Skoda’s premium hatch Fabia shall soon be launched in India at the Auto Expo in 2008. The car, as Autocar says is expected with a 1.4L diesel and 1.2L petrol. The new, second generation of the car was launched globally at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. A peep at the Skoda Auto website gives us the details that may flow in to the Indian version. The Indian model won’t have changes like in body and the looks of the car, but certain features might be avoided for the Indian market to keep the prices in check.

For the engine details, the Fabia’s micro site details that the car has three petrol engines options, a 3 cylinder, 1.2L engine producing 44 kW (58hp) or 51 kW (68hp) as a further option. The 1.4L petrol engine producing 63 kW (84hp), and a 1.6L engine producing 77 kW (103hp) are the other two petrol engine options. For the diesel enthusiasts, a 3 cylinder, 1.41.4 turbo diesels with power outputs of 51 kW (68hp) or 59 kW (79hp) and a 4 cylinder 1.9 TDI engine, producing 77 kW (103hp) are the options. A 5 – speed manual and a 6 speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox are the options.

I reckon, the 1.4L diesel TDI engine and the 1.2L petrol engine (with a single power option), and with manual transmission is likely to be offered in India. With slightly under 4m in length at 3992mm the car should qualify for the excise norms of the small car. Wide at 1642mm and tall at 1498 mm, the car has a ground clearance of 135mm (may be altered for India).

Think Skoda, and in the fleet of cars they are offering in India, expect good safety features in the Fabia. The European version, all models get ABS, Airbags (driver, passenger and side airbags extending to rear seats as well.), Traction control (they are must haves out there) and TPM. Apart from these the car has Turning Xenon headlights, accidental hazard lights and pedestrian safety feature none of which I expect India. I wish they be offered as an option, if not standard.

For comfort, there’s Leather steering wheel, an iPod jack (Wow!), Climatronic (climate control system) and lots of storage compartments, and yea interiors sport beige colored interiors. But that was for the European market, for the India market the first and the third should be available as a competition beater (Swift has climate control), it would be amazing to have an iPod jack in the car, could be the first car to have it as a factory fitted feature.

The car also has tinted A and B columns, which I guess should improve visibility (A column) of the driver. Although being a hatch, the car has 300l liters of space in the boot which increases to 1163 liters with rear seats folded.

So you heard it from me on what I would like to have in the Fabia, all of which can be realized on January 10^th 2008, when the Indian AutoExpo begins.

By the way, Skoda Auto has a neat and well organized website.

Information Source: Skoda Auto Website
Pictures Source: Official Website of the Geneva Motor Show.