You may have sneered at the title, but if you think about what family cars were produced in the Eastern Bloc at the time – Zastava Yugo , ZAZ 1102 Tavria , Lada Samara or Dacia 1310 , our Favorit really stands out above them. And not only the Favorit, the Forman station wagon and utility Pick-up were also derived from the classic hatchback. It replaced the classic 105/120/125/130 sedans and was then replaced by the Felicia .
The Favorit type went into production in 1988 and lasted on the assembly lines in Mladá Boleslav until 1995. The first presentation of two pieces took place already in 1987 at the engineering fair in Brno. A total of 783,167 Favorits, 219,254 Formans and 70,900 Pick-ups were produced by the plant in Vrchlabí. During its production, it went through modernizations in 1991 and 1993, which were always distinguished by a different radiator grille.
A vehicle with front-wheel drive and a front-mounted engine was not such a novelty for Škodovka (the name at the time was AZNP Mladá Boleslav ). Already in the 1970s, there was the Skoda 760 project, on which the automaker collaborated with the Trabant and Wartburg brands. In the end, cooperation did not happen, so our domestic car manufacturer developed the car itself. A new prototype Skoda 780 and later 781 was created. This designation already coincided with the internal designation of the Favorit model. The appearance of the car was originally designed by Jaroslav Kindl and a total of 4 prototypes were created. Only then, in 1983, did Ing. Petr Hrdlička . His task was to develop a completely new passenger car in 2.5 years. Immediately after his appointment, he decided not to entrust the design of the body to domestic designers and went to the Geneva Motor Show. The appearance according to Western trends was supposed to ensure the sales force of the car also abroad. Hrdlička was the first to turn to Ital Design , with whom Skoda collaborated on the 720 and 760 types in the 1970s. However, Giorgetto Giugiaro refused to cooperate because he was bound by contracts with Japanese car manufacturers. Hrdlička also turned to the Pininfarina studio, which, however, was bound by an exclusive contract for Ferrari and Peugeot cars. Two design studios – Chausson and Nuccio Bertone's Stile Italia – finally agreed to create a proposal for 5 body versions (hatchback, sedan, station wagon, coupe and utility vehicle). The latter demanded a lower price for the designs, so a contract was finally signed with him. Nuccio Bertone's collaboration was enthusiastic at first and he already traveled with the first sketches to sign the contract. The technical solution of the car was fully the work of the car manufacturer, Bertone designed the exterior of the car and originally the interior as well. As early as June 1983, a floor platform was sent to Italy so that Bertone could use its dimensions as a basis.
In September of the same year, Bertone presented the automaker with a 1:5 scale model of the hatchback , in December a life-size model, and on New Year's Eve 1984, the first real body already existed. The basic hatchback had the code 781, the sedan was 782 (should have been named Felicia), the three-door coupe then 783, the three-door station wagon with a raised roof again 784 (the name considered was Savana), the classic station wagon 785 (the name Turist was considered, later it was named Forman) , the 786 box van (later redesigned as a Pick-up with a superstructure), the 787 open-bed utility vehicle (classic Pick-up) and finally the 788 long-wheelbase ambulance.
Originally, in order to speed up development, the 120 and 130 engines from the then-produced sedans were supposed to appear under the hood. Since 1983, however, stricter emission standards have come into force, as well as regulations on the use of unleaded petrol. The original engines were not built for this, so they had to go through major modifications. In the design, lightening and suspension of the engine, they even collaborated with the Porsche car manufacturer. For example, Porsche proposed other exhaust silencers, but the one they developed at AZNP themselves ended up having better values. As early as December 1984, the first prototype was tested on the test site of the Tatra automobile company in Kopřivnica. Two years later, the cars passed a durability test of 150,000 km, where the Favorit was compared with the Fiat Uno and the Volkswagen Golf of the second generation. In 1987, the first finished cars could be presented to the public at the Brno fair. However, serial production did not begin until a year later, first in Vrchlabí and only later in Mladá Boleslav . Originally, the cars were only given to national organizations so that possible deficiencies could be eliminated during operation. The public's turn did not come until the middle of 1988. However, since the introduction in 1987, interest in the 742 series cars (sedans 105-130) stagnated.
The Forman station wagon was produced from 1990 to 1995. Thanks to a unique solution, the station wagon shared most of the body parts with the classic hatchback, only the rear side panels, the roof, the floor platform of the trunk, the end part of the exhaust and the rear bumper were new. Utility versions of the Praktitk had front seats and a grille behind them. There was a flat wooden floor throughout the rear, which folded down as there was another storage protor in the place of the rear floor, and a spare remained located at the rear. The cars could have classic windows or sheet metal fillings. The pick-up had the same front end down to the front doors as the regular hatchback. There was a large loading area at the back, which could be supplemented with a superstructure, which was produced in several designs. Another utility version was Forman Plus , it was actually Forman Praktik , which had a raised laminate superstructure. Access to the cargo area was possible thanks to the well-preserved rear doors, but the loading edge, identical to that of a station wagon, was higher than that of a Pick-up. Ultimately, the ambulance was derived from this version, so the Type 788 never went into series production. Regular passenger cars and Pick-ups were also available in the Skoda Eltra 151 version with a 15.5 kW electric motor. We can also mention the two-seater MTX Roadster derived from the Favorit. In Metalex, they also created the MTX Pick-up DC , which was intended for export to African countries. It was a Forman type with an open bed instead of a trunk.
The development of the new car cost 2.5 billion crowns at the time, and there was a lack of money to complete other body versions. This ultimately led to the search for a foreign partner. The biggest bidders were the automakers Renault and Volkswagen , with the German manufacturer ultimately winning thanks to its decision to maintain the production of autonomous cars. It is interesting that Ing. Hrdlička suggested a partnership with BMW , where Skoda would complete the missing 1 series. Among the considered brands was Ford or cooperation with one of the Japanese manufacturers.
Immediately after the start of production in 1988, work began on the first modernization planned for 1992. There was to be a radical change in appearance, the overall rounding of the car, because the angular design was out of fashion. The prototype of the modernized car with the code 791 was again prepared by the Bertone studio. The latter had smaller headlights, different rear group lamps, less recessed side windows and higher-mounted door handles. There was also a proposal for a modernized version of the sedan 792 , which was again named Felicia . A year later, however, cooperation with the Bertone studio was terminated, and the modernization was created only under the direction of the automaker and Volkswagen's development department. New engines with volumes of 1.3 and 1.6 liters with OHC distribution were also under development, which never made it into series production. In the end, however, the modernization of the Favorit was much smaller, and when the radically modernized car was finally presented, it received the name Felicia and became a unique model.
The first modification from 1991 is recognizable by the new radiator grille. Whereas before the sign was on the side and a hole was placed next to it at the bottom edge, now the sign was right in the middle and the hole disappeared. Other changes mainly consisted in the use of higher quality materials in the interior. The first plastic parts lost their original color over time and their shapes could be deformed by heat. The second and biggest upgrade came on January 1, 1993. You will surely remember the famous TV ad promising 548 improvements (here and here and here and here) which was also parodied by the television poad Česká soda . An air intake hole appeared again on the radiator grille, located symmetrically under the car company's logo. The bumpers, handles, tank cap also had a new shape, and the car company's logo was also placed on the trunk lid. All cars had a subspoiler on the front bumpers and protective covers on the rear edges. The car now had a larger wheel track (the wheels also had the same pitch as the concern cars) and new side reinforcements in the doors. The interior also underwent a big change, which was now black instead of brown.
Initially, the 115 (38 kW and 80 Nm), 135 (43 kW and 94 Nm) and 136 (46 kW and 100 Nm) engines were created with Jikov carburetors (it was a license production of Pierburg carburetors). As we have already said, mass production of the basic unit never took place, so only the 135 generators, which also burned Special or Natural 91 gasoline and the more powerful 136, reached customers. In 1991, the 135 Ecotronic version with a power of 40 kW and torque of 90 Nm with an electronically controlled carburetor , which was intended exclusively for export. Later, the existing carburetor engines were replaced with units equipped with Bosch Mono Motronic injection . The power of the weaker version 135 was 40 kW and the stronger 136 now had a power of 50 kW. In the company Autospektrum 2000 s. r. o. Marianske Lázně, you could purchase a modification of the Sprint 75 engine, when the engine had a power of 56 kW thanks to the modified compression ratio.
Initially, it was considered to offer 3 levels of equipment. The lowest model S was to have an instrument panel without a tachometer and fixed rear windows without the possibility of lowering. Even an engine with a smaller volume was considered, only the 115 S prototype was created. The L and LS trims went into production, which after the facelift in 1993 were renamed LX and GLX . The regular model always had rear fenders, internally adjustable mirrors, analog clock on the instrument panel, front wipers with a cycler, heated rear window, self-retracting belts for 4 seats, non-split folding rear bench, reclining front seats, child safety locks for the rear doors, 3 ceiling grab bars, ashtrays in the back door. The better version was then equipped with a tachometer, a memory cycler for the front wipers, front fog lights, a rear window wiper and washer, a handbrake light switch, seats with anatomical inserts covered with better quality polyester plush, folding rear seats and backrests split 2:1 and an upholstered luggage compartment interior. space. After the second facelift, the black matte sticker on the B-pillar also distinguished it. In the 1990s, customers had the opportunity to pay extra for various equipment elements, many of which were then available in special edition versions.
After the takeover of the car company by the Volkswagen Group, the sale of the model range was supported by promotional editions , which often had a typical shade of paint and a decorative logo with the name of the edition on the body. Initially, the action edition related to one body version, later it was often possible to choose it for both types. You might remember Favorit Komfort , Sport Line and Bike Line , Forman Marathon , Excellent and Million Edition . For both body versions, these were the Prima , Silver Line , Black Line , Green Line , Solitaire , Comfort Line , Special Line and X-Line models. A list of the differences in individual equipment would perhaps be published in a separate publication. However, alloy wheels or a special type of lids, tinted windows, better-shaped seats, sunroof, central locking, digital clock, central storage console, car radio with two or four speakers, side protection bars, a specific pattern of seat covers, roof racks were often on offer. . doors, tinted windows, darker rear lights, leather package, trunk opening from the driver's seat. The best equipped type ever was the Solitaire edition. Several promotional editions were then produced by foreign dealers. For example, a Decatop version was created in the Netherlands with a retractable canvas roof that extended over the rear window. In Germany, on the other hand, customers could buy the TOP X version with painted bumpers and spotlights. In the interior, you could find, for example, a wooden steering wheel.
Now let's look back behind the prototypes. The original Skoda 780, inspired by the first generation of the Golf model, was designed by Dipl. tech Jaroslav Kindl and it was from this car that later development was based. Subsequently, 10 prototypes of the Skoda 781 were created with different body styles. The code 781 already coincided with the internal designation of the serial Favorit. In 1989, the 781 Tremp type was created from the serial car. It only had a roof over the front seats, instead of the rear seats there was a flat floor from the Praktik version, on which there was a tubular frame that served to strengthen the car's structure. The lower half of the rear door remained fully functional. A considered different front grille and spot headlights were used on the car. The serial production of this leisure version never took place and today the prototype, unfortunately already with standard headlights, is located in the museum of the car company. Another prototype was the 782 model with a three-compartment sedan body . The floor was the same as the Forman, but of course the rear part of the body was designed in a completely different way. Two prototypes were created, one of them is fully operational and is owned by Skoda. Another completed prototype was the three-door 783 Coupé from 1987. The car has different front doors and a B-pillar hidden under the rear side window and is housed in a museum. Type 784 Savana in the version for transporting people or cargo resembled a Pick-up with a superstructure. However, they had a rear plastic part of the roof that flipped up and made it easier to load or transport larger objects. A prototype of the Favorit cabrio was created directly in the factory, which did not make it into production, and this initiative was taken over by MTX . Finally, there was the 788 prototype ambulance with an extended wheelbase to 3100 mm. There was also a 115 S prototype with a 1137 cc engine. There were a total of 4 cars without a tachometer and roll-down rear windows, but mass production did not take place. Another prototype from 1990 was presented by Bertone , which demonstrated the possible appearance of a modernized version. The prototype had new painted bumpers with integrated spoilers, side skirts, a grille without a hole and fourteen-inch alloy wheels. The equipment included a leather package, a four-spoke steering wheel and electric windows. The door panels were shaped and covered with a combination of leather and suede, which was also used on the seats. There were also Varia utility prototypes with a laminate superstructure instead of the classic trunk lid, the back of which was vertical. At the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1989, Skoda exhibited the Favorit RS . The latter had an output of 86 kW and two twin Weber carburettors . Sixteen-inch alloy wheels, spoilers, sports decals, painted bumpers and rear-view mirrors and a decorative exhaust tip helped the appearance. Also in Frankfurt, but in 1993, the Favorit FUN prototype produced in Česan was presented. Yes, it was the predecessor of the Felicia FUN type. A Pick-up with a sliding rear wall with folding rear seats was also available. The appearance was improved by fender and sill extensions and protective frames, there were stickers with the motif of sailboats. This pattern was repeated on the seat covers. The car was on a raised chassis on fourteen-inch wheels, had a sports steering wheel, which, like the gear lever and handbrake, was covered in blue leather. In addition to blue, yellow and white colors prevailed in the color of the car. The second prototype produced was a combination of purple, green and black colors. A specialty was a twenty-liter cooler box located on the loading surface. There is also a Skoda Forman 1.6 OHC with the engine planned for the Felicia model in the car company's warehouse. Its power is 73 kW and the maximum speed was 200 km/h. The car has extra-standard equipment, such as a leather interior, independent heating and other front headlights. Also worth mentioning is the Skoda Shortcut electric car by Jaromír Végr with a shortened rear part. The car was originally in Switzerland, then returned to the Czech Republic, where it fell into disrepair, but was restored in 2009. And finally, the prototype of the Skoda 792 Felicia – i.e. the sedan on which the automaker presented the planned modernization for the Felicia model. It also received an OHC engine under the hood, but production did not take place, and the name was used by the successor to the Favorit model. But the 792 prototype, for example, had doors extending more into the roof, thus losing the typical rubber strip that extended from the front window. The front and back glass were glued, and the side glass was less recessed between the pillars.
In the last part, we look back at the sporting achievements of the Favorit and Pick-up cars. The main racing industry for Skoda at that time was rallying . In cooperation with the company MTX , the Favorit 136 L/A Rallye was homologated on January 1, 1989, which with a Pierburg 2E-2 carburettor had an output of 105 hp and a torque of 117 NM and had a modified five-speed gearbox. The maximum speed was 170 km/h. The car resembled the previous 130 LA and 130 LR in color scheme with blue and red stripes on a white background. The first start for the car was the Finnish Hanki Rally , where Kalev Ahem won his class. The team drivers were the Czechs Ladislav Křeček and Pavel Sibera . Since its deployment, the car has won in its class and at world championship competitions, for example the Monte Carlo Rally, the RAC Rally , the Finnish 1000 Lakes Rally or the Acropolis rally . For the 1991 season, Skoda changed the color scheme to a checkerboard composed of blue and red squares on a white background. In 1992, Emil Triner replaced Křeček in the team. For 1993, the rules were changed and a year-round cup was announced for cars with a naturally aspirated engine with a maximum volume of 2 liters and single-axle drive. The Skoda Motorsport team also entered this cup with the Favorites, which changed their colors again. The checkerboard was replaced by a green victory V with a red stripe, which is now the symbol of RS models. In the first season, Skoda finished second behind the Opel Motorsport team with powerful Astra GSi cars, but in the following year, the reliable Favorites often won and the team managed to win the title of world champions in the Formula 2 class. In 1990, the Favorit was homologated for group N with an engine power of 49.8 kW and a maximum speed of 150 km/h. The body was not allowed to be lightened, on the contrary, the car was heavier due to the protective frame. In addition, the car had Sachs sports shock absorbers and a duralumin engine cover, but the brakes, for example, had to be identical to the production car.
Also competing on the circuits was the 136 L/A version, which had a significantly lower ground clearance, but was otherwise technically very close to the competition special. A more interesting creation was the Favorit RS 1600 H , which started on circuits since 1992. Under its hood, a developed but not produced in-line four-cylinder 1.6 OHC with two Weber double carburetors, with an output of 123 kW and a torque of 176 Nm, found application. The car, which weighed only 720 kg, had a six-speed gearbox. The car could go up to 240 km/h and reach 100 km/h in just 6 seconds. Later, the engine was modified and received fuel injection, thanks to which the power went up to 129 kW. In the 24h Nürburgring race , the Kvaizar – Samohyl – Obermann crew won their class with it. From circuit races, we will also mention Skoda Pick-up Freestyle . As the name suggests, racing specials arose from the commercial version. All the cars were identical and were produced by Autospectrum 2000 Marianske Lazne . The pick-ups received a laminate body, different bumpers and sill extensions, and the engine power was increased to 78 kW. The cars also had a six-speed gearbox. The Cup of Pick-ups was very popular and continued even with the arrival of the second generation built on the basis of the Felicia model.
This is the history of one of the most important models of our domestic car manufacturer.
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