Major car brand reveals dramatically redesigned hatchback – 30 years after it was pulled from sale
SKODA has shown off a radical, retro-futurist look for the classic Favorit hatchback - a beloved motor that ran from 1987 to 1995.
The Volkswagen-owned marque says they’ve “drawn inspiration from the brand’s rich history to create a modern interpretation” of the little motor, which was once a regular on UK roads.
Indeed, some 50,000 units sold in the UK in a six-year run, although a report from MSN found that just 232 were still on the road by December 2016 and were disappearing fast, according to a report by .
This re-design imagines the Favorit as a modern EV but still manages to capture the essence of the original - thanks to the handiwork of designer Ljudmil Slavov.
Skoda says he spent some 120 hours of his own time to work on the project - with a view to retaining the feel of the 1980s hatchback.
He said: “From today’s perspective, I think the Favorit was already a kind of Modern Solid.
Read more Motors News
“It was technically and visually a simple car meant for the general public.”
He also wanted to attempt something that went against the grain on today’s general look and feel.
“I wanted to update the original idea for today, when various SUVs are popular,” said Slavov.
He added: “I sketched many versions, searched for the ideal shape of the grille and headlights, tried different perspectives and consulted a lot with colleagues.”
Most read in Motors
His design for the Favorit is clean and simple while containing some iconic elements of the original model, along with some interesting touches.
These include an asymmetrical badge, a single door handle embedded into the body for both the front and rear, ultra-simplistic four-spoke wheels, illuminated ‘Skoda’ badging at the rear, as well as slim LED lights all round.
However, fans will have to use their imaginations for the car’s interior, although the seats’ headrests reference the open-centred items on the original Favorit.
Slavov also designed a rally version - inspired by the Favorit that found success in the World Rally Championship’s second-tier class in the early 1990s.
This version of the Favorit joins a series of reimaginings by Skoda’s designers, which has recently shown new takes on the 1203 van, Voiturette A, Felica Cabriolet, 130RS and Popular Monte Carlo.