► Skoda CEO on the return of niche models
► EV tech could enable sportier bodystyles
► ‘Next decade would be nice’ – Zellmer
Ever despair that the industry’s current obsession with electrifying every which model – and seemingly turning most of them into crossovers and SUVs – is crushing the interest out of modern cars? Well, the boss of Skoda has provided a glimmer of hope.
We sat down earlier today with chief executive officer Klaus Zellmer and asked about the prospects of sportier standalone models in the spirit of the 1960s Felicia (below) barging their way back in to the product pipeline. And the answer wasn’t ‘never’, it was ‘not yet.’
Cold hard business logic dictates why Skoda has spurned niche models and anything too leftfield in recent years, dropping novelties such as the Yeti and Roomster, let alone anything with a genuinely sporty silhouette.
The Czech brand is instead prioritising ruthlessly mainstream bodystyles and models, as it pivots its range to the most profitable segments, prioritising tall-riding bodystyles that customers crave with a choice of powertrains to suit customers ready to plug in (EVs), hedge their bets (hybrids) or stick with the tried-and-tested (combustion engines).
These cars are taking priority over niche models, Zellmer admitted. ‘Unfortunately, we don’t currently have either the financial luxury, nor the capacity, to do that. I’d love to. I would love to see a car that speaks to hearts, like a convertible or something like that – but currently our full focus is on the portfolio that covers that big footprint. Those cars would only be niche models.’
This approach appears to be working; earlier this year, Skoda Auto posted record turnover of €28 billion (£24bn) and an operating profit of €2.3bn (£1.9bn), as it sold 926,000 cars last year.
Correct. It did indeed show the Skoda Vision GT sports car concept for Gran Turismo back in 2024, referencing the 1100 OHC sports car from the back catalogue in the official sketches (red car, below).
‘These are little experiments – they sort of charge the brand a little bit, but the business rationale is minute, unfortunately,’ the CEO told us. ‘I’d love to see a Yeti again, because I think that car is such a great character, it has such a good name and a loyal base, you know. I’m amazed so many people still talk to me about it.’
Today’s warmed-over vRS models will continue, but Zellmer suggested that any deviation from the current model strategy would not materialise this decade, while the company rolls out its full range of battery electric Skodas and carefully manages the great powertrain transition. But he was more optimistic about next decade. Easy to say, perhaps, for someone whose CEO contract will have expired by then…
‘Once we have sorted out our portfolio into a certain number of cars, where each and every “hat” [bodystyle] sells more than 100,000 units a year – then you can start contemplating more ideas,’ Zellmer revealed. ‘We are already selling more than 200,000 Octavias every year.
‘Of course, our platform technology is perfect for that, because to just put a new “hat” on an existing performance car package is not such a big investment.’
‘Currently not, but maybe in the future, yes,’ declared Zellmer. ‘The next decade would be nice.’
Here’s hoping…
Tim oversees the digital teams that bring you CAR magazine and Parkers, our car-buying sister website. A lifelong motoring journalist, he has worked at many of the UK's biggest car titles, including stints on Autocar, What Car? and MSN Cars at Microsoft. Over two decades he has built extensive experience reviewing cars, writing features, breaking news about future products and navigating the airports of the world.
By Tim Pollard
Director of Content – Digital, car news magnet, crafter of words
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