Today, the first fourth-generation FABIA rolled off the line at ŠKODA AUTO’s main plant in Mladá Boleslav. The production facilities were extensively modified so that this latest edition of the popular small car can be built there; the investments made amount to 110 million euros. For the first time, the FABIA is based on Volkswagen Group’s MQB-A0 platform, enabling it to be not only the most spacious car within its segment but also to offer improved comfort features and a wealth of new safety and assistance systems.
The latest FABIA therefore has everything it takes to build on its predecessors’ success. Since its debut in 1999, ŠKODA has delivered more than 4.5 million units of its small car to customers, making it the brand’s second bestseller after the OCTAVIA.
Michael Oeljeklaus, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Production and Logistics, said: “Production launches are always very special moments that we meticulously prepare for. Today, we are celebrating the official start of production of the new FABIA. In total, we have invested 110 million euros in the extensive modernization as well as further automation of the production processes.
This is now paying off: it’s great to see everything running smoothly, with every mechanism working in perfect harmony. I’d like to thank the entire team for their outstanding work and I’m delighted that our efforts have allowed us to make a significant contribution to the FABIA’s success story.”
The ŠKODA FABIA is built on the same production line as the SCALA and KAMIQ model series. In the run-up to starting production, the Czech carmaker made adjustments to the assembly line as well as to the press and welding shops. Numerous complex and physically demanding production steps are now carried out by robots, which has enabled a high level of automation in the manufacturing processes.
The first-generation FABIA, launched in 1999, was one of the bestselling small cars, with more than 1.7 million units delivered. The second-generation model that followed in 2007 also surpassed the mark of 1.7 million units sold. Including the third generation, which debuted in 2014, more than 4.5 million FABIAs have been delivered to customers around the globe.
The emotive design and new proportions make this latest ŠKODA FABIA very appealing. For the first time, the model is based on the MQB-A0 platform from Volkswagen Group, which has made it possible to provide the car with significantly enhanced safety and comfort features.
At a length of 4,108 mm, the new-generation model exceeds the four-metre mark for the first time, and at 1,780 mm wide, it offers even more space than its predecessor. The boot, which, in its predecessor, was already the largest in the segment, increased by 50 to 380 l.
The new FABIA is a front-wheel drive and available with a manual gearbox or an automatic 7-speed DSG. There is a choice of five petrol engines from Volkswagen Group’s current EVO generation, which combine low emissions with increased efficiency and greater dynamics.
The FABIA boasts a drag coefficient (cd) of 0.28, setting a record in the small car segment. In conjunction with the optional 50-litre fuel tank, this enables a mileage of more than 900 km in the WLTP cycle. This latest edition also features an array of assistance systems that were previously reserved for vehicles from higher segments.
