Skoda is a Czech car manufacturer founded in 1895 as Laurin & amp; Clement. The company has been producing cars since 1905 (the year when it started producing automobiles). Today, Skoda Auto belongs to the Volkswagen Group and produces cars at several locations in Europe
The most famous Skoda models are Fabia, Rapid, Octavia, Karoq and Kodiaq. It also offers electric vehicles, including Citigo Electric Vehicle and e-Rapid Electric Vehicle.
Skoda also produces a range of buses. The company was forced to stop producing trucks and trolleybuses in 1991, but returned them to production in 1997 under new owners.
Skoda works closely with other manufacturers of the Volkswagen Group, mainly SEAT, the Spanish subsidiary of Škoda Auto, and Audi. Skoda models are produced in the Czech Republic, China and India.
Skoda’s watchword is “Simply clever”. Skoda has sponsored several soccer teams around the world, including AC Sparta Prague, FK Dukla Banska Bystrica (Czechoslovakia), FC Nantes (France), QPR (England) and Seongnam Il.
In 1905, Skoda started producing automobiles. Laurin & Klement produced a range of models ranging from 4½ HP to 12 HP. In 1915, the company became known as Škoda Automobilové Závody and had built over 10,000 cars by 1917.
Skoda 745, the first car to be produced after World War I under the new name Škoda Works.
In 1925, technical director Václav Laurin together with his chief engineer Hanuš Klement (hence the historical name of their car brand – Škoda) developed the Škoda Popular small car. It was launched in 1928 as one of the first small cars in the world with a four-cylinder engine with a displacement of just 769 cc.
In 1929, founder Václav Klement left the company, leaving Laurina at its head. Under Laurin’s leadership, Škoda introduced several new models, including the Popular and Favorit in 1932 and the Forman in 1933.
In 1938, Škoda was taken over by the government and then became a state-owned enterprise – Automobilové Závody, národní podnik or AZNP. In 1949 the range was supplemented with the Škoda 440 model, which was originally released as the Škoda 450. In the same year, its export to foreign markets began, mainly under the name “Škoda Popular”.
Despite growing debts and political tensions between Washington and Prague, Skoda grew rapidly after WWII under managing director Václav Kotěšovský. In 1955, he bought the company’s first pressing plant and began a modernization program, replacing the old models with new ones, including Popular, Favorit, Forman and Estelle.
In 1975, the Skoda 1000 MB was produced for the communist clientele of East Germany. However, it was not available to ordinary citizens and only a limited number of copies were sent to other countries. In return, the West German government allowed Skoda to access its markets by purchasing large quantities of Skoda.
In later years, the company declined due to outdated models and limited investment in new technologies.
First, in 1994, Skoda became an export brand of the Volkswagen Group (DaimlerChrysler had a 30% stake in Škoda Auto since 1991). The state-owned Czechoslovak company was privatized for $ 1 when the Germans bought their shares in 1991. Later, in 2000, Skoda was acquired by the Volkswagen Group and incorporated into Volkswagen’s India operations, creating a new company called Škoda Auto India Private Limited (SAIPL). In July 2007 the company name was changed to “Škoda Auto”.
The current offer is very wide. The company also has a history of offering a wide range of special models, usually based on its mainstream. Among them are rally cars (Škoda 130 RS), several Aero models designed for drag racing (eg the Škoda Super Saloon), the Fabia Combi limousine and the Roomster station wagon.
The over 100-year history of the brand speaks not only of its good prospects, but also of the tradition and continuity that give a sense of belonging. The company has a rich offer that is becoming more and more popular, and the brand has secured itself a safe place on the market. It’s all up to her now.
