Skoda Begin to Accept Their Past

[Spiny Norman]

They used to be quite rightly proud of their rallying successes.

 

[simmo]

 

What happens next?

 

http://www.vord.net/friends/skoda/bigtank.html

Being a larger gunned Sherman Firefly it would of been targeted above standard Shermans by panzer crews interestingly some German tank destroyers (Jagdpanzers) were made in Skoda factories.

[fordperv]

 

I strongly doubt the above applies to the new 'Rapid'.

 

An appropriate headline would probably be along the lines of 'What looks like a VW, handles like a VW and lacks fun as much as a VW ?'

 

like a golf???

[Micrashed]

Ian - I didnt know you spoke Czech

 

I dont know why people get so uppity about their past - George Michael hates his "Wham" stuff, but not only did this give him the financial backing to do other things it gave him the springboard into the limelight. And so on. Skoda should equally be proud of their past and able to see it for what it is - maturity and development

[Owain71]

Pity. Skoda Pity. 

 

I can but apologise for talking new Skoda, but someone did ask and that gave me an excuse to talk Skoda. As way of apology please accept these pictures - much better than text. 

 

Owners' Club National Committee Meeting;

 

 

 

Skoda Holidaying;

 

 

I thought I'd seen URB before... just dug it out & it's pictured with Lord Strathcarron in Skoda GB's "newspaper", The Standard, Winter 1990

 

Happy to scan it in if you haven't seen it!

[Station]

Ian - I didnt know you spoke Czech

 

I dont know why people get so uppity about their past - George Michael hates his "Wham" stuff, but not only did this give him the financial backing to do other things it gave him the springboard into the limelight. And so on. Skoda should equally be proud of their past and able to see it for what it is - maturity and development

 

Haha, I also thought that was him before I read your post!

[skoda_norman]

I thought I'd seen URB before... just dug it out & it's pictured with Lord Strathcarron in Skoda GB's "newspaper", The Standard, Winter 1990

 

Happy to scan it in if you haven't seen it!

 

Well remembered. Thanks for the offer of a copy but I have one already. I am trying to track down more publications with the car in also some of Strathcarron's books. 

 

 

[Junkman]

Just to give you a vague idea of Dr Tulis' work:

 

 

 

 

 

[skoda_norman]

The man has skills!

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[simmo]

 

Some friends with an already impressive record of shite ownership were stuck for a second car, so I  put them in touch with a work mate's dad who wanted to out this gem.  I didn't discuss money knowing that both parties were non messers and would work it out sensibly.  My mate and Mrs turn up with readies expecting a bit of light haggling, the vendors' opening gambit was "you can have it" (little tax and plenty of test) .my mate says thank you very much but his better half must of not looked too keen (which she denies).  To sweeten the deal the seller gave it a quick wash and threw in the carpet tiles that were in the luggage compartment to enhance handling...   

[skoda_norman]

Haha, that is fantastic. Though I can't quite understand why they were so hated - sure they're not brilliant cars, but they're not totally useless. 

[garethj]

Because to car journalists recently, anything different must be ridiculed until it's crushed.  An engine in the back?  How terrible!

 

This also allows them to accuse car manufacturers of being boring by not doing anything different, or heralding them as champions if they produce a 1.4 litre engine instead of a 1.3

 

Motor journalism is also blighted by fashion, for example in the 1980s road tests, front wheel drive was seen as much better handling.  The Pug 405 was miles better than the Sierra.  But now anything with rear wheel drive is given God-like status, the "dab of oppo" parody didn't come from nowhere.

 

The reason Skoda suffered at the time was because of the slating they got in the press, despite producing cars that were cheap to buy and drove well at normal speeds.