Czech automaker Skoda is designing a mid-size sedan called ‘Rapid,’ especially for the Indian market. The company plans to localize the sedan heavily to bring down its cost within the same price bracket as that of its competitors – VW Vento, Fiat Linea and Honda City.
Expected to be based on the same platform of the Volkswagen Vento, Rapid will share most of its features including its engine with the VW stable, yet at the same time, it will bear distinctive features of its own which are inspired by Skoda’s Vision D Concept. The car’s petrol (1.6 litre engine) version is expected to cost Rs. 7 lakh and its diesel version (1.6 litre engine) is expected to cost around Rs. 8 lakh.
Rapid is expected to be launched around September-October in 2011, and hopes to cash in on the Diwali spirit for its sales.
