Skoda India is currently working on a new line-up of vehicles for the Indian market. Recently, Zac Hollis, Director of Sales, Service & Marketing, Skoda Auto has just confirmed that the CNG version of the Rapid is under testing. Zac confirmed this information over Twitter when a Twitter user asked him if there are any plans of introducing a CNG version of the Rapid. To which Skoda’s director replied saying “Yes CNG is in testing. We at Skoda are launching 4 new products in the next 12 months, starting with the World Premier of Kushaq this month.”
Yes CNG is in testing. We at Skoda are launching 4 new products in the next 12 months, starting with the World Premier of Kushaq this month.
— Zac Hollis (@Zac_Hollis_) March 4, 2021
This means that Skoda Rapid’s CNG version could hit the market. The Rapid CNG has already been spied testing while it was at a CNG station. With the increasing fuel prices, the CNG variant could attract a lot of attention. Skoda already discontinued the beloved 1.5-litre TDI diesel engine because of the BS6 emission norms. The CNG variant is expected to come with the same 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine that we have seen on the regular petrol variants.
Also read: Skoda Rapid Automatic turbo-petrol sedan launched: Cheaper than Honda City Manual
The three-cylinder petrol engine produces 109 bhp of max power and 175 Nm of peak torque. However, with the CNG the power and torque output is expected to fall. The CNG version of the 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine is already on sale in some European markets where the engine produces a respectable 89 bhp of max power while running on CNG. This loss of power also means that that fuel efficiency should also go up by some margin. The CNG variants are also expected to be offered only with manual transmission.
Zac says that they are working on 4 new vehicles of the Indian market that will be launched in the time frame of the next 12 months. These are likely to be the Kushaq, Octavia, Kodiaq and a new sedan.
Kushaq
The Kushaq will debut on 18th March and it will be the spiritual successor of the Yeti. The Kushaq is a mid-size SUV based on MQB A0 IN platform which is specifically developed for India and it should help Skoda to price the SUV competitively.
Octavia
The new generation of the Octavia is expected to hit the Indian market in the second quarter of 2021. The new Octavia has already been spied on the Indian roads without and camouflage. It is expected to come with a 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine that produces 190 PS of max power and 320 Nm of peak torque. It will come mated to a 7-speed DSG Dual-Clutch Automatic gearbox. There is a possibility that the lower variants will get a 1.5-litre TSI that produces 150 PS of max power and a peak torque output of 250 Nm.
Kodiaq
The Kodiaq SUV will be launched in the Indian market sometime this year. The exact time frame for the launch of the Kodiaq BS6 is not yet revealed. It will be the flagship for Skoda Auto. It will come with a 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine. The engine produces 190 PS of max power and 320 Nm of peak torque. It comes mated to a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox.
Rapid Replacement
Skoda is working on a new sedan, which will be based on the MQB AO IN platform. This has been done so that the new sedan can be priced competitively. The new sedan will replace the ageing Rapid. It will also have larger dimensions than the Rapid. The new sedan is expected to get unveiled by the end of 2021.
Also read: Meet India”s first MPV – the Kajah Kazwa (Video)
