ŠKODA Octavia celebrates 20th birthday at Derek Slack Motors, Middlesbrough

One of most undisputed best selling models in the automotive world, celebrates two decades of vehicle design, advanced technology, high efficiency and ergonomics in OCTAVIA production.

3 September 1996, former Czech President Vaclav Havel gave the starting signal for the production of the ŠKODA OCTAVIA in the newly opened part of the plant at the company's headquarters. This also marked the beginning of a unique success story. Over the following two decades, the ŠKODA OCTAVIA became a worldwide bestseller and is still the best selling model.

The development of the completely new OCTAVIA model series began in 1992, approximately one year after the traditional Czech brand joined the Volkswagen Group. The ŠKODA OCTAVIA was based on a group platform which was completely new at the time. The robust body structure, which had been developed using the latest CAD (Computer Aided Design) technology, provided exemplary active and passive safety in combination with front airbags for driver and passenger. In addition, this was the first time that ŠKODA had offered the then new side airbags for the OCTAVIA.

With the clever liftback solution, the new compact featured an especially practical highlight, thanks to the large tailgate of the hatchback model, customers benefited from excellent access to the 528-litre boot, which could be extended to as much as 1,328 litres by folding the rear seats down.

In 1996 – the first sales year – ŠKODA OCTAVIA customers could choose from two four-cylinder petrol engines or a turbo diesel drive-train. In May 1998, the ŠKODA OCTAVIA COMBI extended the model range; from 1999 the estate version was also available with all-wheel drive. The last vehicle from the first generation rolled off the production line in November 2010. Between September 1996 and November 2010 around 970,000 saloons and more than 470,000 estates were delivered.

The second-generation ŠKODA OCTAVIA seamlessly continued the success story of its predecessor: Between 2004 and 2013, 1.6 million customers opted for the saloon, 900,000 buyers chose the ŠKODA OCTAVIA estate. The third generation of the ŠKODA OCTAVIA has been in production since November 2012.

Today the bestseller is considered the heart of the brand and is extremely popular with Derek Slack Motors’ customers both as a family car and as a company vehicle. Since the start of production of the first generation on September 3, 1996, more than five million ŠKODA OCTAVIAs have left the production halls.