The 'Slavia' Is A Skoda Hatchback Transformed Into A Roofless Speedster

Being a student at the Skoda Academy looks like ridiculous fun. Want some proof? Last year apprentice engineers created the Kodiaq-based ‘Mountiaq’, which has just been followed up by the Slavia.

Inspired by the Skoda 1100 OHC racer of the 1950s, the Slavia uses the Scala hatchback as a starting point. The roof has been ditched and replaced with two huge buttresses, and the rear doors have gone too.

To further spruce up the exterior, the students liberally pilfered parts from a variety of Skoda models. Those 20-inch wheels are normally found on the Kodiaq vRS, while the brakes are straight off an Octavia vRS. The side skirts meanwhile are a Scala part - they’re fitted to the ‘Monte Carlo’-trimmed version of the hatchback. The Slavia’s multi-colour neon lights aren’t currently available on any production Skoda models though, nor is the backlit badging on the boot - sorry.

There are more aftermarket bits inside, in the form of a 320-watt sound system and a ground-shaking 2250-watt sub. While poking around in the cabin, you’ll might also spot the new steering wheel and the leather bucket seats.

As fun as it might be to lob a powerful 2.0-litre ‘EA888’ inline-four turbo under the bonnet, the Slavia retains the more modest 1.5-litre unit available in the standard Scala. It develops 148bhp, and powers the front wheels via a ‘DSG’ twin-clutch automatic gearbox.