VW’s Skoda Unit Cancels Only MPV in Portfolio

VIENNA –Volkswagen Group’s Czech subsidiary Skoda cancels a new model that was ready for volume production.

The second-generation Skoda Roomster, successor to the brand’s only multipurpose vehicle that was phased out last spring, will not be manufactured.

In contrast to the first-generation model, a stand-alone car produced since 2006, the new model was a rebadged version of the VW Caddy with small modifications. The Caddy is assembled at VW’s facility in Poznan, Poland, which was ready for the volume-production start of the Skoda sibling.

Skoda spokesman Vitezslav Pelc says the markets clearly show a trend of increasing demand and dynamic development in the SUV segment.

“For this reason, Skoda is putting maximum effort to strengthen its model range in the SUV category,” Pelc tells Czech news agency CTK. “The brand will not continue to develop its position in the MPV segment, (and) a successor to the Skoda Roomster is not planned.”

The automaker emphasizes the decision is based exclusively on the market situation and its model strategy is not related to parent Volkswagen’s diesel-engine-emissions scandal.

Skoda is offering six models, starting from the Citigo minicar up to the flagship Superb. The Yeti, a model produced since 2009, is the only SUV in the brand’s portfolio.

The company will unveil its second SUV, a 7-seater internally dubbed the Snowman, next year. Plans call for the presentation of a concept at the Geneva auto show in March with a final production model to be shown at the Paris show in October.

In addition to this new model and the planned successor to the current Yeti, Skoda is expected to add a third vehicle in the SUV segment in the future.

In 2014, Skoda set a sales record with 1,037,200 cars sold worldwide, the first time in its history it has delivered more than 1 million vehicles. This figure includes cars manufactured outside of Czech Republic. Sales this year are expected to be similar or slightly lower compared to 2014.