Skoda Karoq production has extended to Germany in order to meet demand while the company’s flagship Mladá Boleslav facility in the Czech Republic is upgraded with a new paint shop.
This means that, for a limited time, some examples of the Skoda Yeti successor will be built at the Volkswagen Group’s Osnabrück factory, where the Volkswagen Tiguan is made.
The site also paints Skoda Fabias and has assembled the Porsche 718 Cayman since 2017.
Automotive News Europe reports that the brand will produce Karoq models in Germany into 2019.
A Skoda spokesman told Autocar that the change was made "in order to satisfy the high demand". They said "We have utlised the production capacities within the Volkswagen Group, and from the end of 2018 additional painting and assembly of the Å koda Karoq will take place at the German Volkswagen location of Osnabrück. The main volume of production remains at our Czech sites in Kvasiny and Mladá Boleslav".
Skoda readies 19-model product drive in next two years
Last month, CEO Bernhard Maier said during Skoda's annual results conference that customers in some markets had to wait for up to 10 months for their car to be delivered. He said this was too long and could encourage the brand to open another factory.
The Karoq is a key component in Skoda’s recent sales growth. It was introduced last year and sits beneath the larger Kodiaq in Skoda’s SUV line-up. Both models have received high demand from buyers, helping Skoda grow its sales in the first quarter of this year by 12% to 316,176 units.
In 2017, the brand expanded its European market share to 4.48%, up from 4.36% the year before. Globally, it grew sales by 6.6% to sell 1.2 million cars.
Skoda Karoq: a race against time form John O'Groats to Land's End
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Yeti replacement?
How the hell is that supposed to be a replacement for the Yeti? That car is unique and brilliant in its own way.
This new car is just another generic, forgettable SUV. I am a fan of Skoda, owning an Octavia VRS, but they have made a huge mistake with this dreary box.
Yeti replacement?
You've obviously missed the bit where it said that the Karoq is selling so well it has a waiting list of up to ten months. I don't recall the Yeti having that problem.
Skoda will regret this
Being built by VW, quality and reliability will suffer and I fear Skoda's reputation for reliability could be affected. It's amazing how one company can make a great and reliable car using the same components as another company which produces unreliable rubbish.
They may as well build it in
They just need a chap too apply the appropriate badge at the factory exit.
eseaton wrote:
Whilst peeling off the exagerated price sticker.