Exhibition showcasing speed and victory

Twelve decades of sporting success are being commemorated by the ŠKODA Museum’s new exhibition „120 Years of ŠKODA Motorsport“. Enter the world of motorcycle and car racing.

14. 10. 2021 Lifestyle MOTORSPORT 120 YEARS OF ŠKODA MOTORSPORT

A sporting spirit was already evident in Václav Laurin and Václav Klement, the enthusiastic cyclists who founded their rapidly expanding company in Mladá Boleslav. A visionary of personal mobility and a gifted businessman, in the early years Václav Klement also successfully represented the L&K brand as a racer – on two and four wheels. He achieved success not only on home soil, but also in racing events abroad with deep fields of international competitors. Countless laurels and trophies testifying to the quality of the Czech machines opened the door for the L&K/ŠKODA brand on every continent.

Twelve decades of success in races at home and abroad.

The new exhibition called „120 Years of ŠKODA Motorsport“ immerses you in the atmosphere of races and competitions in times gone by. Original film footage of ŠKODA cars on the race track, attractive period posters and examples of panels displaying starting numbers transport the visitor like a time machine. The Wall of Fame showcases at least a modest selection of the countless precious trophies that the Mladá Boleslav brand has notched up at both domestic and international events over the past 120 years.

At least a small selection of the valuable trophies the Czech carmaker has racked up in 120 years of motorsport.

Speaking of three-dimensional exhibits, let’s turn our attention to some of the larger ones that should not be missed. These five racing specials are sure to stir the heart of any lover of fast wheels. First, there is the single-cylinder LAURIN & KLEMENT BZ „motocyclette“ from 1903. Sports cars of the legendary F series from the beginning of the last century are represented at the exhibition by the L&K FC (1909). The post-war era is represented by the low-slung aluminium-bodied ŠKODA SPORT, a participant in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race (1950).

LAURIN & KLEMENT FC (1908)

The period of the past 30 years, after ŠKODA was integrated into Volkswagen Group, is associated with significant technological advances, creating the conditions for an even wider application of modified ŠKODA vehicles in motorsport. The ŠKODA OCTAVIA WRC (2003) and the ŠKODA FABIA R5 (2019) are examples of this. The exhibitions are complemented by a ŠKODA 130 RS (1978) and ŠKODA FABIA S 2000 (2015) that are part of the museum’s permanent exhibition and a number of sports cars in the adjacent depository, which is also accessible.

ŠKODA OCTAVIA WRC (2003)

ŠKODA FABIA R5 (2019)

ŠKODA FABIA S 2000 (2015) and ŠKODA 130 RS (1978)

Visitors can take a look at the equipment used by contemporary rally drivers, and a simulator gives visitors the chance to experience what it would be like to be in their shoes. Another interactive element is a quiz on the sporting achievements of the L&K/ŠKODA brand. The exhibition will be on display in Mladá Boleslav until 20 March 2022.

Experiencing what it’s like to be a present-day rally driver