This allowed us to strengthen our market share

The breakthrough of "low cost" cars, initiated by the Logan in the Group Renault, gives trouble to other manufacturers. Same Skoda, the Czech subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, initially focusing on the niche of the good price-quality ratio, is that it has moved too away from its bases starting in the opposite, especially with large very equipped sedans direction, and that it is time to return to products "Basic and inexpensive".

At the time, its engineers were two new priorities. The first is a "vehicle of A segment entry" (the niche of the Renault Mégane and Citroën C4), which will be positioned between the small Fabia and the full-size Octavia, and economically, from existing modules, designed to display a price low enough appeal.

The teams of Renault and Dacia still have time to come, since this vehicle is not expected before the start of 2012. Indeed, its price (10,000 to 12,000 euros) will be significantly higher than that of the Logan (7.600 France euros) because the Czech Republic manufacturing costs are higher than those of the Romania, and Skoda "wants no concession on security equipment.

Another project in the study, which today is lacking in the range, a city car of pocket, which will come take advantage of the craze for the cars like the Renault Clio and Peugeot 107. But then again, the output of plant is not expected before the end of 2011. Manufactured in Bratislava (Slovakia), it will be the Skoda project Up version! Volkswagen, assigned to the same string. The Spanish sister Seat brand will have also a variation of this joint programme.

Even if it will take time, it is good to trade rebalancing it. "For three years, we have drawn our range to the top, the size of car and component quality." This allowed us to strengthen our market share. "We need to do now, it is down to the bottom, including on the French market," said President and CEO of Skoda, Reinhard Young German. It is also "to a difference in the Volkswagen range prices, because it is not our intention to create internal competition.

Recent development in China

The year 2009 ended much better that it has begun in Skoda. In November, the cumulation of sales became positive for the first time of the year ( 0.4), which now allows it for 1 to 2 growth throughout 2009, and no doubt much next year. Over the period from January to September, deliveries had fallen by 5. The first Czech industrial benefited in full of the premium to the case in Germany (its 2009 sales there rose 52) and its recent growth in China ( 99), through the sharing of a local factory with Volkswagen. It could even become the next year its first outlet in the Germany.

France, Skoda should pass for the first time this year the bar of the 20,000 sales, with a growth of 6. Despite the collapse of the net (-67 over nine months), "we will always have a positive result this year, and this will allow us to continue to invest in new products, with a total $ 2 billion over five years," welcomes Reinhard Jung.