Welcome to London's Skoda Independent Garage.We have a team of independent Skoda specialists who can sort out anything from basic Skoda servicing to advanced technical Skoda cars problems. One of the best independent Skoda Master Technician on site offering knowledge and experience using the latest Skoda Main Dealer garage compulsory diagnostics equipment.

 

1895 to 1905 - From push bike fanatics to motorcycle madness


You might think it strange but our founders started by making push bikes! In Czechoslovakia during December 1895, keen cyclists Vaclav Laurin (a mechanic) and Vaclav Klement (a bookseller) started designing and manufacturing bicycles. At that time, most Czechs were fervently patriotic, so they called their first company Slavia. Their bicycles sold well, so Laurin and Klement decided to take the next step – and add motors. They started making motorbikes in 1899, changed the name of their company to the Laurin & Klement Co and chalked up several racing victories. While making nearly 4,000 motorbikes of various types, they started experimenting with a new phenomenon – the car - which began to gradually replace motorbikes from 1905 on.

Article source: www.skoda.co.uk

ŠKODA UK announces record 2012 

  • ŠKODA UK breaks 2011 new car registrations record in just 10 months
  • Year-to-date registrations stand at 46,281, up 17.9% on 2011
  • Market share of 2.6%
  • Fourth consecutive year that ŠKODA has beaten its previous best

ŠKODA UK today announced that it has broken its previous registrations record in just 10 months of 2012, signalling the fourth straight year that the brand has beaten its previous best. With two months of the year still to go, last year’s record of 45,061 new car registrations has already been beaten.

The astonishing news is the latest in a string of achievements during a hugely successful 2012 for ŠKODA:

  • During October ŠKODA registered 4,759 new cars in the UK.
  • Year-to-date registrations stand at 46,281, up 17.9% on 2011 (39,241).
  • Year-to-date market share in the UK stands at 2.6% and is the first time that ŠKODA reached October with a market share above 2.5%. The breakdown is 2.9% retail and 2.3% fleet.

Alasdair Stewart, Brand Director for ŠKODA UK, commented: “Today’s news that we’ve already beaten 2011’s total – itself the previous highest-ever UK figure – demonstrates the momentum ŠKODA has in the UK. Our core values of exceptionally versatile cars, great design, advanced technology and value-for-money prices appeal to the motoring public. Our congratulations go to our retailers who work very hard to deliver outstanding service to our customers; and to our growing base of fleet customers who are increasingly recognising the excellent value proposition represented by ŠKODA products. The figures underline what a phenomenal job everyone associated with the company has been doing this year, and means we are on target to meet the goals we set for 2012.”

Article source: www.skoda.co.uk

 

Skoda Fabia review by Top Gear

The Skoda Fabia Hatchback is cleanly styled, well made, quiet-running and sweet if unexciting to drive. An entirely logical choice, and possibly more dependable than the French supermini default. Owners absolutely adore them, and their dealers come to that –see the Top Gear survey.

  • Comfort

    A strong point. There's plenty of space in that upright body. The ride is supple and the tyres and suspension quiet. The engines are well-insulated. The seats are supportive and the driving position adjusts to fit anyone, from dumpling-fed Czech farmer to size-zero British learner.

    Rated 7 out of 10

  • Performance

    Excluding the 1.4 TSI in the vRS, there are two petrols with two power outputs each - a 1.2 with 60 or 70bhp and a 1.2 TSI with 85 and 105bhp. There is also a 1.6 TDI with 90 or 105bhp. Ignore the entry 1.2 - although perky enough, with just three cylinders it's loud and can be hard work. The TSI models are much better. Even the entry 85bhp version is fun to drive and feels more powerful than it actually is - 0-62mph is a respectable 11.8 secondsand it has a top speed of 111mph. The 1.6 diesel is only slightly smoother and quieter than the old 1.9 TDI and doesn't feel as if it has that much more power. However, it will cruise easily at higher speeds.

    Rated 6 out of 10

  • Cool

    It shows you don't quite do the normal thing. It shows you're straight-thinking not ditsy or fashion-led. It's also good-looking in a chilly, northern way. Does any of that make it cool? Not terribly, but it's by no means an embarrassment.

    Rated 6 out of 10

  • Quality

    The old Fabia's interior quality was stand out, and the new one is even better; beautifully crafted using materials that are both nice to look at and touch.

    Rated 6 out of 10

  • Handling

    Compared to its recent rivals (such as the Clio, 207 and Punto) the new Fabia has grown up the least, sitting as it does on much the same platform as before. This means it feels quite compact and nippy compared with its ever-expanding rivals. The well-connected steering opens the gate to cornering with a sense of fun. You can tuck the nose in or even loosen the tail if you trim the throttle. This is not the straight-laced behaviour you might expect of a respectable Skoda, and it's all the more welcome because of it.

    Rated 7 out of 10

  • Practicality

    The Fabia's cabin is deceptively spacious. Okay, those in the rear don't have room to stretch, but it's not breaking any human rights conventions, swallowing five people in relative comfort. That's relative to, say, being skewered by a herd of rhinoceroses. The boot is a generous size for a supermini at 300 lires which then increases to 1,163 when the rear seats are tumbled forward.

    Rated 6 out of 10

  • Running costs

    There's a low-carbon Greenline version to keep fuel and tax right down. Depreciation is low, unlike for many ‘bargain' brands. But then Skodas aren't really sold at bargain prices any longer. Service intervals 10,000 miles, a long way for a supermini, and three-year/60k warranty too.

    Rated 10 out of 10

 

Article source: www.topgear.co.uk

Winter Health Check

This isn’t about whether you’re feeling a bit sniffly. It’s a comprehensive check of your ŠKODA that’s not to be sniffed at.

 

For just £19.99 we’ll give your ŠKODA a thorough 7-point inspection and give you a full condition report. So you know what needs to be done to keep you safe on the roads this winter.

 

 

 

 

Here’s what we check:

 

Lights

Dark nights and gloomy days demand properly working, properly aligned lights to help you see and be seen. We’ll check your headlights’ alignment is correct.


Wiper blades

Whether it’s raining, snowing or icy, your wiper blades have to keep the windscreen clear. We’ll check them to make sure they’re up to the job.


Windscreen washer

Most people don’t give their windscreen washer a thought until their screen is dirty and they discover the bottle’s empty. But we do, with our function and fluid check, and top-up if required.


Brakes

Stopping’s hard enough in snowy or icy conditions, without your brakes letting you down. We look over your pads and discs, and check your brake fluid, so there’s nothing to stop you stopping safely.


Tyres

As your only contact with the road, your tyres need to be in tip-top condition for the winter. We’ll check them over and, if you need advice on choosing winter tyres, we’re the right people to ask. Why not check out our tyre tips too?


Battery

Avoid that sinking feeling and sad clicking sound of a flat battery on a cold morning. Get us to check your battery now.


Air-con

It’s not just in hot weather you need your air-con. In winter it cuts condensation and aids demisting – but only if it’s working properly. We’ll check to see if it is.

 

 

For more information, please contact your local ŠKODA retailer.

 

Article source: www.skoda.co.uk

Andreas plans ultimate celebration run in Cyprus 

ŠKODA UK Motorsport’s Andreas Mikkelsen is planning the ultimate celebration run on the Cyprus Rally (2nd - 4th November), as the 23-year old Fabia S2000 pilot is set to become the first driver to retain the Intercontinental Rally Challenge title.

Andreas and co-driver Ola Fløene won their first IRC titles with victory in Cyprus last year, and with an unassailable points lead heading into the final round of this year’s series, neither can be beaten to the drivers’ and co-drivers’ titles.

With ŠKODA already confirmed as IRC Manufacturers’ champions for the third consecutive year, Andreas and the entire ŠKODA UK Motorsport team are determined to end the IRC season on a high, and will be pushing as hard as ever to score a good result.

Victory in Cyprus will not be easy, as a tough challenge comes from the turbocharged Fiesta RRC driven by Nasser Al-Attiyah and the normally-aspirated Fabia S2000 of Sepp Wiegand (ŠKODA Deutschland).

This year’s Cyprus Rally, which also counts towards the FIA Middle East Rally Championship, is a mixed surface event, with 70% rough gravel and 30% asphalt. The majority of the stages are located in the Troodos Mountains, the highest point of the eastern Mediterranean island. Andreas: “I love competing in Cyprus, the stages are really tough and challenging and we won there last year, so I’m looking forward to returning. It’s a great feeling to know that I’ve become the first driver to win back-to-back IRC drivers’ titles and that ŠKODA is already manufacturer champions for a third time, so we can now go to Cyprus and have some fun. We will try to win, because I want to give all the guys in the team who have worked so hard for this year’s success, plus all our fans, a really great ending to what has been a truly fantastic season.”

This year’s Cyprus Rally contains 13 special stages covering 147.35 miles (237.14kms), with the centralised service park based in Pafos. The action begins with a spectacular 2 mile (3.2km) superspecial around the streets of Pafos on the evening of Friday 2nd November.

Leg 1 continues the following day. Starting at 08.15, it contains one mixed surface, one asphalt and one gravel stage, all of which are repeated in the afternoon. One of the exciting changes to this year’s route is the inclusion of the 12.07 mile (19.43km) Prodromi-Neo Chorio stage, which last year was used for the Golden Stage Rally and is considered a “beautiful and spectacular stage” by IRC Manager Jean-Pierre Nicolas. After seven stages and 64 miles (103.52kms) of competition, all cars must be in parc ferme for the final overnight halt by 20.30.

Leg 2 on Sunday 4th November gets underway at 07.00 and contains a further three stages in the morning, all of which are repeated in the afternoon. Two are mixed surface, while the all-gravel Panayia stage is, at 18.89 miles (30.41kms), the longest stage of the event. This will also be the final stage, prior to the traditional champagne ceremony at 17.00.

Article source: www.skoda.co.uk

More Articles...

  1. ŠKODA: higher deliveries in September
  2. ŠKODA announces exceptional value for money autumn offers
  3. Skoda Yeti review by TopGear
  4. Skoda Octavia vRS review by Top Gear

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