After so many games, the new Skoda Octavia 2013 has finally been unveiled

Although Skoda was unable to hide the new Skoda Octavia 2013 until the day of its official presentation, the effort and creativity that the Czech brand had in its fight against the paparazzo must be appreciated.

The most attentive, are certainly reminded of the various episodes that featured in this typical Mexican soap opera. About two months ago, two videos appeared on the internet that clearly showed the lines of the new Skoda Octavia… I mean, we thought… In fact, it was all a setup by the Volkswagen Group subsidiary to deceive the paparazzo. It can be said that the technique used in this «scheme» was quite… irreverent?! We even gave Skoda the “Camouflage of the Year” award. But to better understand what I'm talking about, stop by.

The new Skoda Octavia is probably one of the most anticipated models for 2013. And if there was already interest in seeing how the final design of this third generation would be, after this joke, the interest gave way to an inexplicable desire to find out what Skoda I wanted to hide so much – “the forbidden fruit is always the most desired”. You can hardly sophisticate a paparazzi, and Skoda paid dearly for having committed that rare feat: Octavia 2013 caught without camouflage in Chile.

With this discovery, the paparazzos, gave a valiant “punch in the stomach” of the Czechs. But still, not all went wrong… This cat and mouse game earned Skoda a lot of airtime, and for sure, deep down this is what they intended…

Now that I've told you one of the best stories of the last few months, let's focus on what really matters: the new Skoda Octavia 2013.

The big news for this new generation is the use of the famous MQB platform from the Volkswagen Group, which is also used in the new Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3. As you might guess, this is great news for brand lovers. This platform will allow the youngest of the Octavia to grow by 90 mm in length (4659mm), 45mm in width (1814mm) and 108mm in the wheelbase (2686mm), which will lead to a significant increase in interior space, especially in the rear seats.

But let those who think that this increase in dimensions will be reflected in the gross weight of the car must be disappointed. The new Octavia will not only be bigger, it will also be lighter than its predecessor. Not to mention the significant increase in structural rigidity that the MQB platform offers.

Looking now carefully at the lines of this familiar medium, we can see from a distance, that it is clearly looking more premium than usual. And with this in mind, Skoda couldn't help but "pamper" the new Octavia with countless technological tools, more precisely, with adaptive cruise control, the traffic sign recognition system, the parking assistance system, the parking system. Lane departure warning, intelligent light system, panoramic roof and driving mode selector.

Regarding engines, Skoda has already confirmed the presence of four gasoline (TSi) and four diesel (TDi) engines. The highlight goes to the Greenline 1.6 TDI version with 109 hp of power which, according to the brand, has an average consumption of 3.4 l/100 km and 89 g/km of CO2 emissions. The more 'extravagant' version is delivered in a 179hp 1.8 TSi block, which comes as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox, and as an option, a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic gearbox.

The 2013 Skoda Octavia will be presented to the world at the Geneva Motor Show, which will take place in March 2013. Later, the range will be extended with the arrival of a van variant, some four-wheel drive options and the characteristic RS sport version.

Text: Tiago Luís