The Skoda 110 Super Sport Ferat was fangtastic

You may not have heard of the Skoda 110 Super Sport Ferat, but it could be the answer to the alternative fuel conundrum. Forget electric, solar or hydrogen, this thing ran on blood.

And you thought putting a tiger in your tank was bold.

The Skoda ‘Ferat’ began life as a prototype known as the 110 Super Sport. Unveiled at the 1972 Brussels Motor Show, the fibreglass concept was mid-engined and featured no doors. Instead, the entire roof and window structure tiltled forward for access to the cockpit.

It took the pop-up headlight to the next level, featuring a light bar running the entire width of the car and housing SIX light clusters. This alone makes it one of the most PETROLBLOGGY cars ever to emerge from Czechoslovakia.

Admire its brilliance courtesy of this short clip:

Sadly, it never made production, but the concept’s story didn’t end in Belgium. Indeed, the Brussels prototype sprouted a new lease of life when it was modified to appear in several Czechoslovak films, most notably Upír z Feratu, or Ferat Vampire.

The IMDb plot summary makes for compelling reading: “A doctor Marek is shocked when his beloved nurse Mima signs a contract with foreign car manufacturer Ferat, in order to work for them as a rally driver.

“A fellow doctor makes him believe that human blood is being used as fuel for Mima’s ever-winning car, but does that really work?”

Admittedly, it doesn’t sound like it’s going to knock From Dusk Till Dawn or The Lost Boys out of the top 10 vampire movies of all-time, but the YouTube clips make for compelling viewing. Why? Because Skoda Ferat, of course.

Bullet with Butterfly Wings

It might seem sacrilegious to modify a one-off concept car, especially one with six pop-up headlights and a rear light bar that wouldn’t have looked out of place at Cape Canaveral, but in fairness to the producers, the transformation is rather convincing.

Sadly, the pop-up headlight bar was ditched in favour of more conventional light clusters, while the rear end was given a makeover that looked production-ready. Heck, it has the look of a Skoda Rapid Coupe, and that’s no bad thing.

The work is credited to Czech costume designer Theodor Pištěk, who ditched the white body in favour of a more vampire-friendly black paint job. A few decals and a set of BBS alloy wheels completed the transformation from innocent white to black night. Or something.

Power was sourced via a 1147cc engine from the 110R Coupe, while the entire car weighed less than 900kg. It meant that the batty Skoda Ferat could hit a top speed of around 130mph, assuming you only took it out at night.

Today, the Skoda Ferat lives in the Skoda Museum in Mladá Boleslav, although you’ll have to look up because it probably hangs from the ceiling. Just listen out for the sound of dripping and look for a pool of blood on the polished floor.

Why the appearance on PETROLBLOG? Firstly, because this 10-minute video showing highlights from Ferat Vampire is worthy of your time.

Secondly, because it’s a reminder of a time when Skoda built some of the most PETROLBLOGGY cars this side of Transylvania. From the ‘budget 911’ Rapid Coupe to the Favorit, and the Felicia Fun to the Yeti, PB will always have a soft spot for Skoda.

There’s a fear that the glory days are behind us because while the likes of the Kodiaq and Karoq are probably the most rounded and relevant cars in Skoda’s history, PB misses the days of the Fabia vRS, the Roomster and Yeti. Where has the eccentricity gone?

Not that PB is going to complain too much – a visit from the Ferat in the dead of night would be bloodcurdling. Sleep tight.

With sincere thanks to Skoda Auto for permission to use the archive photos.