Skoda to strengthen presence in China

ŠKODA AUTO has identified China as the focus point for its growth and is betting big on the market for its global ambitions.

The ŠKODA VisionSdesign study will be presented to the Chinese public for the first time at the end of April at the automotive show in Beijing. The VisionS provides a glimpse of the new large SUV ŠKODAmodel whose launch in China is planned for the first half 2017. As part of the SUV campaign, another body variant of ŠKODA’s large SUV is already in development. In addition, the brand intends to bring out a crossover utility vehicle (CUV) for China.

“Since entering the market nine years ago, ŠKODA AUTO has made some very positive developments on the Chinese auto market, which has since become our largest single market,” says ŠKODA CEO Bernhard Maier. “We owe this success to our attractive model range and the very constructive and friendly cooperation with our longstanding Chinese partner SAIC VOLKSWAGEN Automotive Company Limited,” said Maier. “With today’s agreement we’ll be strengthening our brand’s presence on the Chinese market. In the coming years, we’ll rapidly expand ŠKODA’s offering to include forward-looking vehicle concepts and modern technology. Our aim is to double ŠKODA deliveries in China by 2020. For this, we’re now laying the foundations together with SAIC Volkswagen.”

ŠKODA AUTO relaunched vehicle production in China in mid-2007 with ŠKODA Octavia – the heart of the brand. In close cooperation with their partner SAIC VOLKSWAGEN Automotive Company Limited the production of the small car Fabia began the following year at the plant in Anting near Shanghai.

Since 2007, ŠKODA’s deliveries to customers in China have increased from 27,300 to 281,700 vehicles in 2015. This currently corresponds to around a quarter of the brand’s total sales. China has been the most important single market worldwide for ŠKODA since 2010.

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