Frankfurt: Skoda preview night

By Jack Rix

September 2011

From what we saw at the Frankfurt Motor Show Skoda preview night, the brand is on a mission. Although not as immediately eye-catching as some of the other cars on display, Skoda's quietly elegant MissionL concept was a handsome addition.

The firm made no bones about the fact that this car is heading for production – something that was confirmed by the model's feasible proportions and production-ready interior. It's designed to plug a gap in the line-up between the Fabia and the Octavia – giving the firm a genuine rival to the Ford Focus. However, chief exterior designer Jozef Kaban was cagey about comparing it to any one rival.

He said: "I don't want to say it's up against any model in particular; as it's unique and fits the range perfectly. The saloon bodystyle with the hatchback tailgate is very typically Skoda."

We asked him when the MissionL would make production and he replied: "Not this year, but soon. In principle, we will also see elements of the design in other future cars, but I want to make sure every model in our range has a unique character."

The name Felicia has been touted for the production model, but Kaban refused to confirm or deny the rumours: "We will definitely use a real name, not MissionL, but it's too early to let you know what that is."

Read more details on the Skoda MissionL here.

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