Skoda Octavia RS – What to expect

Come September 2017 and Skoda India will rekindle the magic of the old Octavia RS with its modern day equivalent – the latest-gen Octavia vRS. Now although this high-performance sedan is available globally in both petrol and diesel forms, the vRS for India will come in the full-fat 230bhp petrol avatar. 

Being the hot version of the regular Octavia, the RS looks the part, with its more aggressive bumper, bigger wheels and a spoiler. Inside, occupants will be treated with sporty front seats, contrasting stitching for the leather bits and a sportier steering wheel.   

The RS is all about the drivetrain and the India-spec car will feature a 2-litre turbocharged petrol motor with 230bhp of power and 350Nm of torque, allowing this family sedan to accelerate from 0-100kmph in just 6.7 seconds. The top speed, meanwhile, is electronically limited to 250kmph. 

The big highlight of the Octavia’s drivetrain is the electronic limited slip differential on the front axle which limits and distributes torque to the front wheels for maximum traction under power. Skoda says it’s helped them cut down the RS’ Nurburgring lap time by a massive 10 seconds. 

Skoda is expected to find a good chunk of takers among the rising number of enthusiasts for the Octavia RS. When launched next month, it will be sold as the brand’s halo model here in India.