Skoda Rapid’s decade-long production comes to a full stop in India

Ahead of the forthcoming launch of the brand-new Slavia, Skoda has brought an end to the production of the Rapid after a long run of ten years. However, as a last hurrah to the Rapid, Skoda had offered a limited-run Matte edition of the model.

Skoda brought the Rapid sedan to India in late 2011 and started manufacturing it at its facility in Maharashtra. It was based on Volkswagen’s PQ25 platform which also did duty in the Vento. In fact, both sedans shared almost all the mechanicals.

The Skoda Rapid was available with a 1,598cc naturally aspirated petrol motor mated to either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic. It churned out 103bhp and 153Nm. Meanwhile, there was a 1.6-litre diesel too - making the same brake horsepower as its petrol counterpart, but being a diesel engine, this delivered 250Nm. It was paired with a five-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic.

Now, Skoda is focusing on its next big launch in the country after the Kushaq; the Slavia. Under 'Project India 2.0', the brand has developed a dedicated platform, named MQB A0 IN for the Indian market, and it is going to utilise that by making all-new cars. The first one was, of course, the Kushaq, while the upcoming Slavia will be the second car to use the platform. The Skoda Slavia will be making its worldwide debut on 18 November 2021 and is expected to arrive in India at the beginning of 2022.

SkodaSlavia [2022-2023] ₹ N/A OnwardsCheck On Road Price

Share via