Autoblog

click above to view more high-res images of the Skoda Fabia S2000

The name Skoda might not jump out on this side of the Atlantic, but on the opposing shore, the Czech automaker is known for a rich history in rally racing that stretches back over a hundred years to the roots of motorsports. Volkswagen's acquisition of the brand in 1991 meant that Skoda had more funding to properly compete in the World Rally Championship against well-funded works teams like Subaru and Mitsubishi, but Skoda ended up pulling out in 2005 in favor of the more budget-friendly production-car-based Super 2000 formula (Note: PDF link). The formula calls for a 2-liter, normally-aspired engine with no more than 280 horsepower driving all four wheels through a standardized six-speed sequential gearbox with no electronic gizmos.

With that kind of rally-driven focus, it's no wonder that Skoda showed a racing concept version of its new Fabia alongside the production model at last year's Geneva show. Now almost a year later, Skoda has come a long way in developing the new car. Far enough, anyway, to give us some mouth-watering new images of the car, which looks something like the lovechild of a JCW MINI and a Ferrari 575 GTC Evoluzione. Pretty badass, any way you cut it, but don't take our word for it... check out the images in the gallery below (and the press release after the jump) and judge for yourself.

[Source: Skoda]

Škoda, the VW-owned Czech automaker, will make its first-ever official factory-backed trip to the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend.

The 300-hp First Motorsport Škoda Fabia WRC car will be on hand and piloted by First Motorsport's 2006 driver, François Duval. Duval will run the car up the hillclimb section and through the forest rally stage. The Fabia's appearance at Goodwood is also part of a larger effort to launch the Richard Burns Foundation, the charity named for the late rally champion who passed away due to cancer in 2005. He was only 34 years of age.

In addition to the modern race car, Skoda has entered a 1930s era Škoda Popular Monte Carlo coupe in the festival's Cartier "Style et Luxe" competition, where it'll go up against the likes of the classic Lamborghini Miura. Fun fact about Style et Luxe: Star Wars creator and car aficionado George Lucas is one of the celebrity judges.

(Pics, press release after the jump)

[Source: Skoda]