ஸ்கோடா ரேபிட் 2011-2014 Ultima 1.6 TDI Elegance

Skoda Auto India is the fully owned subsidiary of Czech Republican automobile manufacturer and it has introduced the limited edition version of its well-liked sedan Skoda Rapid in the country's car market. The company has added six new variants in its model lineup in both petrol and diesel engine options. This Skoda Rapid Ultima 1.6 TDI Elegance is the top end trim and powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged diesel engine, which comes with a displacement capacity of 1598cc. It is coupled with a fully synchronized five speed manual transmission gear box, which powers the sedan to achieve a maximum speed in the range of 170 to 185 Kmph, which is rather remarkable for this segment. The spacious internal cabin of this variant gets a few additional features, which makes it more comfortable and convenient. Some of these aspects include a satellite navigation system, leather covered seats, special door sills, rear parking sensors, reversing camera and Ultima branded floor mats and so on. On the other hand, the exterior of this sedan is fitted with a special body decals, which runs along the bonnet roof, doors and the boot compartment, seven spoke alloy wheels, window sills, OVRMs with side blinker and many other such features, which gives this sedan a sporty look.

Exteriors:

The exterior appearance of this vehicle is quite striking with a new decal that starts from the bonnet and goes through till the luggage compartment. The side profile has body colored door handles and ORVMs , which are electrically adjustable and integrated with a side turn blinker as well. The door sill comes in with a black color garnish and a set of seven-spoke alloy wheels, which further adds to the classiness of its side profile. The frontage of this sedan is fitted with a body colored bumper that is incorporated with a wide air dam, which helps in cooling the powerful engine quickly. It also has a pair of fog lamps that adds to the visibility of the driver. The bold radiator grille of this sedan is fitted with a thick chrome strip along with a prominent company logo affixed in the center. The well designed headlight cluster has been powered by projector lens headlamps and turn indicator. The large windscreen of this sedan comes with a set of intermittent wipers, while the smooth bonnet comes with a few visible character lines. The rear end is equipped with a large windscreen, which is integrated with a defogger along with a wash and wipe function. It also has a third brake light, which adds to the safety quotient of this vehicle. Apart from these, it also has a body colored bumper with a couple of fog lamps, a C-shaped radiant tail light cluster and an expressive boot lid, which is garnished with chrome. The overall dimensions of this sedan are quite decent. It comes with 4386mm, 1699mm and 1466mm (length, width and height). The minimum ground clearance of this vehicle is about 168mm and it is designed with a 2552mm of wheelbase.

Interiors:

The lavish internal cabin of this Skoda Rapid Ultima 1.6 TDI Elegance trim is quite spacious and it gives a plush feel to the occupants. The seating arrangement is quite good with well cushioned seats, which provide plenty of room. These seats are covered with premium leather upholstery. The two tone illuminated dashboard is equipped with a large glove box with cooling effect, AC vents and on-board computer with a lot of functions . The chrome plated door handles and front central console along with gear shift selector as well as the locking button of the hand brake gives the internal cabin a classy appeal. This trim also gets a few storage options such as bottle holders in all doors and front center console, front seat back pockets, front and rear cup holders that have flip frames as well and a number of other such utility based aspects.

Engine and Performance:

This sedan is incorporated with a 1.6-litre, In-line diesel engine, which comes with liquid cooling system. It is integrated with four cylinders and sixteen valves. The car manufacturer has coupled this turbocharged diesel mill with a fully synchronized five speed manual transmission gearbox, which has the ability to propel this vehicle from 0-100 Kmph in about 12.4 seconds . It has the ability to churn out a maximum power of 102.9bhp at 4400rpm along with a peak torque output of 250Nm in between 1500 to 2500rpm. With the help of this high pressure direct injection fuel supply system, this sedan delivers about 20 Kmpl on the highways and close to 16 Kmpl in the city traffic.

Braking and Handling:

The company has given this Skoda Rapid Ultima 1.6 TDI Elegance variant a direct rack and pinion steering with an electro mechanic system, which is very responsive and makes the handling smooth and convenient. It also comes with tilt and telescopic adjustable function and supports a minimum turning circle of 10.6 meters. The company has given this sedan a robust suspension mechanism, which keeps it well balanced and stable at all times. The front axle is assembled with a McPherson Strut type with torsion stabilizers and triangular links, while the rear gets a compound link crank axle type of system. On the other hand, it has an advanced hydraulic dual diagonal circuit braking system, which comes with vacuum assistance function and further is enhanced by ABS and EBD . The front wheels are equipped with disc brakes along with inner cooling system and single floating caliper, while the rear wheels are fitted with drum brakes.

Comfort Features:

The list of comfort features include an AC unit with dust and pollen filter, a multifunctional steering wheel with audio and call control buttons, all four power windows, a 12V power socket , lights-on acoustic signal, anti glare internal rear view mirrors and so on. Then it also has a Skoda audio unit, which comes with a number of functions such as USB, Aux-in port, SD/MMC data card reader along with Bluetooth connectivity.

Safety Features:

This variant has a few crucial safety features like a central locking system along with child proof rear door locks, ABS along with EBD and brake assist function, an advanced engine immobilizer with floating code, dual airbag , seat belts for all passengers and several other features.

Pros: Refreshing exteriors, comfortable cabin.

Cons: Engine NVH should be taken care of.