Czech out the Skoda Rapid Sport
The Rapid Sport. Just how quick does that sound? Put aside the fact that it sounds a little like the name of new Gillette razor promising to give you the closest shave or your money back, I reckon it's just about the perfect name for a performance car. Even saying its name sounds quick.
Sadly, unless Skoda has a monumental change of heart, it's unlikely to go into production. So your best bet is to head out to Wörthersee in Austria where the annual Volkswagen/Audi/Skoda/SEAT festival is taking place. Alongside the extravagent concepts on display, the Skoda Rapid Sport is arguably one of the more subtle offerings, which is perhaps why it has registered on PetrolBlog's radar.
Look at it - it's flippin’ awesome. Or is it just me?
Admittedly you need to gloss over the slightly dubious two-tone paint job and Halfords-style rear lights, but in every other respect it looks spot on. Image it without the Steel Grey metallic paint and instead painted entirely in Corrida Red and tell me it doesn't look good.
The 19-inch alloy wheels nicely fill the blistered arches and the wider track gives it a low and menacing stance. Other neat touches include the small boot spoiler, front splitter and exhausts integrated into the rear bumper.
In Skoda's typically understated manner, it's described as a "sporty study of its compact sedan Skoda Rapid", before going on to proclaim it as a "vehicle full of excitement and sportiness". You're not wrong, Skoda.
The thing I find most exciting about the concept is just how close it looks to being production ready. It doesn't take too much imagination to see this gracing your local Skoda dealer forecourt with a £17,000 price tag in the window. Position it somewhere between the top-spec Elegance and mid-range SE and take the fight to the new breed of hot hatches with a sports saloon. Heck, I'm getting excited even thinking about it.
The key to its success would be to keep it light. Do away with anything unnecessary - just retain the basics required for a damn good Dawn Raid. A set of Recaro seats in the front, a flat-bottomed sports wheel trimmed in Alcantara, manual windows in the back and no automatic this or automatic that. A modern budget-friendly sports saloon. Not sure Antony Ingram will be too pleased that it's not rear-wheel drive though...
To keep it in the spirit the Rapid was intended, the frugal and surprisingly quick 105hp 1.2-litre should be used to power the Rapid in a brisk but not overly quick manner. And to avoid any confusion with the vRS brand, just keep it simple by calling it the Rapid Sport. Job done - Czech mate.
It's not often I get excited about concepts and I'm aware I'm probably a lone voice on this one. But if anyone shares my enthusiasm for the Rapid Sport, please let me know. Or better still, tell Skoda UK...
A limited run of 100 Skoda Rapid Sports with a discreet PetrolBlog badge above the side indicator. Where do I sign?
