SKODA Auto India Private Limited (SAIPL) has been operating in India since 2001 as a subsidiary of SKODA AUTO. At the age of 123 years, SKODA is one of the oldest automotive manufacturers in the world. From as early as 1895, first bicycles, later motorcycles and, from 1905, cars have been built at their headquarters in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic.
The year 1991 marked the dawn of a new era for the brand as SKODA went on to become the fourth brand under the Volkswagen Group, after which the leadership, marketing, product development and production underwent substantial modernisation.
The first ever Skoda car in India was the Octavia, launched in 2002 as a CKD unit. It became an instant hit in the Indian car market for its frugal yet punchy 1.9 TDI engine. In 2005, Skoda went on to launch the Laura, which was actually the second generation of the Octavia in the global markets. In India, however, the car was sold as a different product alongside the first-generation Octavia. The first generation Octavia enjoyed a healthy production run till 2010, paving the way for the launch of its third generation model in 2013.
Skoda has enjoyed a reputation in the Indian car industry for being a premium car manufacturer and is slowly expanding its product portfolio from sedans to SUVs. The range of new Skoda cars in India consists of the Rapid, Octavia, Superb & the Kodiaq which also form the company’s 2018 product line-up.
The all Skoda car models sold in India roll off the production lines in Pune and Aurangabad. The plant in Aurangabad, Maharashtra produces the Octavia, Kodiaq and Superb. Production of the Rapid has taken place since 2011 in Volkswagen’s Pune plant.
Skoda car prices start from around 8.4 lakh rupees for the 2018 Rapid and go up to double-digit figures for the remaining models. Skoda car price listings can be found on the website of autoX.
