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Skoda unveils Volkswagen Up!-based Citigo

This is the all-new Skoda Citigo, and if you're thinking that it looks rather familiar, that's because its Volkswagen-badged kin recently debuted at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. That's right, the long-rumored Skoda version of Volkswagen's new Up! city car has finally arrived.
Buyers will have a choice of two 1.0-liter three-cylinder engines - one with 59 horsepower, the other with a 74 hp and a blistering 106 mph top speed - both mated to a five-speed manual transmission. Powerful they are not, but these three-bangers should prove to be extremely efficient, with Skoda quoting fuel economy numbers of 62.8 and 60.1 miles per gallon, respectively (on the European cycle).
Being a Skoda, the Citigo will go on sale in its home market of the Czech Republic this fall, with the rest of Europe getting the car next summer. Follow the jump for Skoda's official release.

Volkswagen Group names Paefgen head of classics program

You may remember the name Franz-Josef Paefgen. Until recently, the German engineer and executive was head of both Bentley and Bugatti. Before that he was chief executive of Audi, after working for several years at Ford. He technically "retired" earlier this year, but like the cars he helped create, an executive like Paefgen could never really retire. So it should come as little surprise that the Volkswagen Group has named Dr. Paefgen head of its Classic program.
In his new capacity, Paefgen will oversee the historic automobile activities of the entire VW Group, including those of Volkswagen, Seat, Skoda, Audi, Lamborghini, and of course Bentley and Bugatti. It strikes us as a suitable semi-retirement for the man responsible in no small part for the Bugatti Veyron and Bentley Mulsanne, to name just two, and who was decorated in 2006 by the ACO as the "Spirit of Le Mans" for his contribution to endurance racing. Read the official announcement after the break.

2013 Skoda Rapid offers Czech flair in a Volkswagen world

Czech automaker Škoda has splashed down at this week's Paris Motor Show with its new Rapid sedan. The 2013 Rapid may bear a brand-specific front end, but the rest of the car isn't a far leap from its Volkswagen Jetta roots. We think that's a good thing, though perhaps the best instantiation of this corporate model is the new Toledo from Seat? We'll let the Europeans fight that one out.
The Rapid will serve as an entry point into the larger Volkswagen corporate universe for many buyers, offering a value-laden vehicle that is slightly less upscale than its German and Spanish counterparts. The Rapid will be served up with no fewer than five engine choices at launch: a pair of diesels and three different petrol-engined cars will fill out the roster.
Curiously, the Czech automaker already markets a very different model under the Rapid banner, a smaller VW Polo-derived model sold in India.