Oliver Solberg is a rally driver for Skoda in the World Rally Championship 2, and was invited to show what the new Octavia RS is capable of. To do this, Skoda took the model and the driver to a track for a test drive and recorded all of the driver’s impressions.
It should be noted that the new Octavia RS is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbo engine, identical to the one that powers the model with which Solberg competes in the WRC World Championship, with a power of 265 hp, 20 hp more than its predecessor.
“The engine of the Skoda Octavia RS has a quick response and reacts immediately to throttle commands,” the driver recalled.
A new feature in this new generation of the Octavia RS is the electronically controlled differential that distributes torque between the front wheels. “This differential greatly helps in transferring power to the wheels. Even when exiting tight corners with lower gear ratios, the inner wheel does not spin and we do not lose traction,” Solberg described. “The front end also turns very naturally into the corner under acceleration. The car is stable and easily predictable,” added the Skoda driver.
The new Skoda Octavia RS has also been enhanced for a more sporty driving experience. To achieve this, the chassis is lowered by 15 mm, significantly reducing the center of gravity. “This is crucial to improve steering responsiveness,” emphasizes Solberg.
“The main strength of the Octavia RS is the combination of reasonable speed and road comfort. The vehicle is firm and precise, but the shock absorber settings are not too stiff,” Solberg concluded.”
