Photo Blog: Skoda Citigo Launch In Lisbon

Steve Jobs' famous commencement speech to Stanford graduates in 2005 has now become one of the most watched motivational clips on the internet, with its view count climbing particularly sharply after his sudden demise. Cool, calm and collected, Steve explained to the students how certain events in his life were mapped as a series of dots. But it was only when he looked back with the power of hindsight, that he was able to connect these dots and understand how his journey came to be.

Like getting our first press car delivered, our first UK launch or our first mention in a national newspaper, attending our first International Launch can be chalked down as yet another small milestone in Car Throttle's own, personal short history. We were lucky enough to be invited by ŠKODA UK to celebrate the launch of their brand new Citigo city car in Portugal, possibly a game changing vehicle for the Czech company despite a 117 year history. Our full review is on its way, but in the meantime in true photo blogging fashion, here is a "quick-pic" diary of our trip to sunny Lisbon in Portugal.

After a short flight in a rather nice jet from Farnborough, UK, we touched down in Lisbon where the temperature was a modest 15 degrees celsius, but certainly a nice change from the shiver-inducing weather experienced at home. To greet us was a bank of Citigo 5-door cars waiting for us Brits to put the car through its paces. Two engines both with a 1-litre displacement were available: 58bhp or 74bhp. We grabbed the keys to the former and headed off.

Não obrigado, senhor!

The car is deceptively large and in fact is only 40 centimetres shorter than the 3.9-metre Fabia which appears to be bulkier and doesn't carry its weight as well. Wing mirrors provided decent visibility in manoeuvring through busy Lisbon traffic.

The route to lunch in Quinta de Sant'Ana started with some urban driving where the Citigo shone with its dainty size and precise although numb steering. A large convoy of journalists, some of whom took on board questionable advice from the temperamental Navigon satellite navigation unit, was whittled down to a few as city gave way to motorway.

The more powerful 74 brake engine seemed to provide greater cruising ability and easier overtaking, but as both engines churn out 70lb-ft (95Nm), lower speed city driving felt unsurprisingly similar across the engine range.

"In 200 metres, please take the exit".

Beautiful Mediterranean scenery made me lust for a summer holiday. Outside of Lisbon and the roads became quieter and quaint as we passed through untroubled villages lined with stone walls.

A short stop-off in the 59bhp Citigo, as my co-driver attempts to find his sunglasses to shield his eyes from the onroad glare. Walking around the car it seems well-proportioned, if a little too conservative in comparison to its sibling in the Volkswagen Up! which places an oversize badge slap bang in the middle of the grille. The Citigo on the other hand prefers to quietly show off its updated corporate brand and marque.

After a few wrong turnings and cobbled streets, we reach Quinta de Sant'Ana and lunch. A spot of olive-oil tasting and some courtyard pictures and we're back running again on the two hour jaunt back down the hilly roads to Lisbon, driving along the coast (more images of that in our full Citigo review).

A well-placed reminder by V.A.G. to consider the more expensive Up, conveniently located across the road from the hotel we would be spending the night in. Pricing is to be announced but rumours are circulating of a £500 difference between the base Up! and Citigo. Our main pricing discovery of the evening is that the 5-door will be only £350 more expensive than the 3-door which unfortunately wasn't available to drive. As well as being more practical, the 5-door looks better too, so this shouldn't be a difficult box to tick.

A long day of driving finishes with a picture-perfect view of the Marina outside the Altis Belém. A fantastic end to the trip and certainly an experience to remember. If this has whetted your appetite for the full review, stay tuned and subscribe via RSS so you don't miss it.