ŠKODA VisionS: SUV Design Study to Premier in Geneva
©Skoda
(Relaxnews) – At the Geneva Motor Show Skoda will be taking the wraps off a larger SUV concept, the VisionS, which boasts a strong design language as well as room for all the family.
Skoda is one of the few European marques with just one crossover in its range, the compact yet excellent Yeti. But as the company continues to enjoy record sales — 1.05 million cars sold worldwide in 2015 — it is going to have to start focusing more seriously on vehicles with an SUV aesthetic if it wants to continue building on its popularity.
According to new data published on Tuesday from Jato Dynamics, when total European sales for 2015 are added up, for the first time in history, SUVs outperformed both subcompact and compact cars, the vehicular heartbeat of the continent. SUV registrations jumped in all of the 29 countries the organization monitors and now represent 22.5% of the European market or 3.2 million vehicles.
“Similar to the shift towards SUVs in the US car market, Europeans are clearly favoring these vehicles. In 2015 this segment drove most of the growth as more consumers moved away from the traditional segments and MPVs, towards SUVs and crossovers,” said Felipe Munoz, Global Automotive Analyst at JATO Dynamics.
What’s more, some of the biggest gains have been in the mid-size and large SUV categories, hence the VisionS.
Though just a show car, something very much like it, with the same dimensions — 4.7 meters long, 1.9m wide — will be going into production within the next 12 months.
In show car guise it boasts cabin space for six plus their luggage, but expect the production version to sacrifice some storage space in order to add an extra seat and, although Skoda isn’t offering any glimpses of the car’s interior until the big reveal itself, expect it to up the levels of quality currently in that particular segment — one dominated by Japanese and Korean cars — in terms of material finishes and standard equipment.
Outside, there is a very clear attempt to position the vehicle as sporty and agile despite its size. For instance, at its rear there’s a spoiler and a twin exhaust system that is wrapped up in a diffuser, a detail more usually associated with sportscars and supercars.
The Skoda VisionS will make its global debut at the 86th annual Geneva Motor Show, which this year opens its doors to the public on March 3.
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