Skoda's UK Plans

-Chris-

http://www.am-online.com/news/story/?nID=42902777

Dealer groups have become the recruitment target of Skoda UK as it seeks heavyweight retailers who can help it take a larger slice of the new car market.

The Czech carmaker is undertaking a rebrand next year, with a change to its corporate identity and a new emblem will follow later.

Skoda’s plan is that this will signal that it wants to leave behind its traditional, ordinary and conservative image, and instead become seen as more modern, self-confident, enjoyable, dynamic and visible.

Ambitions for larger new car sales volume will mean larger targets for the 130-strong Skoda UK network and higher aftersales standards in order to satisfy retail and fleet customers.

Consequently, Skoda will need its dealers to invest in premises, systems, processes and people to be able to deliver higher sales volumes.

However UK director Robert Hazelwood is confident that the brand’s profitability, currently 1.8% average return on sales, will encourage dealers to make that investment.

I know we're big Skoda fans here, so I'm sure there'll be some interest in this here...

Whatever happens in the UK invariably filters its way over here eventually, especially something as fundamental as a rebranding.
What do you think of the current Skoda image? What would you change? Have you any idea what the new direction entails specifically?
What'll be the reaction of dealers and customers here if the dealer network is required to invest in premises etc.? Would this include a reduction in the dealer numbers?

What do you think?

Zonda999

Well IMHO, their current range is certainly well able to offer most Irish buyers a suitable car, in fact just last week, they announced yet another benefit for skoda in ireland, when they announced that the 2011 "Greenline" versions of all its four models will have co2 emissions of less than 120g/km which means that all of them will have €104 road tax, and the new Fabia greenline with the 1.2tdi engine has emissions of just 89g/km, that means 82 mpg combined!

I dont really think Skoda need to be much different in Ireland other than stay on top of prices and keep the reliability of the cars well up there

I know that Ireland followed the UK in terms of the Audi centre exclusivity thing but i think anyone can see that Ireland needs all the skoda dealers it has presently

Gophur

Zonda999 wrote: »

...............
I know that Ireland followed the UK in terms of the Audi centre exclusivity thing but i think anyone can see that Ireland needs all the skoda dealers it has presently

SKODA are planning to follow Audi's lead and establish a small number of exclusive SKODA dealerships.

Soon it will be impossible to get a main dealer outside any large urban centre.

Zonda999

And where's the source for this then?...

Do you work for the VW Group Ireland?

Berty

I think it would be a good idea to open them up from the small dealerships out there at the moment and become a little more mainstream.

They do not want to be left behind like the way Subaru have been.

Heck, I'd even work for them as a salesman. Great cars.

Padraig Mor

Much as I admire Skoda (and they do make great cars), the current design of most (all?) of their range has little chance of convincing anyone that they are in any way 'hip'.

Zonda999

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Much as I admire Skoda (and they do make great cars), the current design of most (all?) of their range has little chance of convincing anyone that they are in any way 'hip'.

Quite true and plenty of the Irish spec levels dont help this.

However, from now on, Skoda have said their future models will try to be a bit more innovative and sporty

Tea 1000

First thing they should ditch is the manky badge. That green plastic sticker looking back at you from the steering wheel is cack.
After that they need to ditch the rectangle grille. It sucks. Then all they need is a bit more style and they're sorted.
Oh ya, loose the roomster.

TestTransmission

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Much as I admire Skoda (and they do make great cars), the current design of most (all?) of their range has little chance of convincing anyone that they are in any way 'hip'.

Zonda999 wrote: »

Quite true and plenty of the Irish spec levels dont help this.

However, from now on, Skoda have said their future models will try to be a bit more innovative and sporty

These are supposed to be coming out soon enough





Pretty good looking cars for the money if you ask me,not too sure about the wheels though

Gophur

TestTransmission wrote: »

These are supposed to be coming out soon enough





Pretty good looking cars for the money if you ask me,not too sure about the wheels though

There's a car in that picture?

And wheels?

daveharnett

Skoda wrote: »

Skoda’s plan is that this will signal that it wants to leave behind its traditional, ordinary and conservative image, and instead become seen as more modern, self-confident, enjoyable, dynamic and visible.

Isn't that what Seat is supposed to be about?

R.O.R

daveharnett wrote: »

Isn't that what Seat is supposed to be about?

That's what I thought too, but I'd say the fact they are having to resort to re-heats (Exeo) means they aren't selling at all. Maybe a change of direction for SEAT, or even a wind down?

Zonda999

I cant see a rwd drive car from the VAG group ever again in their current form tbh, not a mind a skoda being the first to buck the trend

That Lambo Gallardo balboni in 2009 was the first rwd car from the Vag group in years though, doubt its the sign of things to come though!

mathepac

R.O.R wrote: »

That's what I thought too, but I'd say the fact they are having to resort to re-heats (Exeo) means they aren't selling at all. Maybe a change of direction for SEAT, or even a wind down?

+1 VAG have apparently given Seat 2 or 3 years to begin to turn in profits or they will be for sale / execution.

I find it difficult to reconcile the attempts VAG made (and the investments) to brand Seat as the sporty face of VAG (they were astonishingly successful with the turbo-diesels in the BTCC, etc.) with the lack of sales / profit. It now seems that with the re-heats Seat is going to be the EOL cemetery for superceded VAG technology, which is where Skoda started out from a few short years ago.

Skoda on the other hand seems to be going from strength to strength on the consumer front (brand new vehicles, new technologies, new innovative platforms) with more to come from the motor-sport arm.