The ŠKODA SLAVIA made its UK premiere last week as leading British media took to the road at Millbrook Proving Ground in the company’s seventh ŠKODA Student Car. The car’s spectacular design, craftsmanship and attention to detail impressed the journalists as they spent time with the stunning SCALA-based concept. Built to showcase the high quality of training at the ŠKODA Academy, the SLAVIA was designed and engineered by 31 students from the ŠKODA vocational school. Since its inception six years ago, the ŠKODA Student Car programme has produced some remarkable cars.
The current Student Car programme was inspired by a series of 1970s projects where apprentices often worked out of hours to create special one-off cars. Although few were ever officially documented in the way they are now, the philosophy of empowering apprentices to create fully driveable concept cars is at the heart of the modern-era Student Car project.
The Millbrook Proving Ground is situated almost 80 kilometres to the north of London and proved to be the perfect venue for staging the exclusive test drives for the British motoring journalists. Here they were able to put the one-off concept car through its paces over the famous 6.5-kilometre ‘Hill Route’. This track features gradients ranging from 6.5 to 26 per cent. The site’s open layout also provided excellent conditions for ensuring all social distancing and COVID-19 protection measures were adhered to.
ŠKODA SLAVIA a highlight of the anniversary year
The students from the ŠKODA vocational school in Mladá Boleslav managed to make the SLAVIA a highlight of the company’s anniversary year. 125 years ago, founders Václav Laurin and Václav Klement started out in business together, repairing bicycles. Soon the duo began designing their own bikes, successfully marketing them from 1896 onwards under the brand name SLAVIA, the name adopted by the students for their personal dream car.
Dynamic, open-topped and emotive
The ŠKODA SLAVIA developed by the students is a classic two-seater Spider: dynamic, open-topped and emotive. It’s the first Student Car to be based on the ŠKODA SCALA. Comprehensive changes to the body turned the compact hatchback model into a two-door drop-top that departs from convention and embodies a spirited, youthful and carefree attitude.
Article source: www.skoda-auto.com
