New Skoda Superb Showcased ~2009 Debut

Well, Skoda India has finally made their intentions clear with the premiere of the new Superb in India today. It's not on sale just yet, but the launch will take place in the first half of February 2009. The new model will carry on Skoda's USP of offering more for less and we're talking not only about the way it's priced. The new car is a lot more spacious than the outgoing Superb and also offers more gadgets and accessories. Standard with the car is a touch screen entertainment-cum-information system located right in the middle of the dash which is backed by storage space from a 30GB hard drive. All the abbreviations are standard too - ABS, ESP and a whole lot of airbags for occupant protection all round

While the international range of Superbs comes with six engine options to choose from, Skoda India is going to offer the new version with only three engine options. The petrol engines that will be on offer include the 1.8 TSI, and the 3.6 V6 FSI. The real attraction in the Superb range is the 2.0 TDI diesel plant, as the company has shifted from Pump Dusse technology to a Common Rail unit, making this a superb drive (pun intended). The company also stated that their cutting edge 7 speed DSG gearbox will also be part of the package.

Pricing of the Skoda Superb still remains a secret, however the company is known to price their products extremely competitively so if you are in the market for a big car, then this is worth a wait.

Sidelines

Along with the Superb, Skoda India also showcased the 1.9 PD Sportline Fabia. This is the high end diesel model of the Skoda small car that incidentally shares its engine with the Skoda Laura and VW Jetta. Speaking from experience, the 1.9 diesel mill is a hoot to drive and it would be even more fun in this smaller package. Skoda India claimed that this high end Fabia model is also on the cards for their Indian onslaught in 2009. Expect it to be a bit expensive, but a lot of fun!

Skoda India also confirmed that the new Laura, which is known internationally as the new Octavia and was showcased at the Paris Motor Show earlier this year, will also debut in India in early 2009.