“Simply clever” in the Czech Republic

Škoda is one of the oldest automobile manufacturers in the world. Its innovative image – summed up by the slogan “Simply clever” – has characterized the traditional brand throughout its long history. This is evident not only from the superb value for money offered by Škoda vehicles, but also because many of the details found in these cars have their roots in the sophisticated Czech engineering that came to fruition in the 20th century.

Mladá Boleslav is just a 45-minute drive from Prague. The road to Škoda’s hometown passes through a number of suburbs and is lined with home improvement and furniture stores. Here in the Czech Republic, a nation with a distinct penchant for DIY, there is a universal sense of a new era that even dates back to before the country joined the EU. As a key industrial nation, the innovative Czechs contributed to the economic development of Central Europe right from the start. The Czechs are often said to be like their famous Bohemian glass: clear, uncomplicated and resilient. Characteristics that are also reflected in the cars they build.

Nonetheless, Mladá Boleslav – a town of 45,000 inhabitants – is also imbued with the magic of Bohemia, its pancakes, apple strudel and freshly brewed beer, and its woods, fields and castles. The area around the city would make a wonderful setting for one of the popular Czech fairytale films, which is fitting, since Mladá Boleslav has a fairytale of its own – one that came true. Škoda cars have been built here for over a hundred years. As recently as the 1970s and 1980s, Škodas were the butt of many unkind jokes, widely dismissed as tinpot cars for which spare parts never arrived in less than a month. Nonetheless, they were among the best of what the then Eastern Bloc had to offer. 

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Czechs were still among the pioneers in automobile manufacturing. It all began, strangely enough, with a bicycle. Václav Klement, a technophile bookseller from Mladá Boleslav, had purchased a German-made bicycle only for its frame to bend out of shape soon afterwards. The disgruntled customer then sent a letter – in Czech, naturally – to the branch of the Dresden-based bicycle manufacturer in the Bohemian city of Ústí nad Labem requesting repair. According to Lukáš Nachtmann, a historian in the Škoda Auto Museum, Klement received a curt reply to the effect that he should write in an intelligible language.

Václav Klement was quick to respond: by opening his own bicycle factory together with mechanic Václav Laurin in 1895. Just three years later, the flourishing little company expanded its range to include bicycles with auxiliary engines. The following year, the small-town Czechs presented a motorized bicycle driven by an engine integrated in the frame between the wheels – the same basic construction that is still found in all generations of motorcycle to this day. “A real milestone in the history of Czech engineering was in 1905, when Laurin and Klement built their first car, the Voiturette A”, recounts Nachtmann with visible enthusiasm and pride in his fellow countrymen. A milestone indeed, as this design means that the Škoda brand, which came by its name in 1925 when Laurin & Klement joined forces with heavy engineering company Škoda Pilsen, has ties with one of the oldest remaining automotive plants in the world. 

SUCCESS IN ALL CORNERS OF THE GLOBE

In the 1920s and 1930s, Škoda established itself as one of the best-known automobile manufacturers in Europe. The Rapid, Popular and Superb models – the latter has now been revived – went on legendary trips with globetrotters to exotic, far-flung regions such as Africa and the Sahara, India and the Himalayas. The solid design and driving characteristics of the Škoda cars were more than a match for the rough terrain, making the Czech company an international household name. Needless to say, this also improved its standing on home soil. “Czech engineering” was a common boast back then, and one that has now reattained its former glory thanks to Mladá Boleslav’s finest.

“It is no accident that ‘Simply clever’ is our brand slogan”, explains Frank Schäfer, who is responsible for Interior Design at Škoda and also played a leading role in designing the interior of the new Škoda Fabia. “Simply clever” stands for high utility value and decidedly family-friendly design. The luggage compartment is the largest in its class and comes with bag hooks and other intelligent solutions; its size can also be halved by means of an adjustable hat rack. “We always fight for every last cubic centimeter”, says Schäfer. The practical nature of the Škoda can even be seen from its exterior design. “Sophisticated and robust, clear and uncluttered”, is how Jens Manske, Head of Design at Škoda, describes the company’s design guidelines. Along with the technology that is enhanced by rigorous testing within the Volkswagen Group, one of the reasons for the brand’s lasting success is its functional design.

This can also be seen from the delivery figures, with both the Fabia and the Octavia passing the million mark as early as 2004. For five years, Škoda has been an established fixture in the top ten of the German registration statistics. “It is a car from the heart of Europe that is now sold in 100 countries worldwide”, sums up Marçal Farreras, Head of Marketing at Škoda. A native of Spain, Farreras speaks English with his Czech colleagues – another way in which Škoda contributes to the Europe of the present and the future.

FRANK SCHÄFER, Interior Design at Škoda, played a leading role in designing the interior of the Škoda Fabia

LUKÁŠ NACHTMANN, a historian at the Škoda-Museum, describes the work of Laurin & Klement as “a real milestone in the history of Czech engineering”.

CZECH ENGINEERING From sugar cubes  to Memrec You almost certainly benefit from Czech inventions every day – even though you have probably never heard of Jakob Christof Rad, Jindrich Waldes, or Prokop Diviš. These innovative individuals enhanced our daily lives and safety with sugar cubes, snap fasteners and lightning rods. Today, many inventions still originate in the Czech Republic, a prime example being Memrec – a device for controlling computers by eye movement. Or Nanospider, a new technology for weaving nanofibers. It’s clear that the Škoda slogan – “Simply clever“ – also applies to many other modern Czech inventions.