Skoda Yeti XTREME concept revealed

Skoda has re-imagined the Yeti crossover as a chunky off-road racer for the Worthersee tuning show in Austria next week. Called the Yeti EXTREME, the concept mixes rally-inspired chassis updates and equipment with a lurid colour scheme to demonstrate the “versatile potential of its popular compact SUV.”

Powered by a 150bhp 1.8 TSI engine with 250Nm of torque, the XTREME covers 0-62mph in 9 seconds with a top speed of 119mph. Bigger brakes from the Octavia vRS and a height-adjustable chassis are also added.

A matt-grey paint finish with fluorescent yellow highlights is complemented by flared wheel arches, 17-inch alloys wrapped in chunky off-road tyres and bigger bumpers at the front and rear. Skoda claims the dual exhausts pipes emit a much throatier sound as the silencers have been removed.

On the inside four individual Recaro seats and more yellow highlights are added, along with a spare wheel in the boot and ‘recovery tracks’ to help the wheels find grip if the car gets beached in sand. Four-point safety belts keep passengers locked in place, while a thermos flask, sand shovel, belt cutter and a fire extinguisher complete the Dakar-style makeover.

Werner Eichhorn, ŠKODA Board Member for Sales and Marketing. “ŠKODA Yeti Xtreme – as a dynamic and powerful compact SUV concept – demonstrates the brand’s strong expertise in four-wheel drive technology, as well as our know-how when it comes to rally sports.”