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Škoda Auto served as the official partner to the Prague Pride Festival for the third consecutive year. Through this partnership, the Czech carmaker emphasises its commitment to respect, acceptance, equity, diversity and mutual understanding. As in previous years, Škoda employees also took part in the Pride Parade – the highlight of the Festival – including members of Škoda’s employee resource group (ERG), Škoda Proud. This year marked a special milestone with the Škoda Auto Company Brass Orchestra providing the musical backdrop for the first time. Throughout the Festival week, Prague Pride highlighted critical issues and the needs of the LGBTQ+ community through a diverse range of programmes aiming to amplify their voices.

“’We are family’ is the focus of this year’s Prague Pride Festival, and one that also resonates with us at Škoda Auto. We are once again happily sponsoring Prague Pride because the Škoda family is deliberately open and inclusive. Diversity and inclusion are enshrined in our corporate strategy and in our Diversity Strategy 2030 because these are important ways we can strengthen our company. It also reflects the demographic range of our customers. As one of the largest employers in the country, we have a unique standing to be able to draw attention to the rights and needs of the LGBTQ+ community as part of the wider society we live in and serve.”

Klaus Zellmer, CEO of Škoda Auto

“Diversity is at the heart of who we are at Škoda Auto. Every employee is unique, and it is our responsibility to ensure that everyone is treated fairly, with equitable opportunities and respect, regardless of age, background, religion, gender, family, or sexuality. By participating in the Prague Pride Festival and Parade, we proudly stand for diversity and equity, and against intolerance and homophobia. We are excited to once again be part of this important event, which helps raise awareness of critical issues impacting LGBTQ+ people, and we look forward to joining next year’s parade.”

Maren Gräf, Škoda Auto Board Member for People & Culture

Proud to support Pride – Škoda Auto as the official partner for the third consecutive year
From 5 to 11 August, more than 200 themed events and cultural performances highlighted diversity and addressed the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. Centred around the theme of ‘Family’, this year’s Festival explored the evolving definition of family.

The Pride Parade was once again the highlight of the Festival: It started at noon on Saturday in Wenceslas Square before making its way through the centre of the Czech capital and concluding in Letná Park. Among the 60,000 participants were numerous Škoda employees, including members of the Škoda Proud ERG and, for the first time, the Škoda Auto Company Brass Orchestra providing the musical backdrop. The Festival ended with a large picnic in Letná Park, meetups on Střelecký Island, and various events organised by the Pride Business Forum, bringing a vibrant close to the week.

Supporting the Prague Pride Festival is a key part of Škoda Auto’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. In May, Škoda Auto participated in the European Diversity Month, an initiative promoted by the European Commission. This year’s motto, ‘Škoda Auto: A Place for Everyone’, underscores the company’s dedication to honouring each individual’s uniqueness and fostering an open organisational culture. Additionally, Škoda Auto supported the Pride Business Forum Conference, organised an internal event on LGBTQ+ topics for employees, and displayed rainbow flags at various company locations, further affirming its support for the community.

Diversity integral to Škoda’s corporate strategy
The carmaker has firmly embedded diversity, inclusion, fairness and equity into its corporate culture and actively encourages employees to get involved in networks like Škoda Proud. Established three years ago, this ERG focuses on fostering an inclusive working environment.

Since 2019, Škoda Auto has been a signatory to the European Diversity Charter, which advocates for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. At the end of last year, the carmaker became a premium member of the Pride Business Forum, the largest organisation in the Czech Republic uniting LGBTQ+-friendly employers. Additionally, Škoda Auto endorsed the Czech ‘We Are Fair’ petition, supporting marriage equality, alongside related rights such as social benefits and childcare. This year, the company was recognised with the ‘Big Step Forward Award’ from the Pride Business Forum, in acknowledgement of its efforts to create an inclusive working environment. Details of all diversity initiatives are available in the latest Škoda Auto Diversity Report.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

Škoda Auto is the official main partner of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift for the third consecutive year. From 12 to 18 August, 154 riders in 22 teams will embark on a 950 km route across eight stages through the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Škoda Auto is providing the organisers with 70 electric and plug-in hybrid Škoda vehicles. Race Director Marion Rousse will oversee the event from an all-electric Enyaq, which will be serving as a Red Car. Fans can stay up-to-date with the latest news from the peloton and behind-the-scenes insights on the WeLoveCycling social media channels, with posts shared by Polish rider Katarzyna ‘Kasia’ Niewiadoma.

“As a long-standing supporter of cycling, we are proud to be the official main partner of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift for the third year in a row. With our ongoing commitment to women’s cycling, we aim to further strengthen the impact and reach of this wonderful event. We are looking forward to great performances from all the athletes and being close to the fans along the route. With a Škoda fleet of 70 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles for the organisers, we will maintain a strong presence and visibility of our brand from the Grand Départ to the finish line.”

Martin Jahn, Škoda Auto Board Member for Sales and Marketing

This year, a peloton of 154 riders in 22 teams will tackle the 950-kilometre route through the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Due to the Olympic Games in Paris, the Grand Départ will take place in Rotterdam. The most significant sporting challenge awaits the athletes on the eighth and final stage from Le Grand-Bornand to Alpe d’Huez. Here, on the Col du Glandon, the riders will reach the highest point of the route at 1,924 metres and conquer a total of 3,900 metres of elevation gain.

Fleet of 70 electric and plug-in hybrid Škoda vehicles
Škoda Auto is providing the organisers with 70 electric and plug-in hybrid Škoda vehicles. The Director of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, Marion Rousse, will use the fully-electric Škoda Enyaq as a Red Car, overseeing the action on the track from the specially equipped command centre. By offering a choice of vehicles to the race organisers, the Czech car manufacturer contributes to enhancing the sustainability of the fleet and ultimately the race itself.

The Škoda brand will also be present in other ways: As in previous years, the car manufacturer is sponsoring the green jersey for the leader of the points classification, and the winner will receive a green crystal glass trophy created by Škoda Design.

Women’s Tour up close through the WeLoveCycling.com platform
Fans will once again have the opportunity to get up close to the racing action through the WeLoveCycling social media channels this year. Polish cyclist Katarzyna ‘Kasia’ Niewiadoma, last year’s mountain classification winner, will be posting updates from the peloton and behind the scenes. On the WeLoveCycling website, fans can take part in a weekly contest to win exciting prizes: an electric bike, a GPS bike computer and original Škoda green jerseys.

Škoda Auto: a long-standing partner of elite cycling
This year, Škoda Auto has extended its partnership with the organising body A.S.O. and now supports a total of 20 international professional and amateur cycling events for both men and women. Besides the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, these include races like La Vuelta and La Flèche Wallonne. The automaker also sponsors the L’Étape by Tour de France, an event organised for amateur cyclists.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

Top ratings for the all-new models Škoda Kodiaq and Superb: Both models have achieved the maximum five stars in the independent Euro NCAP crash safety reference test. The Škoda Kodiaq achieved 84% of the total maximum points, while the Škoda Superb achieved 87% of the total maximum points. This result continues the string of top ratings for the Czech carmaker, even under the more stringent assessment criteria introduced in 2023. Each new Škoda model since 2008 has achieved a five-star rating.

“The safety of our customers and all other road users is our top priority. Therefore, we are delighted to receive five‑star ratings for the second-generation Škoda Kodiaq and fourth‑generation Škoda Superb in the Euro NCAP test. We are particularly proud of our strong results for Adult and Child Occupant protection. The fact that we have extended our successful record of five‑star evaluations for our vehicles even after the more stringent test parameters were introduced in 2023 confirms our clear commitment to the highest safety standards.”

Johannes Neft, Škoda Auto Board Member for Technical Development

Top scores for Adult and Child Occupant protection; high ratings for Vulnerable Road User protection and assistance systems
Under the more stringent 2023 criteria set by the independent European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), the new Škoda Superb and Volkswagen Passat—jointly developed by Škoda Auto as part of the Beta+ project—along with the new Škoda Kodiaq, received five-star ratings for Adult and Child Occupant protection. The Kodiaq achieved 84% of the total maximum points, scoring 89% for Adult Occupant protection, 83% for Child Occupant protection, 82% for Vulnerable Road User protection, and 78% for Safety Assist systems. The Superb achieved 87% of the total maximum points, scoring 93% for Adult Occupant protection, 87% for Child Occupant protection, 82% for Vulnerable Road User protection, and 80% for Safety Assist systems. This rating positions the Superb as the second-safest car in the 2024 Euro NCAP rankings.

High level of passive safety in both models
The car body of both models has been designed according to the latest standards and incorporates hot-formed, high-strength steel components. This steel is mainly used on the A- and B-pillars, the firewall, and the tunnel console. In an accident, the occupants of both models are protected not only by the rigid bodywork and generous crumple zones but also by up to ten airbags for the Škoda Superb and up to nine airbags for the Škoda Kodiaq, including a central airbag between the front seats in both cars.

Comprehensive assistance systems improve safety
Numerous state-of-the-art assistance systems in both models alert the driver to potential collisions in many situations and actively help to prevent them or minimise the consequences. These include Front Assist with predictive pedestrian and cyclist protection, Side Assist including Rear Traffic Alert, as well as Collision Avoidance Assist, Turn Assist, Crossroad Assist and Exit Warning. Travel Assist actively supports the driver in longitudinally and laterally controlling the vehicle and, along with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), also includes Adaptive Lane Assist with roadworks recognition, Crew Protect Assist, Traffic Jam Assist and Emergency Assist. New nano radar sensors positioned in the right and left corners of the front apron further enhance the performance of assistance systems such as Front Assist or Crossroad Assist. The nano radar sensors in the rear apron increase the range of Side Assist. The new Attention and Drowsiness Assist monitors driver behaviour, assesses the driver’s potential level of fatigue and triggers visual and acoustic warnings in the Virtual Cockpit if necessary.

Euro NCAP assessments since 1997
Founded in 1997 with its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium, the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) is a collaboration among transport ministries, automobile clubs, insurance associations, and research institutes from eight European countries. The programme involves conducting crash tests on current vehicle models, assessing their active and passive safety features, as well as their capacities for rescue and recovery. Since 2020, adjustments to the criteria have been made every three years, extending the scope to include tertiary safety aspects such as the Emergency Call feature and disseminating information about vehicle damage for integrated rescue operations.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

A camouflaged Škoda Elroq, the brand’s latest all-electric model to be unveiled this autumn, joined the final-stage time trial of this year’s 111^th edition of the Tour de France to accompany the riders. The overall winner, Tadej Pogačar, received the popular crystal glass trophy created by Škoda Design, and Škoda Auto CEO Klaus Zellmer presented a green crystal trophy to Biniam Girmay, the points classification winner. Škoda Auto has been supporting the Tour for twenty-one years now, and this partnership including providing the official fleet has been extended to last until 2028. The brand is currently a partner of 20 top cycling events, including the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift since 2022.“The final laps are thrilling and make me proud that Škoda Auto is the main partner again to the Tour de France, for the 21^st year in a row. I want to congratulate all the athletes who have given their best for almost 3,500 kilometres. We were honoured to be able to support the teams with our fleet, including the Director’s cars, and pleased to be part of the awards ceremonies. Our own cycling heritage makes it even more important that we contribute to inspiring cyclists around the world by supporting the Tour de France and the wider work of the A.S.O., including the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.”

Klaus Zellmer, Škoda Auto CEO

Surprise in the final stage: Camouflaged Škoda Elroq makes its public debut
As a long-standing official main partner, Škoda Auto provided the organising team with 205 Škoda vehicles, including “red cars”, an all-electric Enyaq and a new plug-in-hybrid Superb Combi, that were used by the race director Christian Prudhomme to lead the peloton. Škoda prepared an unexpected surprise for the final stage, a camouflaged Elroq: the brand’s latest all-electric model thus made its public-event debut. With its distinguished looks, this new compact SUV is the first Škoda model to adopt Modern Solid, the brand’s new design language that takes the exterior design of the entire portfolio even further. The car that joined the racers in the final stage was camouflaged, as its official premiere will not take place until this autumn. So far, only a few journalists have been given a chance to see and test the new model during the first media test drives.

Škoda Auto and the Tour de France – a 21-year partnership
Škoda Auto has been supporting the world’s biggest cycling event as the official main partner and car supplier since 2004. In addition, the Škoda Design department has been responsible for producing crystal trophies for the overall winner, the winners of the points and mountains classifications and the best young rider for 14 years. The unique hand-made trophy is 60 cm tall and weighs 5 kg. In addition, Škoda Auto has been sponsoring the green jersey for the points classification winner for ten years.

Top cycling under Škoda’s patronage
Having extended its cooperation with A.S.O. this year, Škoda Auto is currently a partner of a total of 20 international professional and amateur sports competitions. Among other events, the brand sponsors L’Étape by Tour de France, a race for amateurs, and since 2022 also the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, a women’s race whose 2024 edition is scheduled to start on 12 August in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and finish on 18 August in Alpe d’Huez.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

Škoda Motorsport has now sold 100 vehicles of its latest rally model, the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. The 100^th vehicle was handed over to Romanian driver Andrei Gîrtofan, the front runner of the Romanian championship, during a small ceremony held at the team’s head office in Mladá Boleslav.

Romanian driver Andrei Gîrtofan of Prorally Team Brasov is looking forward to replacing his current Škoda Fabia Rally2 with the latest model, the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. “I have been able to achieve top results with the first‑generation Škoda Fabia Rally2 so far, but now I am happy to switch to the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 which, in my opinion, is currently the best car I can have in my fight for the national championship title,” says Gîrtofan.

The success story of the Rally2‑specs Škoda Fabia started nearly a decade ago and is based on a competitive car that is continuously tested and further developed. The latest‑generation Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 is no exception: In the second half of the 2024 season, Škoda Motorsport will offer a second gear set, which makes the car even more suitable for fast events like Rally Finland. Moreover, Škoda Motorsport has recently further improved the brake pedal response and the durability of the brake cooling ducts.

After the homologation of the first-generation Škoda Fabia Rally2 on 1 April 2015, Esapekka Lappi won the FIA WRC2 Drivers Cup in 2016, and Pontus Tidemand and Jan Kopecký continued that success story in the following two years. 1 April 2019 saw the homologation of the Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo, and future world champion Kalle Rovanperä won the FIA WRC2 Pro title while Pierre-Louis Loubet dominated the FIA WRC2 Drivers Cup in that year. Andreas Mikkelsen won both the FIA European Rally Championship and the WRC2 category of the FIA World Rally Championship in 2021. One year later, Emil Lindholm was crowned the WRC2 champion.

Named Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, the following generation was based on the series-production Fabia IV. The vehicle featured a completely new chassis and major upgrades made to the engine. The Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 continued the brand’s success story, making its FIA World Championship debut at the 2023 Monte Carlo Rallye. Driving for Škoda Motorsport‑supported Toksport WRT that year, Andreas Mikkelsen again took the WRC2 Drivers title. In the 2024 season of the FIA World Rally Championship, the teams relying on the latest Rally2 car made in Mladá Boleslav again celebrate numerous WRC2 victories.

Since its homologation in early 2015, the Rally2‑specs Škoda Fabia has won 28 regional and 125 national championships, making around 22.000 appearances at rally events over the last nine years and notching up 2,563 wins and 6,400 podium positions. Since 2015, Škoda Motorsport has delivered close to 600 Rally2-specs Škoda Fabias to 42 countries world-wide, and the recently delivered 100^th Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 underscores the model’s position as No. 1 in its category.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

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