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Skoda dealers are taking delivery of a new version of the Superb promoted as the most powerful production model the brand has ever offered.
The Superb 2.0 TSI 280PS is on sale in hatch and estate forms, at prices starting from £31,445 for the hatch and £32,745 for the estate.
Its powertrain is based around a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine allied to all-wheel-drive, offering a 0-62mph time of 5.8 seconds, and dealers will be able to present it as a practical alternative to classic performance cars – Skoda has even released a video that shows the Superb estate version, which has a 650-litre boot, outpacing cars such as the Ferrari 308 GTB, Honda NSX and Lotus Esprit.
The Superb 2.0TSI 280PS will be offered in three trim levels, SE L Executive, the new SportLine and Laurin & Klement. Standard equipment on all versions includes 18-inch alloy wheels, satellite navigation, an electrically operated boot, leather upholstery and heated seats.
The arrival of the performance range-topper comes as Skoda reveals a strong start to 2016, with record half-year registrations of 42,233, a gain of 7% on 2015.
The Superb and the Fabia have seen their best-ever half-year numbers, Superb registrations increasing 71% to 5,516 cars, while the Fabia is up 23% at 11,146. And dealers are reporting a record order take between January and June, up 11% on the same period in 2015.
June registrations for the brand remained strong, 11 per cent up on 2015 despite the market as a whole slowing, and with its offerings in the buoyant crossover market set to be expanded by the arrival of the Kodiak SUV in early 2017, Skoda is reporting high confidence among its dealers.
