Škoda Auto has officially confirmed that the next generation of the Superb model’s production will move along with the production of the Volkswagen Passat to Bratislava. The research and development of both cars will be in the Czech Republic. Production of the highly profitable Kodiaq SUV will remain in Kvasiny. There has been speculation that it will move to Germany.
The carmaker states that by moving the production of the Superb, it will acquire the necessary capacities to increase the production volume of the Kodiaq and Karoq SUVs. “We welcome the decision to plan the Group’s occupancy. At Škoda Auto, we will acquire the additional capacity in the Czech Republic that is urgently needed for our growth plan. This will create the conditions for further expanding our brand while maintaining high profitability,” said Chairman of the Board Thomas Schäfer.
The production of the Superb is to be moved from Kvasiny to Bratislava in 2023. “The capacities that will soon be released will enable the company to increase the production of these SUV models, which are in high demand, and will also allow Kvasiny to produce another Škoda model. The company emphasized that customers will gain an advantage in the form of shorter delivery times thanks to the overall expanded production capacities, “Škoda said.
Passats have been manufactured in Emden in Lower Saxony, where the VW Aero, another electric car, will be fitted to the ID.4 electric model. Last year, the group assembled approximately 544,000 Passats and produced over 30 million of them.
Škoda Auto also announced today that it had acquired responsibility for the markets in Russia and North Africa from the Group, which the VW Group has previously entrusted with managing the Group’s activities in India. “I consider it an important signal that the Škoda brand will also take on even more responsibility in the Volkswagen Group. In addition to the India region, we will also manage the growth markets in Russia and North Africa,” said Schäfer.
The unions criticized the relocation of Superb production to Bratislava. “The Volkswagen Group stole the most profitable flagship from the Czech Republic,” union leader Jaroslav Povšík said. According to him, the board of directors of Škoda Auto fought little to maintain the production of the Superb, and in his opinion, also fears about the function. The company was not supported by the government either, said Povšík.
Last year, Škoda Auto delivered 1.24 million cars worldwide. It operates three production plants in the Czech Republic, produces in China, Russia, Slovakia, and India, mostly through group partnerships and Ukraine and Kazakhstan in cooperation with local partners. It is active in more than 100 markets. It employs almost 39,000 people, of which nearly 34,000 in the Czech Republic.
Škoda Auto’s operating profit fell by 60 percent to 469 million euros in the first nine months of this year. The negative impact on the economy was mainly due to lower sales volumes caused by the covid-19 epidemic, the development of exchange rates, and extraordinary expenses related to emissions.