Richard Yarrow’s opinion for www.startrescue.co.uk, providing low cost Car Breakdown.
Later this month, it is the 20th anniversary of Skoda becoming part of the Volkswagen Group, and I’ve been doing some research on the Czech company for an article about it. Skodas, as we all remember, were the butt of many jokes. It’s a common misconception that was because they were unreliable and likely to leave you reaching for your breakdown assistance membership card. Actually, mechanically, in 1991, they were pretty good for what they were, just rather cheap and nasty in comparison to what we were used to in Western Europe. Behind the Iron Curtain cars like the Favorit (pictured) sold very well and had a solid reputation. Here’s a few factoids that I’ve come across during this week’s dig into the history of Skoda.
Started in 1895 as a bicycle maker in the town of Mlada Boleslav, in what was at the time Austria-Hungary, Skoda is actually the fourth oldest still-existing car company in the world.
Mlada Boleslav is now in the Czech Republic, where one in every new three cars sold is a Skoda.
Skoda, as a Communist state-owned car company, employed prisoners to help build its vehicles before the collapse of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. A jail was built just outside the factory gates in the Seventies and housed up to 1,600 inmates.
Skoda is the main sponsor for the Ice Hockey World Championships and has been for the last 18 years. It’s the longest-standing supporter of any major sporting world championships, an achievement recognised by Guinness World Records.
Skoda cars have now won countless awards across the world for their functionality, reliability and the excellent service offered by dealers. But no Skoda car has ever finished in the top three in the European Car of the Year competition.
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