Skoda Rapid Matte Edition launch timeline leaked

Skoda is gearing up for the launch of a special variant of the Rapid mid-size sedan. It will be called the Rapid Matte Edition and it is expected to get launched around the festive season. It will get cosmetic upgrades over the regular Rapid while the mechanicals will stay the same.

As the name suggests, the Rapid Matte Edition will get a matte paint scheme. It will be finished in Matte Grey exteriors, the front grille, boot spoiler, front bumper spoiler and the outside rearview mirrors will be finished in glossy black colour. The alloy wheels will measure 16-inches in size and they will also be finished in glossy black colour.

At the rear, there will be a diffuser integrated into the bumper. It will be only there for cosmetic purposes and will not be functional. There will be some upgrades to the interior too. The Matte Edition will get Alcantara seat covers. Other features include Tellur Grey interiors, rear parking camera, flat-bottom steering wheel and much more. The rest of the sedan will stay the same.

Also read: Skoda Rapid CNG under testing for the Indian market

Mechanically, it would continue to be offered with a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged engine that puts out 108 PS of max power and 175 Nm. You can get it with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. This is the same engine that we have seen on the Polo GT and Volkswagen Vento.

Despite, being one of the oldest mid-size sedans in the Indian market, the Rapid is still in good demand because enthusiasts still prefer its driving dynamics, ride quality and turbocharged engine over other mid-size sedans. We first saw the Rapid Matte Edition at the Auto Expo 2020. However, at the Expo, Rapid had orange accents on the wing mirrors and on the sides.

Skoda working on new mid-size sedan

Skoda Auto is working on a new mid-size sedan for the Indian market. It has been codenamed ANB and the production-spec version is expected to be called Slavia because Skoda already has a sedan with the same name in the international market.

As per Zac Hollis, Skoda’s director of Sales, Service & Marketing, the Slavia will be positioned higher than the Rapid because it is a larger and more premium vehicle. It will be launched by the end of 2021 and the deliveries will start early next year.

Slavia will be based on the MQB-A0-IN platform that is specifically developed for India and is based on the global MQB-A0 platform. The MQB-A0-IN is already being used in Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun and will also be used in the upcoming Volkswagen’s mid-size sedan. The wheelbase will measure 2,651 mm.

There will be two engine options on offer. The 1.0 TSI will produce 115 PS of max power and 178 Nm of peak torque. It will be offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. Then there is the 1.5 TSI that produces 150 PS of max power and 250 Nm of peak torque. It will be offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed DQ200 DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

Also read: Skoda Kushaq SUV”s official launch & price announcement timeline revealed officially

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