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31 trainees from the renowned ŠKODA vocational school combine history and modernity with the seventh ŠKODA trainee car: in the ŠKODA AUTO anniversary year, the open ŠKODA SLAVIA is reminiscent of the first bicycles that Václav Laurin and Václav Klement produced after the company was founded in 1895. The Spider variant of the ŠKODA SCALA combines the clear and emotional lines of the modern compact model with the early days of the automobile, when the vehicles were mostly open. With the support of their trainers and ŠKODA experts from the areas of design, production and technical development, the trainees carried out all the work steps themselves, from the first drawing to the construction of the one-off. The seventh ŠKODA trainee car since 2014 once again demonstrates the high quality of training at the ŠKODA vocational school in Mladá Boleslav.
Inspiration: ŠKODA 1100 OHC
- 31 apprentices from the ŠKODA vocational school build an emotional Spider version of the ŠKODA SCALA
- Sports prototype ŠKODA 1100 OHC as inspiration for the seventh apprentice car, the ŠKODA SLAVIA
- Name SLAVIA commemorates the company's foundation in 1895
- The first forerunners of traditional trainee cars were created in the 1970s
- Video shows the SLAVIA from development to completion
Alois Kauer is the new head of the ŠKODA Academy
Alois Kauer, new head of the ŠKODA Academy since February 2020, says: “The trainee car is the lighthouse project of every year at the ŠKODA vocational school. For the seventh year in a row, our students have demonstrated the high standard of training in our company when planning, designing and manufacturing an impressive one-off. You can build your own dream car and work with the professionals in different areas of the company. As part of their training, they get to know processes that will later become part of their tasks when they take the next steps at our company after completing their vocational school.“For the seventh edition of the ŠKODA trainee car, the 31 trainees involved in the project, including five women, used the ŠKODA SCALA as the basis for their very own dream car for the first time. They transformed the compact hatchback model into a particularly sporty spider. They gave it the name SLAVIA and in the 125th anniversary year of ŠKODA AUTO they commemorate the first bicycles produced by company founders Václav Laurin and Václav Klement.
As with the production version of the SCALA, the striking and inspiring design with precise lines and sculptural surfaces also ensures a sporty and emotional appearance. The ŠKODA SLAVIA is matched by the 1,5 TSI petrol engine with 110 kW (150 hp) * known from the SCALA and the 7-speed DSG. The front and rear axles, the steering, the complete electronics including wiring and the assistance systems were also adopted from the production model. In addition, the instrument panel, the virtual cockpit and the infotainment system remained untouched.
Sports prototype ŠKODA 1100 OHC as inspiration for the Spider-SLAVIA
The trainees were inspired by the ŠKODA 1100 OHC for the Spider-SLAVIA. The sports prototype presented in 1957 was an open two-seater racing car that ŠKODA had designed for use in endurance races. Thanks to its flat and aerodynamic body made of glass fiber reinforced plastic and weighing only 550 kilograms, the ŠKODA 92 OHC, which is powered by a 1,1-hp 1100-liter four-cylinder engine, reached a top speed of 190 to 200 km / h, depending on the axle ratio. The racing car is one of the milestones in ŠKODA's 119-year history of motorsport. One of the two examples built today is in the ŠKODA Museum in Mladá Boleslav.
Extensive changes to the body
In order to convert the hatchback model SCALA based on the ŠKODA 1100 OHC into the open SLAVIA, the trainees have changed the body extensively, redesigned many areas and further developed existing solutions. They strengthened the floor assembly, removed the roof, welded the rear doors and turned a compact hatchback model with plenty of space for five people into an uncompromising two-door two-seater. For a new air duct over the vehicle, they designed a special cover with Spider-typical humps behind the seats, which flows smoothly into a likewise newly developed trunk lid including an integrated rear spoiler. The students paid particular attention to smooth transitions on A-pillars and doors. 20-inch alloy wheels from the ŠKODA KODIAQ RS * ensure an extremely sporty appearance, the braking system and wheel hubs come from the OCTAVIA RS. A modified exhaust system finds its place in the revised underbody.
Special pearl effect paint White Crystal Blue
The color White Crystal Blue is responsible for the very special sheen of the concept study, which contrasts with black details on the front and rear aprons and on the side skirts. The white high-tech paint consists of three layers and offers a bluish pearl effect, which is underlined by neon blue accents on the typical ŠKODA body lines as well as on the striking ŠKODA grill and the brand logo on the front hood. Programmable LEDs below the side skirts adopted by the SCALA MONTE CARLO and behind the light alloy wheels ensure individually adjustable dynamic ambient lighting in the colors blue, red and white - the Czech tricolor. The illuminated ŠKODA lettering is also a turn signal, brake light and reversing light. A plaque with the words 'DRIVE 125 YEARS' on the front doors commemorates the founding of the company in ŠKODA's anniversary year.
Sporty interior with white accents
Four-point seat belts and special racing seats from SPARCO, whose seat and backrest are covered with black perforated leather, set sporty accents in the interior. The side bolsters of the seats wear black carbon leather with white contrast stitching. The striking seams also set accents for numerous other interior components made of black leather, such as the center armrest, gear lever gaiter, handbrake lever or the rear cover plates. This combination can also be found in the lower two thirds of the steering wheel rim, the upper third, like the gear knob, is covered with white leather. Finally, a special eye-catcher is the rear shelf made of black leather, in which two embroidered lions hold two recessed bass speakers. The subwoofer has an output of 2.250 watts, the other speakers 320 watts. There is space for two ŠKODA electric scooters in the trunk of the SLAVIA. The two foldable e-scooters are a perfect and environmentally friendly solution for the so-called 'last mile'.
"The ŠKODA SLAVIA radiates a very special dynamic even when it is stationary. The cover with the humps, the tailgate and the large wheels ensure a very sporty appearance that continues with the racing seats and the four-point seat belts in the interior. The students managed to give the vehicle its very own character and at the same time mastered the design challenges of converting a closed vehicle into a Spider very well“Says team leader Zdeněk Stanke from the ŠKODA Academy.
"It is an honor and a great challenge for every trainee at the ŠKODA vocational school to be able to take part in the Trainee Car project. We have the opportunity to experience the development and creation of a car from a blank sheet of paper to the finished vehicle and, above all, to be able to design it ourselves. It is great how we are supported by experts from different departments who have also let us in on the little secrets of their work. You can take an incredible amount out of this for your later professional career. What I like most about the SLAVIA is how you can achieve very special effects when playing with colors and light“Continues Martin Slabihoudek, head of the vocational school.
Memory of the founding fathers Laurin and Klement in the anniversary year
ŠKODA celebrates its 2020th anniversary in 125 and the emotional Spider study is a reminder of the company's beginnings for the trainees. With the name SLAVIA they are a reminder of the first steps taken jointly by the founding fathers Václav Laurin and Václav Klement, who began repairing bicycles in Mladá Boleslav in 1895. The duo soon designed their own bicycles and successfully sold them under the SLAVIA brand name from 1896. The revival of this historic name fits perfectly with the trainees' idea of taking a modern journey back in time with the SCALA, in which automobiles were once open vehicles. A classic spider is dynamic and emotional. The ŠKODA SLAVIA stands for unconditional sportiness and pure driving pleasure.
"The decision to use the name SLAVIA shows that our trainees not only had a look at their own apprentice car project, but also at the entire company and its history. They enrich the anniversary year of ŠKODA with a valuable and unique facet and thus become part of the ongoing success story“Says Jaromir Bátora, specialist coordinator for the development of the ŠKODA vocational school.
Ludvík Arazím, auto electrician from the trainee team, explains: “Appropriate to the anniversary, 125 years of ŠKODA ', it quickly became clear to all of us that with our trainee car we wanted to commemorate the founding of the company and the early days of the automobile. As an uncompromising spider, the SLAVIA follows the tradition of open vehicles from the pioneering days of the car. The first brand name used by Václav Laurin and Václav Klement fits perfectly."
Traditional trainee cars underline the quality of the training at the ŠKODA Academy
The ŠKODA vocational school in Mladá Boleslav, founded in 1927, is known for the high quality of its students' education. Since then, more than 23.000 apprentices have graduated there, and more than 900 apprentices are currently being taught in 13 different technical courses. Every successful graduate from the school is offered a job at ŠKODA AUTO. The vocational school has been part of the ŠKODA Academy since 2013 and established a new tradition with the introduction of the trainee car project. As part of this project, young people can design their own vehicle once a year and then build it themselves. It all started with the 2014 CITIJET, a two-seater version of the ŠKODA CITIGO.
For the trainees, participating in the trainee car project is a unique opportunity to practice and improve the skills they have learned. The current students also made intensive use of the opportunity to exchange ideas with experts in all areas of ŠKODA. They received valuable tips in the development department. During a visit to ŠKODA Design, chief designer Oliver Stefani and his team personally supported the trainees in creating the first sketches of the ŠKODA SLAVIA. The production department made recommendations for the right materials and technologies, such as 3D printing.
"Our apprentice car project gives our trainees an intensive insight into all development and production areas at ŠKODA. The exchange with ŠKODA experts from various areas is very valuable for our trainees in their development. This year, the corona pandemic with the resulting contact restrictions and plant closings unfortunately made this exchange somewhat difficult. The cooperation between the trainees in the final construction of the vehicle was also affected. Nevertheless, the trainees managed to put a great vehicle on the wheels with a lot of enthusiasm, full commitment, great discipline and taking all hygiene and safety measures into account“Says Ivo Vollman, a teacher at the ŠKODA Academy.
First forerunners as early as the 1970s
The creativity of the students and their manual skills increase almost every year. In 2015, the CITIJET was followed by the FUNSTAR pickup based on the ŠKODA FABIA, followed by the ATERO, a coupé based on the ŠKODA RAPID SPACEBACK. In 2017, the trainees designed the electrically driven ELEMENT, again based on a ŠKODA CITIGO. The fifth apprentice car was the Cabriolet study SUNROQ based on a ŠKODA KAROQ in 2018, in 2019 the students converted a ŠKODA KODIAQ into the impressive MOUNTIAQ pickup. The first forerunners had already been in the 1970s. In addition to a few small tractors and later also a ŠKODA 120 pickup, ŠKODA vocational students made four copies of the ŠKODA BUGGY Type 1975 by hand in 736. Trainees from the ŠKODA vocational school again extensively restored one of these prototypes in 2017; it is now in the ŠKODA Museum in Mladá Boleslav.
(Photos: Skoda)
Technical data of the ŠKODA SLAVIA:
- vehicle type
- Spider, without a roof - basic model
- ŠKODA SCALA - Doors / seats
- 2 / 2 - Color
- White Crystal Blue with Black Magic details
Special phosphorescent pigment for emphasized, bright 'ŠKODA lines and logo - Body
- Length 4.362 mm
- Width 1.793 mm
- height 1.410 mm
- Wheelbase 2.649 mm
- Ground clearance 180 mm
- Weight 1.210 kg - Power Type
- 1,5 TSI with 110 kW (150 PS)
- 7-speed DSG, front-wheel drive
- Modified exhaust system - Brakes (v / h)
- 20-inch panes / panes (from ŠKODA OCTAVIA RS) - bicycles
- 20-inch Xtreme alloy wheels (from the ŠKODA KODIAQ RS)
- 235/30 ZR20 (Continental SportContact 6) - Interior
- Black leather covers (perforated, smooth, carbon leather) with white decorative stitching
- Sports seats with four-point seat belts - Features
- Modified front and rear aprons
- Integrated spoiler on the tailgate
- MONTE CARLO rocker panels
- Individually controllable light emitting diodes
- Illuminated ŠKODA lettering with brake and reversing light function
- 320 watt speaker system with an additional 2.250 watt subwoofer
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