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Skoda has revealed a vRS performance version of its large Kodiaq sports utility vehicle.
The model uses four-wheel-drive and a 240ps diesel engine, which is the most powerful production oil burning power unit fitted to a Skoda. The company is claiming 0-62 in 7 seconds and a 138mph top speed.
The car is one of a number of go faster sports utilities being launched by VW Group brands, which include Seat’s petrol powered Cupra Ateca, which like its Skoda cousin has all-wheel-drive and the familiar seven speed DSG twin-clutch two pedal transmission system.
Seat plans to promote the Cupra brand as a standalone performance marque, and has appointed 25 British dealers to sell vehicles that will form a range that is likely to be expanded.
The Skoda has unique badging and exterior detailing, often with gloss black finishes and features 20-inch alloy wheels and standard equipment that includes LED head and tail lights. As with other models in the range the Kodiaq can be ordered with five or seven seats, in which guise Skoda claims it is the quickest car of its type, after it lapped the Nürburgring racing circuit in Germany in fractionally under 9 minutes and thirty seconds.
As both the Kodiqa and Ateca share sub structures and power trains with other VW and Audi models it is likely that there will be a bigger range of performance versions of sports utilities from these brands too.