Emotion, dynamism and passion – Skoda combine all of these qualities with the ‘vRS’ initials. Even before its market launch, the Czech car manufacturer’s first high-performance SUV, the Skoda Kodiaq vRS, proves that it can hold its own on the most challenging race track in the world. Racing driver Sabine Schmitz set the lap record for a seven-seater SUV at the Nurburgring’s legendary Nordschleife in the Skoda Kodiaq vRS. The Kodiaq vRS extends the range of vRS models in the Skoda line up.
Fuchsröhre, Schwedenkreuz and Karussell – these sections of track on the Nurburgring’s legendary Nordschleife are well-known to motorsport fans all over the world. No other race track is more challenging. And nowhere else are drivers and vehicles pushed to their limits like they are on the 20.832-km-long circuit in the Eifel region. The Skoda Kodiaq vRS withstood the track conditions in the ‘Green Hell’. Also, at 9:29.84 minutes, it set the Nordschleife record for a seven-seater SUV.
Sabine Schmitz was at the wheel of the Skoda Kodiaq vRS during the record-breaking lap. Schmitz regularly participates in the long-distance championship (VLN) and the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring. In 1996, she became the first woman to win the 24-hour race and won again the following year. She has been for a long time a ‘Ring Taxi’ driver. And as a presenter on various car shows, she has become well-known to a wide audience. Schmitz estimates she has driven more than 30,000 laps on the Nordschleife to date.
“The Skoda Kodiaq vRS is great fun on the track,” said Sabine Schmitz
“Skoda has made full use of its large SUV’s potential with the Kodiaq vRS. I can certainly imagine that I’ll be encountering the Kodiaq vRS regularly during my laps around the Nordschleife in future,” Schmitz adds with a wink.
František Drábek, Head of Compact Models at Skoda Auto and responsible for the development of the Kodiaq vRS, was also present at the successful record attempt. He points out that, “The Kodiaq vRS equally embodies the versatility and spaciousness of a family SUV as well as emotion and dynamism.”
The new 2.0 BiTDI engine produces 239 PS. This allows for dynamic power delivery and excellent responsive qualities, even at low engine speed. Exhaust gases are purified by an SCR catalytic converter. In the Kodiaq model range, the 2.0-litre BiTDI diesel engine is exclusively reserved for the vRS. Thanks to Dynamic Sound Boost, the high-torque diesel engine’s power is immediately apparent. The car has adaptive Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) including Driving Mode Select and progressive steering. It is also an all-wheel-drive vehicle. Thus the car had the perfect equipment for its record-breaking lap at the Nordschleife.
The Skoda Kodiaq vRS will celebrate its world premiere in October of this year. It will be presented to the public for the first time at the 2018 Paris Motor Show.
ŠKODA KODIAQ RS sets a 7-seat SUV Nürburgring record! Racing driver Sabine Schmitz and co-driver František Drábek, Head of Model Range Compact #SKODA #auto and “father” of the #SKODAKODIAQRS, talking about it #KODIAQRS #cars #vrs #rs #KODIAQ #SKODAKODIAQ #Nurburgring #SKODALOVE # pic.twitter.com/GTouIlm2Ln
— ŠKODA Motorsport (@MotorsportSkoda) June 14, 2018
