump guards, protective strips on the wheel housings, body-coloured side mouldings, 17" alloy wheels, polished steel twin exhaust pipes and Scout logos.
Inside, it has unique upholstery, a passenger-side grab handle and an extra storage box under the front armrest. Engines on offer in the Octavia Scout are the 140bhp 2.0 TDI PD diesel and the 150bhp 2.0 FSI petrol, both with six-speed manual transmission and the Haldex multi-plate clutch 4WD system. Sales start in early 2007.
Get all the latest news and information from the Paris Motor Show
