NUMBER OF THE MONTH: 125

The coming year will mark 125 years since the history of the ŠKODA motor works began. The firm that started life in 1895 as the SLAVIA bicycle manufacturer was always renowned for its clever ideas, and that is still true to this day.

27. 12. 2019 125 years Škoda

From the first bicycle to the latest generation of the OCTAVIA model, the motor works based in Mladá Boleslav has undergone enormous development and has left indelible marks in the automotive industry.

In 1899, for example, the LAURIN & KLEMENT factory became the first motorcycle manufacturer in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In as early as 1902, the brand fitted a motorcycle with a V-twin engine, a world first. In 1907, LAURIN & KLEMENT became one of the first carmakers in the world to produce an eight-cylinder engine.

Posters-by-Laurin-Klement — The man responsible for the brand’s promotion in the beginning was visionary and talented businessman Václav Klement. He did not hesitate to use advertising that appealed to patriotism, urging people not to spend money on foreign products when high-quality domestic equivalents existed.

In 1925, The LAURIN & KLEMENT brand merged with the established Pilsen-based ŠKODA company and innovations continued. The brand’s principal models before World War II were the famous POPULAR, RAPID, FAVORIT and SUPERB automobiles. In the post-war period, the first OCTAVIA model and the beautiful cabriolet FELICIA were launched.

So ŠKODA is devoting the year 2020 to its 125th birthday celebrations. It will be the year of the ŠKODA brand, and Storyboard will offer you a “birthday” section where you can find everything that interests you. And on Twitter you can follow @skodaautonews.