New Skoda Fabia revealed - updated

• The new Skoda Fabia supermini, which replaces the current seven-year-old model, has been revealed ahead of its public debut at the Paris motor show at the beginning of October.
• Sales of the new Fabia are expected to commence early next year with prices starting from just over £10,000. Sources have also revealed that the most frugal version will be claiming a headline combined economy figure of 91mpg.
• The Fabia, which is Skoda’s second best-selling model after the Octavia, should give the Czech car maker a significant boost in Europe’s vital supermini market. 

• Sales of the current Fabia slipped under the 200,000 mark in last year, so the new model should give that figure a significant upward boost.
• The new Fabia remains under four metres long but is 30mm lower in height and a significant 90mm wider than the outgoing model. This will not only improve cabin space but should also give the car a more planted and contemporary look. A 330-litre boot is offered, some 15 litres larger than the outgoing model's.
• Jozef Kaban, Skoda’s chief designer, says the new model marks a decisive shift in the brand’s design language. 
• “In recent years, Skoda has made a name for itself by producing cars with great functionality and above-average interior space,” he said. “We sense now is the right time to create a stronger connection between the functionality of our cars and an expressive and emotional design.”

• Kaban also said Skoda had focused on creating a sportier vehicle and making the design crisper. “The result,” he said, “is a young, fresh and modern compact car that sets new standards in its segment.”
• It is understood that the Fabia is based on the latest version of the Volkswagen Group’s PQ26 platform, first used on this year’s revamped VW Polo supermini. 
• The newly re-engineered platform has been modified to accept the VW Group’s latest range of engines and transmissions as well as the most up-to-date safety and infotainment kit. Improvements in structural rigidity should also ensure improved handling and safety.
• There will be a brace of EU6-compliant engines, starting with the 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit used in the VW Up and the Skoda Citigo. Above that is a series of 1.2 turbocharged four-cylinders thought to develop between 89bhp and 109bhp, depending on the state of tune. DSG dual-clutch automatic transmissions are expected to be an option on the four-cylinder models.

• The top new Fabia model is expected to be the Greenline diesel. Using a 74bhp 1.4 turbodiesel, it is expected to claim a figure of 82g/km on CO2 emissions with fuel economy of 91mpg. 
• However, even the entry-level 1.0-litre model should offer impressive efficiency thanks to a dry weight of around 980kg.
• The new model will also be the first to be offered with a range of personalisation options as the Czech manufacturer seeks to broaden the car’s appeal to younger customers.
• Buyers will be able to select the colour of their wheel rims, door mirror surrounds and roof, as well as interior elements such as the dashboard and steering wheel trim. 
• “Customisation is the next quite important feature for us as we continue the evolution of our cars,” said Dalibor Pantucek, exterior designer at Skoda.
• Improved technology will also form a centrepiece of the new Skoda’s appeal to younger customers. It is the first car in Skoda’s range to feature Mirrorlink, a system that allows smartphone apps to be displayed on the infotainment screen.
• Another new function is Smartgate, where vehicle-specific information such as fuel consumption, average speed and g-force readings can to transferred and recorded on a smartphone.
• However, the Fabia’s bold new look hasn’t come at the cost of practicality. An ice scraper in the fuel filler cap, storage nets on the inside edges of the front seats, a smartphone cradle in the centre console and a rubbish bin in the side door are some of the more practical features. 
• It is understood there will be no vRS Fabia in the third-gen line-up. Instead, a Monte Carlo version of most models will be offered, with a choice of roof colour and matching door mirrors and wheel rims. There will be 15 body colours available, three interior trim levels and the option of a 15mm lower chassis.