Jalopnik: superb

Skoda Superb Estate Quietly Unveiled For Euro Market

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST

Somehow our own Suberb-fetishist Mr. Hardigree missed the unveil of the wagon version of VW's most Czech of brands. The Skoda Superb Estate offers all the features of the sedan with the added cargo room of a wagon, surprise!

Like the sedan and hatchback, the Superb Estate comes in S, SE and Elegance models, gets your choice of gas or diesel engines, a manual transmission or a DSG. The rear hatch has a power open option with load and road illumination as well as a detachable flashlight built right in. As always, there's no chance of this latest Euro-wagon hitting US shores.

New Škoda Superb Estate: Loaded With Innovation And Luxury

* Škoda Superb Estate specification and new features revealed
* Trim levels to mirror the Superb hatch (excluding Greenline)

The new Škoda Superb Estate is set to become both the most luxurious and most practical car ever to wear the famous winged arrow badge.

Trim levels and engine choices will mirror those of the Superb hatchback with S, SE and Elegance models available along with the same range of three petrol and three diesel engines. All engines, from 1.4 TSI to 3.6 V6 are equipped with direct fuel injection for optimum fuel efficiency, performance and low emissions. With a choice of manual or twin-clutch DSG gearboxes linked to either two- or four-wheel drive, there's a Superb Estate to suit everyone's needs.

Not to be outdone by the hatchback's innovative Twin Door tailgate, the Superb Estate's boot – the biggest in its class – has its fair share of neat touches too. All models are fitted with a pair of lights built into the tailgate to illuminate not only the load bay but also the area around the rear of the car. A third, LED light in the boot can be removed all together and used as a torch and, thanks to its magnetic body, mounted to the car's body.

The tailgate itself has an optional power-operated function while the integrated luggage cover automatically retracts when the boot is opened. Customers can also specify the variable floor which extends over the rear bumper to help with awkward loads. Those who choose SE or Elegance will further benefit from a load partition and tethering system provided in the boot as standard. And if the Superb Estate's cavernous load bay (633 litres with the rear seats in place, 1,865 litres seats down) still isn't big enough, all models are fitted with roof rails as standard. (Black roof rails on S and chrome roof rails on SE and Elegance).

To make life even easier, an optional keyless entry and starting system (KESSY) is available for the first time on a Škoda, while passengers in all five of the Superb Estate's spacious seats will enjoy the natural light offered by the new two-piece electric panoramic sunroof.

The Superb Estate will carry a premium over the hatchback of between £1,150 and £1,350 when it goes on sale in the UK in February. The estate is expected to account for a third of all Superb sales in 2010, of which fleet sales are expected to make up approximately 75 per cent.

-Ends-

Editor's notes

Summary of new optional equipment available on Superb Estate:

* Electrically operated boot (with automatic retractable parcel shelf)
* Panoramic sunroof - electrically sliding and tilting
* KESSY – keyless entry and start system
* Variable boot floor

Summary of engine range for Superb hatch and estate:

* Petrol: 1.4 TSI 125 bhp

1.8 TSI 160 bhp (manual or 7 spd DSG, 4x4 available)
3.6 V6 260 bhp DSG 4x4

* Diesel: 1.9 TDI 105 bhp

2.0 TDI CR 140 bhp with DPF (manual or DSG). Available from March 2010
2.0 TDI CR 170 bhp with DPF (manual or DSG, 4x4 available)

Škoda Superb specification highlights:
Superb S

* Seven airbags
* Alarm with interior monitoring and tilt sensor
* Light Assistant (Coming home, tunnel and daylight functions)
* Split folding rear seats
* Remote central locking
* Climatic air conditioning
* Radio with single CD + MP3
* Electric front and rear windows
* Electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors
* 16" ‘Spectrum' alloy wheels
* ESP
* Twindoor (hatch only)
* Front fog lights

Superb SE (over S)

* Front fog lights with cornering function
* Four-spoke leather multi-function steering wheel (for radio)
* Umbrella in rear door
* Alcantara upholstery
* Acoustic rear parking sensors
* Cruise control
* Dual-zone air conditioning
* 17" ‘Trifid' alloy wheels
* Electrically folding door mirrors (after locking of car)
* Integrated 6CD touchscreen stereo
* Maxi-dot trip computer

Superb Elegance (over SE)

* Bi-xenon headlights with integrated headlight washers
* AFS (Adaptive Front-light System)
* Tyre pressure monitor
* Rain sensor windscreen wipers
* GSM III telephone preparation with Bluetooth
* Heated front seats
* Full leather upholstery
* Electrically adjustable diver and passenger seats
* ‘Colombus' colour touch screen satellite navigation
* 18" ‘Themisto' alloy wheels
* 4 spoke leather multi-function steering wheel (radio and telephone)

2009 Skoda Superb Supremely Safe, Achieves Five Stars In Euro-NCAP Tests

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:40:00 EDT

When we first saw the 2009 Skoda Superb we got weak in the knees. We asked the doctor to Czech us out and his Prague-nosis was that this Passat platform mate, with its twindoor system, was just too sexy. We know, it's a liftback sedan like all the others. But is it? Euro-NCAP, sort of the IIHS of Europe, tested the Superb and gave it five stars or 35 points for the protection of adults and 40 points for the protection of children. The big difference? Knee airbags. Brilliant. Press release below the jump.

FIVE euro-ncap STARS FOR THE NEW Superb
The new Škoda Superb has received five stars in independent crash tests performed by Euro-NCAP. One of the factors to have contributed to the highest possible rating is a knee airbag. Commenting on the new Škoda Superb, Euro-NCAP points out that the protection of the occupants' knees and thighs is excellent.

The Superb has achieved the highest possible scores also in side impact and pole impact simulations, receiving 35 points for the protection of adults and 40 points for the protection of children. The quality of pedestrian protection is very high, too.

"The new Superb has been developed to provide the occupants with maximum possible safety. The Euro-NCAP results confirm that we have managed to produce a top-quality vehicle in terms of performance, user comfort, as well as safety, one of the key aspects from the customer's perspective, and I am indeed very pleased about that", said Dr. Eckhard Scholz, Škoda Auto Board Member responsible for Technical Development.

Standard equipment for the new Superb includes seven airbags and other top-level safety elements, such as a new-generation chassis that is more rigid than that of the vehicle's predecessor and front seats optimised to protect the occupants from cervical spine injuries. Optional equipment includes two additional airbags, an adaptive front lighting system, and more. The new Superb will go on sale in the UK in September.

[Source: Skoda]

Skoda Superb Estate In The Works? Is Someone Reading Our Diary?

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:45:00 EDT

If you know us, you know we love the 2009 Skoda Superb. For serious. It's the best looking thing they build on the the Passat platform. And now our friends at World Car Fans have some spy photos of what looks to be a Superb Estate and a rendering of what they expect it to look like. We're all in support of taking our favorite Czech VW and giving it an extra pillar but... what about the Twindoor? Whatever, give us a Superb Estate and we'll fill it with good Czech beer, leggy Charles University philo students and Vaclav Havel. Just because.

[AutoMuse via WorldCarFans]

Skoda Superb GreenLine's Only Emission Is The Sex And CO2

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 10:20:00 EST

For those who haven't noticed, we're a little dragon for the 2009 Skoda Superb (i.e. the Czech Passat) and it's clever TwinDoor system. And a version that gets better mileage and is better for the environment, why not? This version of the Superb gets a 1.9-Liter inline-four turbodiesel good for about 105 horsepower and the US equivalent of 46.1MPG.

In addition to the diesel-sipping engine, the Superb also gets some tweaks to the nose to create a better airflow around the car and a suspension adjustment that lowers the car by about 15 mm. We're not sure what kind of improvements come from the addition of the models, but if it's necessary for the environment we're on board. [Skoda via CarScoop]

It's A Hatch, It's A Trunk, It's The Skoda Twindoor System

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST

The 2009 Skoda Superb was already our favorite version of the VW Passat when the company released images of it earlier this year. Since then we've been waiting for pictures of the new Twindoor system, which promised the styling of a sedan with the usability of a hatchback. We were dubious until we saw the pictures. The Twindoor tailgate splits below the window, allowing normal trunk action or full-on hatchback accessibility.

As far as we can tell, this feature is fairly unique as far as an application in a sedan (some SUVs have a similar system). This is the kind of thing we'd like to see on more non-Czech cars. [Source: Skoda]

2009 Skoda Superb To Be Outfitted With VW Media System

Travis Hudson — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:45:00 EST

It only took Skoda, the Czech VW subsidiary, decades to emerge from the automotive Dark Ages and finally throw a tech bone or two into its sedans and the like. The latest news coming out of the land where they invented pilsner is that the Skoda Superb, which is primed and ready for an unveiling at the Geneva Auto Show, will also be outfitted with VW's hard-drive based navigation system, the RNS 510.

The second-generation VW Touareg, upcoming Tiguan and possibly the Passat Coupe are the VW variants that will get the RNS 510 30 gigabyte media and navigation system. [Crave]

Skoda Unveils 2009 Superb

Wes Siler — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:45:00 EST

Wow, we continue to be boggled by Skoda's meteoric move up market. The company released these teaser shots today of the 2009 Superb sedan. No details, except that it'll feature a "generously sized interior" and "a number of smart solutions." The rest will be unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show in March. Is it just us, or is their a hint of Renault Vel Satis as you look along the Superb's flanks?

It's Just Pure Luxury: The Skoda Superb!

Davey G. Johnson — Fri, 18 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT

Far be it from us to front on a young man thrilled enough with his folks' purchase of a Skoda Superb — the A6L-based econolux machine of nominal Czech extraction — that he would actually make a video about its 1.9L TDI brilliance and post it to YouTube. After all, it does share one salient feature in common with the Rolls-Royce Phantom dreamed up by VW competitor BMW: it's got self-draining door-mounted umbrella compartments. Take that, SEAT! – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
Skoda Arrives in China! [Internal]