Current Superb is a quite unsuccessful car, focused rather on cheap eastern markets. Not very modern technique coated in a big body, it is a style worth rather cheap Asian production, than a style, that would fit pro mass export to the west. The production is about 20 000 cars a year, which is when compared to the hudnreds of thousands of Octavia and Fabia really few. That is why Škoda is working hard on the new model presentation systematically already now, about four months before the official premiere. Technically it is rather bigger Octavia than anything more, so again nothing extraordinary can be awaited. However, it is the usage of modern technique and not as in the case of current Superb, which uses technique at that time of one generation before the that time current VW Passat, so now already two generations old.

The plans of Škoda are daring, at least to double the production. However, the interest in the new generation does not still look well. While new models of other marks are in fact hunted by the tests by photographers, Škoda had to arrange itself such a trip of "friendly" periodicals journalists. It is probably not necessary to discuss, what this seems like. The trip for the photographers was really magnificent, because the tests were located in Death Valley in the USA, so Škoda was awarded by really optimistic articles from them. This desert area is very specific. It has the lowest place in North America, 86 meters under the sea level. Moreover, it also lies on the foot of great mountain range and mere 123 km from it, there is the highest point of the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney. It is contrary 4421 meters above the sea level. The conditions here are really extreme and man can test here much.

Typical weather is extreme hot and minimum rainfalls. But when it starts to rain, so called flash floods emerge, because the soil is not able to absorb the water. The tests here include mainly the cooling system endurance and heat endurance of all, so for example of the breaks on steep descends. The ubiquitous soft desert sand verifies the tightness of everything. So no doubt, that car prototypes from the most automobile manufacturers are transported here and from here originate many unofficial photos of prepared models. That is why the photographers ambush here almost always. However probably nobody was interested in Škoda or Škoda did not want to wait for an "accident" and so to be sure, they have sent whole delegation, which had an oportunity to drive the car too. And it is for this phase of tests something very extraordinary. How it did end up, you can see for example in the article of Auto Motor und Sport magazine, which was by that and has in the frame of possibilities probably the most objective evaluation of the situation, see the link below.

Photogallery