Skoda's new Superb | launch next year | 2015

Skoda will be officially revealing its third generation Superb in February, but new details have emerged which give us a good indication of what the new car will be like. It is expected to get powered by a 2.0-litre diesel which will make around 170bhp or the 1.8-litre 177bhp turbo-petrol engine.
The existing automatic DSG gearboxes are expected to be carried over. The new Skoda Superb is likely to reach Indian dealerships towards the end of 2015. The new Superb will look more mature on the outside, offer more space on the inside, and get more kit than the previous car. Based on VW's MQB platform architecture that's shared with cars like the new Passat, Octavia and Golf, it will also come with a set of well-engineered mechanical bits.

 

At the front, it sports Skoda's new two part, butterfly-shaped grille and a set of larger headlamps with a distinct hollowed out section below them. The nose now looks more aggressive, and the sharp cutlines on the bonnet and fenders, and the tastefully flared wheel arches add to the sporty stance. It is now 20mm longer, a considerable 50mm wider and using a new stretched (by 80mm) wheelbase. Despite its larger size, the new Superb will also be around 75kg lighter. The boot space is up by more than 60 litres, at 625 litres, and you can expand that to 1,760 litres once the rear seats are folded down.

It is expected to get a good amount of goodies such as adjustable dampers and a new-gen infotainment system. There will be less usage of traditional materials like wood, leather and chrome. This is to ensure that Skoda falls in line with the Volkswagen group's hierarchy; above the Czech brand sits Volkswagen, then Audi and Bentley. However, the new car will not be any less luxurious, according to Skoda's design chief Joseph Kaban (spl): "It will be a younger, more youthful interpretation of luxury, and you will find the car has no compromises." 

The biggest difference over the current model will be a new, smoother flowing profile and the more grown up luxury car look. This has happened since Skoda have done away with the twin door rear; the unique bit that allowed the luggage compartment to be accessed via both a large hatchback lid as well as a traditional boot lid. The removal of all the extra hardware has resulted in a less upright rear and an smoother overall profile. The curved rear section and the semi fast-back-like raked rear windscreen add a coupe-like sportiness.