The all new Skoda Superb, the time for a revolution starts here and NOW.

• New ŠKODA Superb revolutionises ŠKODA design
• Best interior space in its class
• MQB technology offering optimum safety, best environmental values, great connectivity
• Market launch of the third-generation model in June; UK deliveries September

The new ŠKODA Superb rolled into the spotlight today with a spectacular world premiere at the Forum Karlín in Prague. The new ŠKODA Superb revolutionises the brand’s design. 

Generous dimensions, innovative safety assistance systems, a focus on the environment and comfort, plus powerful EU6 engines and ŠKODA-typical ‘Simply Clever’ features have moved the brand’s flagship to the upper end of the automotive mid-class. The new Superb is the best ŠKODA ever and the highlight of the company’s largest-ever model campaign.

ŠKODA CEO Prof. Dr. h.c. Winfried Vahland said: “This car marks the beginning of a new era for ŠKODA. In recent years, we have renewed and expanded our model range. The new ŠKODA Superb demonstrates our aspirations in the automotive mid-class. 

In terms of creativity and technology, it reaches a new level of performance, shows ŠKODA’s reclaimed position and leads the way into the future of the brand. This fantastic car will attract new private and business customers to ŠKODA.”

The world premiere of the new ŠKODA Superb took place in Forum Karlín in Prague, in front of 800 guests – ŠKODA welcomed international media representatives as well as guests from the group, the company, politics, business and society. The new ŠKODA Superb was the star of the evening. Its first appearance was accompanied by the world premiere of the ‘Superb Symphony’ with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Other highlights included performances from soul legend Chaka Khan and singer Aura Dione.

ŠKODA intends to continue the success story of the brand’s top model range with the third-generation Superb. To date, more than 700,000 first- and second-generation Superbs have been delivered to customers.

Elegance, strength, dynamism –revolutionary ŠKODA design

With its new design, the new ŠKODA Superb demonstrates the brand’s emotional strength, bringing the exciting design language of the ‘ŠKODA VisionC’ show car into production. “The wheelbase has been increased by 80 mm and at the same time the front vehicle overhang is 61 mm shorter than before. This new architecture provides the car with dynamic elegance,” said ŠKODA’s Head of Design Jozef Kabaň. At the same time, the new Superb offers further improved functionality and even more space.

The front conveys power and self-assurance. The striking grille, distinctive headlights and the deeply-drawn front-end architecture – all of this has been designed for increased optical width. The bonnet has powerfully shaped contours. The side view appears dynamic and elegant. The razor-sharp tornado line stretches the vehicle and, together with additional lighter surfaces, creates effective contrasts between light and shade. 

The car’s narrow pillars, the precision-cut window outline and the gently sloping roofline give the vehicle a coupé-style look. The large wheels and the striking wheel arches emphasise the exclusive appearance.

The design of the rear is self-confident and powerful. Horizontal lines are also accentuated here. The two-part, broad and narrow taillights feature LED technology as standard and intensify the ŠKODA-typical ‘C’ shape of the lights. At the same time, crystalline elements provide the taillights with additional luminosity. The completely redesigned interior continues the essential design details of the exterior. 

This includes the emphasis on horizontal lines, which gives the already spacious interior an even more generous feel. Clear shapes, precise workmanship and the use of high-quality materials result in a premium appearance.

Upgrade – a new dimension of comfort and space

The space of the new Superb has once again increased in comparison to the already generous values of the previous model. The driver and front seat passenger enjoy 39 mm more elbow room and more headroom. With 157 mm legroom the rear space is almost stately. This is about twice as much as in the nearest competitor model. The headroom measures 980 mm; no other model in the segment can offer this. The rear elbow room has increased by 69 mm. The 625-litre boot capacity is the top value in its segment, 30 litres more than in the second-generation Superb.

The new ŠKODA Superb is the brand’s first model offering adaptive Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) including Driving Mode Select. New air-conditioning systems, including for the first time three-zone air conditioning, provide optimum temperature control and air quality. An electric sliding and tilting panoramic roof is optional. Auxiliary heating, heated seats, wireless heated windscreen and heated washer jets are available for the colder months. The rain/light sensor switches the windscreen wipers on and off automatically and automatically switches between daytime running lights and dipped beam as required.

Instead of one umbrella in the rear left door there is now one umbrella in each of the front doors. The new, electric tailgate is particularly convenient and can be complemented with an optional virtual pedal, where the customer can open the boot by waving a foot under the rear bumper. 

The electric tailgate and virtual pedal work in combination with the KESSY automaticlocking and starting system. The new Superb comes with the latest generation of Park Assist for automatically driving in and out of parking spaces. In addition, the car features a rear-view camera for the first time. The traditional handbrake is replaced by an electric parking brake as standard.

Perfectly connected

Connectivity features make their entrance in the third-generation ŠKODA Superb. There is a total of four, completely new infotainment systems based on Volkswagen Group’s MIB technology (Modularer Infotainment-Baukasten). The Columbus top model is optionally available with an integrated high-speed internet connection based on the LTE standard. This is a first for ŠKODA.

The ŠKODA Superb can be connected to a smartphone for the first time and selected apps can be operated from the infotainment system’s screen. SmartLink includes MirrorLinkTM, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SmartGate interface, developed by ŠKODA, allows certain vehicle data to be accessed and on the user’s smartphone apps. The new ŠKODA Media Command app and the Wi-Fi hotspot integrated into the Columbus system allows the infotainment system to be controlled remotely from the rear seats for the first time. The Canton Sound System with 12 speakers and 610 W output turn the new ŠKODA Superb into a concert hall on wheels.

A new dimension of ‘Simply Clever’

The new ŠKODA Superb is the cleverest ŠKODA ever. 29 ‘Simply Clever’ features make life easier for driver and passengers. Some 23 solutions are new in the Superb, 10 of these are completely new for the brand. The new ‘Simply Clever’ solutions include practical items such as a mechanically retractable towing device, a tablet holder in the rear, a tablet storage compartment in the front centre armrest, a USB port and 230 V socket in the rear, cup-holders that allow single-handed opening for 0.5-litre bottles and an extra high-visibility vest storage compartment in all four doors. 

Both front and both rear doors will each hold a 1.5-litre bottle. The interior’s versatility is increased by the option to fold down the back seats from the boot. The passenger seat can also be folded forward. New cargo fasteners secure loose objects in the boot. An ice scraper in the fuel filler flap is standard. In addition, there are new storage nets on the inside edges of the front seats, a removable LED torch in the boot and misfuel protection.

Top efficiency

The new ŠKODA Superb’s new engines offer up to 30 per cent lower fuel consumption values and emissions. The ŠKODA Superb GreenLine consumes just 3.7 l/100 km (76.4mpg) and emits 95 g CO₂ per km. The vehicle is up to 75 kg lighter and the aerodynamics have been improved. The combination of up to 20 per cent more power, reduced air resistance and a reduction in weight also result in remarkable driving dynamics.

The new ŠKODA Superb comes with direct-injection turbocharged engines based on MQB technology (five TSI petrol, three TDI common-rail diesel). All powertrains comply with EU6 standards and have Stop-Start technology and brake energy recovery as standard. The petrol engines have a power output of between 92 kW (125 HP) and 206 kW (280 HP), the diesel engines between 88 kW (120 HP) and 140 kW (190 HP). Except for the entry-level petrol version, all engines are available with modern dual-clutch transmission. Four engines are available with all-wheel drive based on the Haldex 5 clutch.

No compromise on safety

The top-level safety of the new ŠKODA Superb is impressive. Electronic Stability Control including Multi-Collision Brake is standard. The additional standard equipment for EU countries includes: Front Assist with Emergency Brake, electronic Tyre Pressure Monitor, seven airbags, and five three-point automatic seat belts with fastening alerts as well as safety headrests. Rear side airbags are optional. Also standard: XDS+, a function of the electronic differential lock. From the Ambition trim line upwards, a Speedlimiter is fitted as standard.

Optional assistance systems are also available. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) keeps the vehicle at a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. With the enhanced Crew Protect Assist,driver and front passenger are ‘prepared’ for an impending collision. 

Lane Assisthelps the vehicle stay in lane. Traffic Jam Assist, available for the first time for the model and for the brand, increases safety and comfort in traffic and during stop-start driving. The new Emergency Assist activates the brakes, should the driver become incapable of driving, automatically bringing the vehicle to a standstill.  

The completely new Blind Spot Detect system supports the driver in changing lanes safely by alerting them to vehicles in their blind spot. A core component of Blind Spot Detect is the Rear Traffic Alert function which is available for the brand and model for the first time. Driver Alert guards against driver fatigue. Travel Assist with Traffic Sign Recognition, available for the first time in the ŠKODA Superb, constantly informs the driver about the current traffic situation.

The headlights are fitted with halogen technology or with bi-xenon lights including AFS function and LED daytime running lights. The high beam can be electronically controlled via Light Assist or via the extended Smart Light Assist function (masked high beam). Striking rear LED lights are standard in the new Superb, and there are alsotwo reflectors on both sides of the rear bumper.

The new Superb’s completely redeveloped chassis with MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear axle provides optimum driving stability even in demanding situations.

Price & specs announced for 367PS Audi RS 3 Sportback ahead of March on-sale date

• All new second generation RS 3 Sportback available to order in the UK from March 2015 priced at £39,950 OTR - first customer deliveries in summer
• Most powerful production five-cylinder engine in Audi RS history with 367PS and 465Nm from 1,625rpm to 5,550rpm
• 0 – 62mph in 4.3 seconds – 0.3 seconds faster than the previous model – 155mph governed top speed can be raised to 174mph on request
• Lower weight, faster-shifting S tronic twin-clutch gearbox, faster-reacting quattro drive

The all new 367PS Audi RS 3 Sportback is now en route to the UK, and as the most powerful compact hatchback currently in series production will be even more adept at catering for sports car devotees who also need to take care of everyday necessities like the school run and the supermarket sweep.  

Capable of snapping at the heels of exotica with its 4.3-second 0-62mph sprint time and potential top speed of up to 174mph, the new five-door, five-seat Sportback will weigh in at £39,950 OTR. It will become available to order in March and reach its first UK customers in the summer.

The new entry point to the formidable Audi RS range is born of impeccable breeding – it is based on the current World Car of the Year and features the latest evolution of the evocative 2.5-litre five-cylinder TFSI – winner of the International Engine of the Year Award in the 2.0 to 2.5-litre category on no less than five consecutive occasions since 2010. 

Equally reassuringly, it shores up the extraordinary performance and handling produced by bringing these two elements together with the latest generation of quattro all-wheel-drive. 

The 367PS output from the aurally characterful 2.5-litre TFSI is complemented by peak torque of 465 Nm (343.0 lb-ft), which is available right from 1,625rpm through to 5,550rpm, ensuring that huge reserves of performance are always at the driver’s disposal.

With a power-to-weight ratio of 241PS per ton achieved by trimming an additional 55kg compared with the previous RS 3 Sportback, the latest car needs just 4.3 seconds to hit 62mph from rest, and with a suitable stretch of Autobahn to hand could continue to an electronically governed 155mph top speed. Drivers looking for optimal performance can also specify an optional increase to 174mph.

EU6-compliant

Compliance with stringent EU6 emissions legislation confirms that the latest edition of the classic five-cylinder unit is as frugal as it is feisty. With the help of a recuperation system, a demand-controlled oil pump and a new generation start-stop facility which increases the duration of engine ‘downtime’ at each stop, the latest RS model is capable of returning up to 34.8mpg, corresponding to CO₂ emissions of 189g/km.

Butterfly valves in the exhaust system control the exhaust flow and deliver a suitably full-bodied and characterful note that varies with engine load and speed. For the first time in an Audi model at this level, a sports exhaust upgrade which deepens the tone even further is also available as an option. The driver can control the volume and depth of the output in both set-ups via the standard Audi drive select adaptive dynamics system.

A seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission reworked to offer even faster shifts directs the power to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system with its redesigned and lightened multi-plate clutch and torque vectoring capability. The clutch is mounted on the rear axle in the interest of balanced load distribution, and the parameters its bespoke RS 3 software works to can be controlled via the Audi drive select system.

Depending on the situation, it can send between 50 and 100 percent of the available torque to the rear axle, and when Audi drive select is in dynamic mode and the ESC Electronic Stabilisation Control system is in its sport setting, power is transferred to the rear sooner and in greater amounts for even greater agility and more direct turn-in.

The state-of-the-art all-wheel-drive system adds a further measure of control and composure to the inherently agile RS-specific chassis with its wider track front and rear, uprated MacPherson strut front suspension with purpose-built lightweight aluminium pivot bearings and four-link rear set-up. The new electromechanical progressive steering system which is capable of varying its ratio as a function of steering input also helps to emphasise the quick-witted feel.

From the driver-focused section of the options list the Audi magnetic ride adaptive damper system can be added to level out ride and handling to an even greater degree, and the steadfast RS-specific disc brakes with their efficiency-boosting wave contour discs, eight-piston calipers and bespoke lightweight friction rings upfront can be further upgraded with carbon fibre-ceramic front brake discs – a first for a car at this level.

Standard LED headlamps for UK versions

Classic RS visual references signal the special qualities that all these features confer to the outside world. In UK specification versions the nose with its high-gloss black, honeycomb-look singleframe grille and pronounced air intakes is set off by standard LED headlamps and daytime running lights. In profile the standard 19-inch alloy wheels snugly filling their arches, flared front wings, chiselled sills, matt aluminium-look mirror housings and large roof spoiler also catch the eye, and the rear with its remodelled bumper and high-gloss black diffuser insert is dominated in each corner by a large, oval RS tailpipe.

Customers can choose from a palette of eight paint finishes to either accentuate or subtly play down the purposeful look – it includes the two new shades Nardo grey and Catalunya red, metallic, the latter available exclusively for the RS 3 Sportback.

In the equally focused interior the standard sports seats are upholstered in Fine Nappa leather with contrasting stitching in rock grey, and the driver’s is perfectly positioned in relation to the flat-bottomed RS multifunction sports steering wheel with its leather and Alcantara trim. 

Stainless steel pedals, Alcantara door inserts and inlays in either 3D design black or optional Aluminium Race or Carbon also signal intent. High-quality applications in gloss anthracite black frame the instruments, which include black-faced dials with red needles and white scales, plus a driver‘s information system enhanced by a boost pressure indicator, an oil temperature gauge and a lap timer.

In addition to LED headlights, standard equipment highlights for UK RS 3 Sportback models include the acclaimed MMI radio with its electrically folding colour screen, navigation preparation, Audi Music Interface iPod connection,  Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity, front seat heating and the parking system plus with acoustic and visual guidance. 

Choice options include newly developed RS bucket seats bringing a 7kg weight saving over the standard sports seat, an RS 3 interior design package with red accents on the seats, knee pads, air vents, floor mats and seat belts and MMI navigation plus with MMI touch, which through its Audi connect function beams internet-based services to the car.