RAY MASSEY: A Fabia success story for Skoda

Amazing to recall the astonishing effect Skoda’s Fabia hatchback had when it was first launched a quarter of a century ago.

As the Czech car maker this week celebrates Fabia’s 25th anniversary over four generations – coinciding with the new September ’74’ plate change – I well remember the impact it created when I drove one of the first ones through London. It proved a real head-turner.

Most people couldn’t believe that this chic, compact family runaround was a Skoda which, back then, was still – rather unfairly – considered a bit of a joke. That was because Czechoslovakia’s post-war years under the yoke of Cold War Soviet communism had taken its toll on the country and brand.

Skoda jokes abounded: ‘What do you call a Skoda with twin-exhausts? A wheelbarrow.’

‘What do you call an open-top Skoda? A skip.’ And on they went.

But the arrival of the first new Fabia super-mini in 1999, replacing the Felicia, marked a change in Skoda’s reputation.

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 had signalled the end of communist dictatorship in Eastern Europe and the beginning of the transformation of Skoda which swiftly came under the wing of Germany’s giant Volkswagen Group. But shifting perceptions about Skoda’s cars took time.

Fabia’s arrival, the second new model after the larger Octavia, was the turning point. Since then, more than 4.9million Fabias have been built – including 400,000 sold in the UK.

Nearly 1.8million examples of the first-generation car were built up to 2007.

The second-generation car added 1.7million up to 2014, helped by a memorable advert featuring the creation of a full-sized Fabia cake. The third generation Fabia contributed another 1.2million up to 2021, when the fourth incarnation was born, selling 250,000 to date.

The current Fabia comes with four petrol engine options ranging from 80 to 150 horsepower, including five and six-speed manual gear-boxes and a seven-speed automatic option. Prices start from £19,730 for the 1 litre five-speed manual SE Comfort which offers up to 55.8 mpg, or up to £25,355 for the Fabia Monte Carlo 1.5 litre TSI 150 horsepower automatic.

Skoda says the UK ‘has played a major part in Fabia’s success story’.

Having lost its budget appeal, Skoda now aims to be a top five best-selling brand in Europe by 2030.

25 years of the Skoda Fabia – through four generations

Fabia Mk1 1999-2007 – 1.78 million models sold worldwide

The Fabia five-door hatchback proved to be an instant hit and head-turner

Launched at the at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show – the Fabia five-door hatchback proved to be an instant hit and head-turner with both buyers and critics, who praised the model for its style, practicality and value for money. It was named overall Car of the Year 2000 by What Car?

An estate version made its public debut at the 2000 Paris Motor Show and in 2003 came a ‘hot’ racing inspired Fabia vRS with

A 1.9-litre 130horse-power turbodiesel engine that still returned up to 53.3mpg .

Fabia Mk2 2007-2014 – 1.7 million models sold worldwide

The second-generation Fabia featured a larger body and design improvements

The second-generation Fabia featured a larger body and design improvements and was previewed at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show before entering production a month later. Its practical 315 litre boot was considerably larger too, with more headroom throughout the cabin and higher quality plastics and fabrics.

UK sales were helped by a memorable advert featuring the creation of a full-sized Fabia cake created and baked to the sound of Julie Andrews singing ‘My Favourite Things’ from the musical The Sound of Music. The amazing achievement featured in the Daily Mail/ MailOnline in May 2007.

How to bake a car: the amazing story behind Skoda’s new TV ad | Daily Mail Online

Fabia Mk3 2014-2021 – 1.2 million models sold worldwide

The third model to wear the Fabia badge brought in new technology, safety features and driver aids

The third model to wear the Fabia badge brought in new technology, safety features and driver aids.

UK sales started in January 2015.

A longer wheelbase and a wider track offset a reduction in overall length and height.

Skoda boosted interior quality and equipment, boot capacity rose to 330 litres, and customer were offered a wider range of engines.

The third-generation Fabia was facelifted in 2019 with revisions to the headlights and bumpers, and the Monte Carlo trim becoming the flagship model, as diesel was ditched in favour of petrol-only.

Fabia Mk4 2021-present – 250,000 models sold worldwide

Its intricate and clever detailing includes body lines on the front doors that replicate the characteristic triangle of the Czech flag

Launched 21 years after the first-generation model, the fourth and current generation Škoda model to wear the Fabia badge went on sale in the UK at the end of 2021.

Its intricate and clever detailing includes body lines on the front doors that replicate the characteristic triangle of the Czech flag.

The current Fabia currently comes with four petrol engine options with outputs ranging from 80 to 150 horse-power, with five and six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic DSG options. Prices start from £19,730 for the frugal 1.0litre five-speed manual SE Comfort.

New ’74’ plate boosts demand 

Incentive: Isuzu UK is offering customers a cash boost for its D-Max pick-up truck

Demand for new cars is increasing as the ’74’ plate is launched tomorrow – the start of September – according to online market-place Auto Trader.

Visits made by potential customers to its new- car website have risen nearly 7 per cent compared with 2.7 per cent this time last year.

The volume of new cars advertised in August is already up 23 per cent on January, it adds. Average discounts offered to tempt customers rose from 8.7 per cent in July to 8.9 per cent in August.

But discounts on electric vehicles – whose sales to private buyers remain sluggish – ‘rocketed’ from 6.6 per cent to 10.9 per cent over the same period.

Pick up £1,000… and an Isuzu truck

Isuzu UK is offering customers an additional £1,000 for vehicles part-exchanged for a rugged D-Max 74-plate pick-up truck.