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New Delhi: In a long time, there hasn’t been a vRS variant of the Skoda Fabia, and although their latest iteration might not wear the badge, it still doesn’t change the fact that it is the fastest version of the supermini to date. It is here to celebrate 130 years of Skoda as a manufacturer, starting life as a bicycle manufacturer.
It uses the top-spec Fabia Monte Carlo as its basis, and as one of the best versions of the fourth-gen Fabia, it comes with a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 148 bhp. In the case of 130, the tuning has been taken to 174 bhp, leaving it behind the last vRS Fabia by just two bhp.
Torque is still standing at 249 Nm and sends the power to the front wheel through a seven-speed DSG auto, though the extra power means it now does 0-100 kph in 7.8 seconds instead of 7.4 seconds. It takes the top speed, though, from 220 kph to 228 kph, meaning it is the fastest Fabia ever.
Skoda has been more thorough than just increasing the power, and the engine components like the intake plenum, vibration damper, and rocker arms have been bulked in order to deal with that extra power, and the gearbox too has been recalibrated to shift later when it is in auto mode.
The chassis has been given attention, with the suspension now sitting 15 mm lower and the steering being recalibrated for better feedback and responsiveness. There is also a new two-stage traction control which, in their looser setting, deactivates the anti-slip regulation for what Skis claims is “controlled slip”.
Outside the 130 comes with 18-inch wheels, red brake callipers, a black stripe running across the tailgate and the 130 badges, of course. On the inside, it is stripey sport seats with a nine-inch infotainment screen dominating the dashboard, along with some stainless steel pedal covers.
In India, the Skoda Fabia was in the brand’s portfolio for five years between 2008 and 2013, with poor sales in a highly competitive segment, causing its axing. The hatchback segment has more options, though it is now the mid-size SUV and SUVs that are ruling the country's roads and with Skoda Kushaq and Kylaq, the brand has covered that area well.
