At this year’s Rétromobile classic car exhibition in Paris (5 to 9 February 2014), ŠKODA will be exhibiting four vintage cars from various points in the company’s history, spanning the last 119 years. By presenting vehicles at various states of restoration, the Czech car manufacturer underlines its outstanding expertise in the authentic restoration of historic vehicles.
The Rétromobile in Paris is one of the most important vintage car shows around the world and is taking place for the 39th time this year. "ŠKODA's display at Rétromobile is an annual challenge for us," says Michal Velebný, Restoration Workshop Manager at the ŠKODA Museum. "This year, we will be presenting the work of both our predecessors and our experts from the restoration workshop."
The oldest exhibit on the ŠKODA stand is the 90-year-old Laurin & Klement 210. The open-top car was built in 1924 and sold to the Czechoslovakian Ministry of Defence in the October of the same year. The vehicle, from the depository at the ŠKODA Museum, is almost complete but for the lack of a dashboard, and will serve as an example for a typical classic car ‘barn find’ at the fair. After nine decades, the body still bears the original colour ‘Petroleum’, common at that time for the army. During its long life, the car suffered a lot, which can be seen in the bullet holes to the radiator grille. The disused car served in the army; probably as a target.
The streamlined ŠKODA 935 is also a particularly rare specimen, dating back to 1935. The 935, to be shown in Paris, is the only surviving model of its kind in the world and has had an eventful history. After the premiere at the 1935 Auto Show in Prague, the prototype changed hands several times, and in 1968 the newly-founded ŠKODA Museum acquired the car. The model is currently undergoing extensive restoration and the lacquering is scheduled immediately after the Rétromobile event.
Two fully-restored vehicles will also be among the group going to Paris: the ŠKODA Superb 4000 (Type 919) from 1940, representing automotive luxury before the war. The brown-lacquered saloon - when not on the road – is an exhibit at the ŠKODA Museum in Mladá Boleslav. The ŠKODA Superb 4000 is powered by a V8 petrol engine with 96 hp and a displacement of 3991 cc. Only around ten such vehicles were built at that time.
Another favourite on the classic car scene is the ŠKODA Felicia - even in Paris, visitors can admire the red restored piece from 1960, which is registered to a French owner. With its elegant body shape, the Felicia Cabrio sets classic car enthusiasts’ hearts racing. ŠKODA built a total of 15,000 such models between 1959 and 1964. In addition to the folding roof, a practical hardtop was also available for an additional charge, allowing the car to be used all year round. The convertible from Mladá Boleslav is a typical representative of the type of vehicle which does not often slip under the radar of collectors. The prices for this particular vehicle have risen rapidly over the past decade.
The Felicia weighs in at only 930 kg and has a top speed of 130 km/h. The car is powered by a four-cylinder petrol engine with 50 hp and a 1089 cc displacement. Small but impressive – a very special ŠKODA at the Rétromobile. The car is a 1940 custom-built Children’s car scaled 1:2 and driven by a 12-volt electric motor, which has been faithfully modelled on a ŠKODA Popular.
Participating at the prestigious Rétromobile trade fair is another of the ŠKODA Museum’s activities for the general public and the expert audience. The museum itself underwent a complete reconstruction in 2012 and now displays the most modern trends in the exhibition industry. The museum participates in leading classic car gatherings and rallies with selected historical cars. For more information about the ŠKODA Museum visit
http://museum.skoda-auto.com.