Skoda unveils the Slavia student concept car

The seventh Skoda student concept car, designed by 31 trainees attending the renowned Skoda vocational school, links the past with the present, paying homage to this year's Skoda Auto anniversary by commemorating the name of the first bicycles produced by Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement after they founded the company in 1895.

The Skoda Slavia, a spider variant of the Skoda Scala, combines the contemporary compact model's bold and exciting lines with a common design standard from the earliest days of motoring, when most automobiles were open-top vehicles.

From first draft to building this one-off car, the students completed every step themselves, with support from their instructors as well as Skoda experts in the Design, Production and Technical Development departments. This, the seventh Skoda student car since 2014, once again showcases the high standard of training at the Skoda vocational school in Mlada Boleslav.

The seventh iteration of the Skoda student car marks the first time the project participants have chosen the Skoda Scala as the basis for their personal take on a dream car, turning the compact hatch model into a particularly sporty spider.

As with the production version of the Scala, the car's distinctive design is defined by precise lines and sculpted surfaces, ensuring that the spider variant boasts a sporty and emotionally compelling appearance. The matching dynamic performance of the Skoda Slavia comes courtesy of the Scala's familiar 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine with an output of 148bhp, and a seven-speed DCT. Other carry-overs from the production model include the front and rear axle, steering, the complete electronics including cabling, as well as the assistance systems. The instrument panel, Virtual Cockpit and infotainment system have also remained unchanged.

In coming up with the idea for the Slavia spider, the trainees took inspiration from the Skoda 1100 OHC. Presented in 1957, this sports prototype was an open-top two-seater race car designed by Skoda for use in endurance rallies, one of the milestones in Skoda's 119-year motorsport history. One of the two prototypes built is now on display at the Skoda Museum in Mlada Boleslav.

To transform the Scala hatch into the open-top Slavia, following the example of the Skoda 1100 OHC, the trainees performed numerous modifications to the car's body, redesigning many areas and adapting existing solutions.

They reinforced the underbody, removed the roof and welded the rear doors in place, thereby turning a compact hatchback model for five people into an uncompromising two-door two-seater. To redirect the airflow over the vehicle, they developed a special cover with hallmark twin speedster humps behind the seats, which blends into an equally new boot lid featuring an integrated rear spoiler. 20-inch alloy wheels from the Skoda Kodiaq vRS make for an especially sporty appearance. The brake system and wheel hubs come from the Octavia vRS. The redesigned underfloor area also houses a modified exhaust system.

The particular lustre of this concept car comes courtesy of the White Crystal Blue exterior colour, which consists of three layers resulting in a bluish pearlescent effect, contrasting with the black detailing on the front and rear aprons and side sills.

Programmable LEDs, positioned below the side sills carried over from the Scala Monte Carlo and behind the alloy wheels, provide user-configurable dynamic exterior ambient lighting in blue, red and white - the colours of the Czech flag. A 'DRIVE 125 YEARS' badge on the front doors recalls the company's founding in its anniversary year.

Sporty highlights in the interior are provided by four-point seat belts and special Sparco racing seats, whose cushions and backrests have a black perforated leather finish. The seats' side bolsters feature black carbon leather with white contrast stitching, adding appeal to other elements such as the centre armrest, shift lever gaiter, handbrake lever gaiter or the rear cover plates. Finally, a particularly eye-catching detail is the black leather parcel shelf featuring two embroidered lions that house two sunken bass speakers. The Slavia's boot accommodates two Skoda electric scooters, a perfect eco-friendly solution for what is known as a journey's 'last mile'.