Skoda will not take over Volkswagen heritage

Following the announcement of the withdrawal of Volkswagen Motorsport from WRC at the end of the year, some speculations point to a possible resumption of the program by Skoda, a Czech manufacturer belonging to the VW Group, by adapting the 2017 Polo R WRC with a bodywork from one of its models while the brand is enjoying great success in WRC 2 with his Fabia R5.

Bernhard Maier, the managing director of Skoda Auto, confirmed in an interview with Coach that such a project was not in preparation.

" It will not arrive. We have enjoyed great success in rally and we are taking advantage of it today in WRC 2, explained Bernhard Maier. We have a great customer program that doesn't cost us money and can win us the title, so why change? »

“More isn’t always better. A WRC 2 Championship suits Skoda well. This is certainly the best return on investment, said the general director of the Czech brand. We are currently focusing on the offensive of the brand and our products, our investments were made in electrical technology and digital. These two initiatives offer many more opportunities than other areas to spend money on, although some of them can be fun. »

Skoda Motorsport played at the highest level of the WRC between 1999 and 2005 with the Octavia and Fabia. German Armin Schwartz achieved the best result for the Czech manufacturer with a 3rd place at the 2001 Kenya Rally.