Skoda Vision RS aims to prove hot hatches can be hybrids, too
Mon, Oct 1 2018
It sure seems to have all the right ingredients, too. Under the skin, the car combines a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder and an electric motor that can provide a combined 242 horsepower, with about 140 coming from the engine, and about 100 coming from the motor. For reference, that's 14 more horsepower than a new VW GTI. Speaking of the GTI, the Vision RS is similarly sized, bigger in fact, with an overall length 4 inches greater than the hot hatch stalwart.
Despite the power advantage, Skoda's claimed performance is below that of the GTI, with a 0-62 time of 7.1 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph. But it has another trick up its sleeve, and that's its ability to run purely on electricity. Skoda says that the 13-kWh battery can propel the Vision RS for up to 43 miles on a full charge. Granted, that's likely on a European test loop and would be less in the U.S., but it will still be more than a regular GTI.
The Vision RS looks the hot hatch part, too. Outside it has the crisp, sharp lines, angles and creases we've come to expect from Skoda and most of the VW Group. It's pumped up with big grilles, bulging fenders, a pert rear spoiler, and big rear diffuser. Inside, there are red and carbon fiber accents all over. The upholstery is unique in its environmentally-friendly materials, with some panels made either from recycled polyester or pineapple leaves. The rest is Alcantara, which is apparently a performance car requisite nowadays.
Most interesting is the fact that Skoda says this previews a future model. So we could be seeing a real hybrid hot hatch coming from the company in the near future. The company didn't say exactly what year, though. We wouldn't be surprised if the production model looks very similar to this, and even uses a similar powertrain with roughly the same output. We probably won't get the Skoda in the U.S., but since all of the VW Group's affordable models are extremely closely related, we imagine the powertrain will show up in a VW-branded equivalent, one that could be sold in America. Since this is Golf-sized, and rumors say that a PHEV Golf is coming, that model would be the likely choice. It would also make a great successor to the discontinued Golf GTE.
Related Video:
Featured Gallery Skoda Vision RS Concept
- Image Credit: Skoda
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- Paris Motor Show
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By Joel Stocksdale
See also: VW offers to buy back new diesels if bans introduced, Come see all the cool cars in Geneva that we don't get in America, Volkswagen feuds with thriving stablemate Skoda.