After the Indian and European versions , Skoda has another model in its portfolio called Rapid . This time it is the Chinese version , the premiere of which is about to fall, and unmasked prototypes are already racing through the people's democratic roads.
You all know the European Rapid , which premiered recently in Paris and which you can already buy for a price that starts at CZK 289,900 . However, if you want a decently equipped model, prepare your briefcase with more than 300,000 crowns. It may sound like a mockery that the Chinese Rapid will be sold in conversion from about 250,000 CZK , and the price tag of the most expensive model will end up being about 100,000 CZK higher. However, who would wish for a low price, beware! The Chinese Rapid is quite different from ours…
The biggest change is the use of a sedan-type body instead of a liftback . The Chinese don't even hear much about other bodywork. As a result, the entire shape of the rear part has changed, as well as the rear lights, which rather correspond to those on the Indian Rapid (only the rebodied Polo sedan). And if you want to know what you get for that quarter of a million, take a look at the attached pictures – tin cans, black mirror caps, a bumper without fog lights, and you don't even get a chrome strip on the front fascia. However, further pictures will reveal that the more expensive version does not lack these details.
The range of engines was also thoroughly refined. The basic engine is a 90-horsepower four-cylinder engine , which is complemented by a 20-horsepower "sixteenth" engine. Either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmits power to the front wheels.
The production of the model will take place at the Shanghai-Volkswagen plant, which is a joint-venture between the domestic automaker and the German giant. The sedan version of the Rapid will probably not look elsewhere than in China…
Source: autohome.com.cn
