SkodaAuto joins the upper medium segment as the new Skoda Superb goes on sale on Monday, 27 May 2002. The Superb takes Skoda straight to the to the top of class for quality, size and, with on-the-road prices starting at just £14,200, value for money. The Superb combines all of the best traits of the Skoda brand: passion for design; empathy for the brand’s drivers and passengers; commitment to high quality and value; and a steadfast dedication to rebuilding the historic brand to its earlier excellence.
Passenger comfort is paramount; the Superb offers passenger space unrivalled amongst upper-medium vehicles. A wheelbase of 2803mm translates into limousine-like rear seat comfort for even the tallest passengers.
With Classic, Comfort and Elegance levels of specification, the Superb offers standard equipment above and beyond its competitors in this class. Aimed to exceed the high expectations of private owner and company car drivers alike, all new Superbs come with climate control with additional vents to the rear seats; remote central locking; electric windows front and rear; electrically-adjustable and heated door mirrors; front and side airbags for driver and front passenger; and sound system with CD player.
Comfort trim additions include cruise control; rear acoustic parking sensors; umbrella holder in the rear door; and 16″ alloy wheels. The Superb Elegance adds bi-xenon headlights; heated front and rear seats; electronically-adjustable front seats with memory function for the driver’s seat and door mirrors; electric sunroof; and 17″ alloy wheels.
However, the Superb takes passenger practicality one step further with innovations unique to the Škoda brand. The umbrella holder in the rear door drains to the outside so the Skoda umbrella can be put away while still wet. The Coming Home function switches the dipped headlights on when the doors are unlocked with the remote and keeps them on for 30 seconds after the doors are closed. CatVision provides diffused night time interior illumination without interfering with the driver’s vision.
Four engines will be available from launch, including two that are new to the Skoda brand. The range includes the economical 2.0 litre with 115 bhp; and the 1.8 litre 20V turbocharged, 150 bhp petrol engine, which delivers excellent torque with combined fuel economy of 34.0 mpg. New for Škoda are two V6 units that provide outstanding driving capabilities. The six-cylinder diesel is the state-of-the-art 2.5 litre, V6 TDI that produces
155 bhp and excellent fuel economy at 39.8 combined mpg. The V6 TDI is available with a six-speed manual gear box in Comfort trim and with automatic Tiptronic transmission in the Elegance version. The ultimate Superb petrol engine is the 2.8 litre 193 bhp V6, offering a maximum speed of 147 mph, acceleration from 0 - 62 mph in only 8.0 seconds, and average fuel consumption of 28.2 mpg. This engine is available in Elegance trim with optional Tiptronic automatic transmission.
Two additional diesel engines will be available in late-summer 2002. Both are 1.9 TDI Pumpe Düse engines with high-pressure injection, turbocharger and variable blade geometry. One has 100bhp and the other, 130 bhp. The 130 bhp engine provides excellent torque, combined fuel consumption of 48.7 mpg and CO2 emissions of just 154 g/km.
Pricing for the new Skoda Superb begins at £14,200 for the Classic 2.0, rising through the Classic and Comfort ranges to the top of the range Elegance 2.5 V6 TDI with Tiptronic automatic transmission at £24,500. Most sales are anticipated to be of Classic and Comfort models. As a result, over 90 per cent of all Superb customers will buy their new car for under £18,000, additional proof of Skoda’s exceptional value.
All prices are on the road and include metallic paint, Skoda’s two-year unlimited mileage factory warranty followed by a third year of warranty provided by SkodaAuto UK that will be valid until the vehicle has completed 60,000 miles; a 10-year anti-corrosion warranty; and a 3-year paint warranty. As with all Škodas, the Superb is covered by a 3-year roadside assistance package, which includes European cover, and inclusion on the International Security Register (ISR) for three years.
Not only does the Superb mark the Czech car manufacturer’s re-entry into the top of the upper-medium segment, it demonstrates the strength of Škoda’s growth and development over recent years. With its wide range of engine choices at great prices, competitive CO2 emissions and high levels of specifications, the Superb adds up to great value for private buyers and company car drivers alike.
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