After teasing us with concept drawings Skoda have now unleashed the first pictures of the brand new Fabia to the world.
Expected to go on sale next year the new supermini’s first pictures follow the Vision C concept and a cheeky teaser released last month.
As expected the massive alloys and sharpened rear of the teaser have gone, but what remains is a sharper, much meaner looking Fabia to the rather cutesy, harmless looking incumbent.
We think it resembles the very first Fabia, on sale until 2007, which was the first car Skoda put onto the road following the VAG takeover, but with a much sharper image.
Up front aggressive lights bookend the standard Skoda grille, with a full length second air intake below, encompassing the trapezoidal fog lights.
The car gains very strong shoulders, the crease running down the doors is nearly an undercut, and the old floating roof is no more.
From the rear there’s a more angled version of the Rapide Sportback’s posterior, with new LED brake lights either side of a big, butch, rear bumper.
The new car is lower, and wider than it’s predecessor, helping to remove the high, slab sided look, that has always put us off the current car.
At launch there will be three diesel and four petrol motors available. An entry level petrol will use the same engine now found in the successful CitiGo, a teeny 1.0litre three cylinder producing 60bhp.
As with the CitiGo another, more powerful version of the 1.0litre will be available alongside two 1.2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines, producing 60 or 110 bhp.
If you want an oil burner you;re stuck with a 1.4-litre turbocharged unit. But Skoda have varied the theme with 74 bhp to 103 bhp versions available.
With the new car weighing 65kg less than the old one, mpg will be up and CO2 down and do cement this a Greenline version of the 1.4 litre TDI will go on sale next year, pumping out just 82 g/km.
The car is expected to make its full public debut at October’s Paris Motor Show.
