With my right foot pressed hard down on the accelerator, the Skoda Octavia RS was charging down the 1.3 km-long back straight of the Buddh International Circuit at over 230 kmph. Then before I knew it, my foot shifted to the brake pedal, pressing equally hard to bleed off the speed before the sharp right at the end of the straight with my hands moving fast to control the steering.
On some other cars, the tyres would have been protesting and I might have ended up in the gravel. But with the RS, which is equipped with active suspension technology and sports tyres, I was confident that I would not only make it through this corner but also enjoy the sweeping triple-apex parabolic turns 10 and 11.
Truth be told, I’ve driven at the BIC many, many times in all sorts of cars. But this new Skoda was one of the better ones. And here is the funny thing, the Octavia RS is not a machine costing over a crore; it is positively affordable with a price tag of just a shade under Rs 50 lakh. And being a decent-size sedan, it is comfortable in the back seat and has ample luggage space.
But you can’t bring home an Octavia RS right now. The 100 cars that are being brought to India were sold out within just 20 minutes after the bookings were opened. Even the performance hatchback sibling of this car from Volkswagen, the Golf GTI, which was launched in India earlier this year, has been spoken for, with the first batch of 250 units completely booked.
And this got me wondering, the Octavia RS and Golf GTI are examples of affordable performance vehicles. Over 250 horsepower and excellent handling — all for a price that won’t break the bank. While Skoda has brought iterations of the RS before, sales were limited. This time, however, the demand is through the roof.
Ashish Gupta, Brand Director for Skoda India, explained to me the multiple reasons behind this.
“While there has always been demand for performance oriented vehicles, those have always been extremely expensive. While these cars are not cheap, car buyers who know and love their cars find them to be far better bang for the buck. And let’s be honest about one more thing, India and Indians have been getting richer over the past couple of decades, so even buyers who would have earlier considered a vehicle only for practical reasons now have the resources to consider a ‘fun’ car. Maybe in addition to that practical vehicle, but they have the money to spend. And this Octavia is fairly practical as well as a family car,” said Gupta.
So, if they are practical and selling well, why bring them in such limited numbers?
“Well there has to be some exclusivity, because that is the other demand driver. That said, we are bringing in another batch of a 100 cars, but those are also likely to be sold out. In fact we had over 350 expressions of interest for this car and I’m sure that number will only increase going forward,” he added.
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Performance with practicality
Talking of the practicality of such performance machines in the city, I had hit the top speed of 267 kmph in the Golf GTI at the high-speed test oval at NATRAX in Pithampur, and also drove it for ten days around Delhi. And I had a blast, even in city traffic. Be it the little gaps on city roads or on high-speed expressways enveloping the NCR, the car can be handled with ease, especially on turns.
Even when you get stuck in extreme traffic, you know that you have a car that can put a smile on your face even if it’s a bit (albeit not extremely) thirsty. And you also know that it comes with a price tag of Rs 50 lakh, which is not exorbitant for the performance being offered.
Now, the question is whether to go for the Golf GTI or the Octavia RS?
While they are largely mechanically identical, the Skoda does feel a bit tighter around the corners. But I do have a soft spot for hatchbacks as a form factor, and the heritage of the Golf GTI brand is legendary. But that is me, and honestly, given the limited supply and high demand for these cars, I would go for either one.
And there is something else. We live in a world where electrification is the mantra for the automotive industry. Both Skoda and Volkswagen are following that path in Europe and China. Hence, cars like the RS and Golf GTI, at least with immaculately engineered mechanicals, may not be long for this new world. And that is a sad thing.
Kushan Mitra is an automotive journalist based in New Delhi. He tweets @kushanmitra. Views are personal.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)