Skoda Fabia Paris Study
Concept cars and prototypes are often futuristic in looks and technology, sometimes bearing little resemblance to the vehicles we know and see on roads today. However, there are some occasions when manufacturers also create special show models – usually called ‘studies’ rather than ‘concept cars’ – to give the public a glimpse of other exciting possibilities for the models they sell.
A recent example is the Fabia Paris design study which Skoda, the Czech carmaker displayed at this year’s Paris Auto Salon. This is a study of a sportscar derived from the standard Skoda Fabia Combi, already a fairly good looker.
It was not by chance that the stationwagon version was chosen as it makes for an extraordinarily interesting vehicle that harmoniously blends the useful features of a standard passenger car with an attractive design.
The first things about the car to catch the eye are the light-alloy, six-spoke 17-inch wheels that have been designed especially for this car. The front spoiler blends smoothly into the extended wheel arches, which emphasises the sporty design of the body. The sides of the spoiler incorporate air inlets as well as ellipsoid fog lamps installed below the headlamps.
A spoiler with an aerodynamic edge has been fitted to the roof above the rear screen with another spoiler added to the rear bumper.
The car comes in the elegant metallic Santorin blue colour. At first sight, it produces an impression of speed and force but all the design modifications have been carried out in a natural and sensitive manner.
The interior colour has been carefully selected to suit the exterior design. The upholstery is silver-brown. The sides of the seats are covered with silver-brown leather; the central sections of the seat squabs and backrests are covered with a black perforated fabric with a silver-grey underlay shining through it, while the seams on the sides of the seats are decorated with a dark leather trim. The seatbelts are finished in a blue that matched the exterior colour.
The front seats have an expressive sports design with an outstanding side profile and so do the rear seats – their shapes has been modified by making the side parts of the two rear seats more distinctive, creating deeper seats that provide extra support for passengers.
Other eye-catching interior elements include a 3-spoke steering wheel with a double lower spoke. This idea is also used for other interior items. A large circular tachometer with a digital speed indicator in the centre dominates the middle of the instrument panel. Semi-circular dials for oil temperature (left) and cooling liquid (right) with indicators in the centres are situated to the side of the rev counter. Three smaller additional instruments are located in the middle of the instrument panel over the central console.
Visually, the instruments are connected by two narrow supports and two additional alloy supports on the sides of the centre console and the central tunnel are used to connect them, creating a continuous transition between the two items. The styled protective frame behind the headrests of the rear seats is completely original and merges smoothly into the storage space over the luggage compartment. It can also be used as a frame for a protective net and prevents luggage from intruding into the interior.
Although the Skoda Fabia Paris is a design study, careful attention has been paid to its technical aspects. The lowered chassis is equipped with a specially-tuned sports suspension and shock absorbers and there is a reinforced braking system. Complete equipment including four airbags, air-conditioning and an electronic stabilising programme (ESP) is proposed as standard equipment.
The study is probably intended to allow the Skoda designers to get feedback from the public about various features which they would like to incorporate in future models. So don’t be surprised if you see that fancy meter design appearing in a future Fabia or Octavia!
