With the new student concept car, a cabriolet version of the ŠKODA KAROQ, the Czech car manufacturer is presenting an open-top SUV. The convertible study has been designed and built by 23 trainees from the ŠKODA Vocational School in Mladá Boleslav. The project has become a tradition for ŠKODA AUTO: the convertible SUV is already the fifth student concept car.
Students from the ŠKODA AUTO Vocational School in Mladá have demonstrated their design skills this year too. The trainees’ concept car, an open-top ŠKODA KAROQ, is based on the production version of the successful compact SUV. At 4,382 mm, the length of the KAROQ cabriolet remains unchanged, as does the width (at 1,811 mm) and the wheelbase (at 2,638 mm). However, the convertible KAROQ is significantly lower thanks to the use of shock absorbers from the ŠKODA OCTAVIA RS.
The engineering design phase of the open-top ŠKODA KAROQ started in October 2017. The 23 trainees from the ŠKODA Vocational School involved in the concept car could count on the support from their teachers and the Technical Development as well as Design and Production departments from the very beginning. After the engineering and design plans had been finalised in January 2018, the construction phase began.
The labour-intensive conversion of the project initially required the students to make extensive changes to the production body of the ŠKODA KAROQ. Once the roof had been removed, the doors had to be adjusted and the tailgate had to be re-designed from scratch. In addition, the trainees re-engineered the entire rear section including the exhaust system. In addition, the A- and B-pillars were altered. The ŠKODA KAROQ cabriolet features modified front and rear bumpers.
To emphasise the open-top ŠKODA KAROQ’s extraordinary character, the trainees either developed all-new ideas or modified some of the existing features, such as the ŠKODA logos, which are discreetly luminous in the dark. Special indicator lights as well as backlit door handles are other examples of the car’s distinctive features. In the dark, ŠKODA logos are projected onto the tarmac from the front and rear bumpers.
The convertible ŠKODA KAROQ student concept car is equipped with a four-cylinder 1.5 TSI engine. This efficient yet powerful unit allows the production ŠKODA KAROQ to reach a top speed of 204 km/h, and to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds.
One of the last steps in the project was finding a suitable name for the vehicle. To facilitate this, the students invited ŠKODA customers and fans to submit suggestions via different social media channels. In the end, SUNROQ was chosen from among several hundred proposed names – the students found that it suited their cabriolet perfectly given its openness to the sun, which makes it an ideal vehicle for a summer holiday. The author of the winning submission was invited to the SUNROQ’s official presentation. He will meet with the students and their teachers and will be even able to go on a drive in the functional concept car, which has a Velvet Red paint finish.
The convertible ŠKODA KAROQ is the latest model in the student car line-up, with which the Czech car manufacturer underlines the high level of quality of its vocational training. The ŠKODA Vocational School in Mladá Boleslav was founded in 1927 and offers three- and four-year training courses in technical subjects leading to either a certificate of proficiency or a school leaving certificate for university access. Currently, more than 900 full-time students are enrolled in the school’s courses.
ŠKODA AUTO is again offering talented young students the chance to feel like car designers. The students, aged 17 and 18, are currently being trained at the ŠKODA AUTO Vocational School and have come together to build the fifth study. Under the guidance of their teachers and with the support of the Technology, Design and Production departments at the company’s headquarters in Mladá Boleslav, they are building a convertible study based on the ŠKODA KAROQ. The project highlights both the significance of the latest SUV model range for the brand’s model portfolio, as well as its successes and achievements. In addition, it emphasises the fresh and youthful design of the ŠKODA KAROQ. As part of the practical project, the students learn to train their technical and organisational skills in a team. The finished study, which is yet to be given a name, will be introduced to the public in June.
The student engineers come from seven different professions – among them painters, car mechatronics engineers and toolmakers. “We are really looking forward to the project because we get the chance to build a car using our own ideas,” explained team member Ondřej Bacík.
Students have designed and built a vehicle every single year since 2014: the first study was a two-seater version of the ŠKODA CITIGO; a pick-up based on the ŠKODA FABIA followed in 2015; in 2016 it was a coupé based on the ŠKODA RAPID SPACEBACK; and in 2017 the ŠKODA CITIGO was the inspiration for an electric buggy.
This training project once again underlines the high quality of ŠKODA AUTO’s education programme. At the vocational school, which was founded in 1927, talented young students undergo training in technical subjects for 3-4 years. At present, more than 900 students are completing a total of 13 full-time education programmes (five lasting for 4 years and eight lasting 3 years) and two expansion programmes.In addition, around 60 ŠKODA employees are expanding their qualifications as part of other further training programmes.
The vocational School for Mechanical Engineering is part of the ŠKODA Academy, which was founded in April 2013 to provide comprehensive training for students and employees. Its education and qualification programme is specifically geared towards the needs of the company. Since 2013, the car manufacturer has – with support from the KOVO union – spent approximately 260 million korunas on expanding its offering of education programmes and modernising the equipment at the ŠKODA Academy.
Article source: www.skoda-auto.com