Home | News | Road Tests First Skoda Octavia Manufactured Fifty Years Ago 1959 Skoda Octavia Home > News > Skoda 5th February, 2009 The Octavia, Skoda's best-selling model, is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. The production of the first car launched under this nameplate, the successor to the Škoda 440 also known as “Spartak”, started in January 1959. “Our new vehicle has a new name too. It is called Škoda Octavia, as it is the eighth model produced by our nationalised industry,” stated the issue of the company magazine Ventil dated 6th January, 1959. The then existing numerical identifications were replaced by 'words' - the Škoda 440 became the Octavia, the Škoda 445 was renamed to the Octavia Super and the Škoda 450 was called the Felicia from that time. However, the change involved more than just the names and minor adaptations to the vehicle's front 'mask'. Škoda designers also redesigned the front axles of all Škoda passenger cars in 1959 – the old leaf spring was replaced by a coil spring with telescopic shock absorbers, which was indeed a major change. “Coil springs were also meant to be used for the rear axle, but did not prove to be a good solution, and so the company stuck to the leaf springs in the end,” adds Lukáš Nachtmann, Head of the Škoda Auto Archive. Self-Catering Accommodation in Denmark, WA ..... more The name was returned to the Skoda line-up after 1989, and the Octavia model line became the first car developed internally after Škoda's became part of the Volkswagen Group. The first prearrangements and the first concept car were made in 1992. The vehicle was launched in 1996, its wagon version (Combi) was introduced two years later, the 4x4 version was added later. The year 2000 saw a new, modernised version that is still manufactured under the name Octavia Tour. In February 2004 the company launched the second generation Skoda Octavia that was then face-lifted in 2008. The Czech Republic's biggest car manufacturer has sold over 2 million Skoda Octavias worldwide and currently offers a wide range of versions, including the Skoda Octavia RS and the Scout. The revised Skoda Octavia for 2009 is expected in Australia within months. More Skoda News ..... here More Historic Car News ..... here Our Home Page ..... here About | Car Clubs | Home | News | Road Ramblings | Road Tests | Subscribe | Top Drive ©   2009   Next Car Pty Ltd.   All rights reserved.