Something Hot (and Foreign) This Way Comes? Skoda Trademarks VRS Name in U.S.

Czech vehicle names and badging are piling up at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, adding fuel to the rumors of a stateside Škoda launch.

On July 14, Škoda Auto filed a trademark application for VRS, which is the performance variant of the brand’s Octavia lineup. If the Czechs do invade the American marketplace, they might bring something fun with them.

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Could Koda Return to America? Automaker Trademarks Superb, Octavia, Yeti Names in U.S.

America — would you buy a modern Škoda?

According to AutoGuide, Škoda submitted four separate trademark applications for “Skoda Superb”, “Superb”, “Octavia”, and “Yeti” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on May 24 and May 25, 2016. USPTO has yet to publish them for opposition.

While this is nothing new for Škoda (the company has continually filed trademarks in America since the 1920s), it’s worth noting what the company applied to trademark compared to what it usually trademarks.

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European Review: Koda Octavia G-TEC Natural Gas

I have talked about diesel, manual wagons in this space a few times already, so you probably know that I don’t like them. I don’t like their clatter and I don’t like their limited rev range and turbo surge. I don’t like the massive servicing costs of the common-rail ones, which is the price you pay for the reduction in clatter. And I hate the tons of soot they spit out.

There is one thing, though, at which they are hard to beat. It’s providing a combination of practicality and driving fun combined with fantastic fuel mileage. But hard to beat doesn’t mean impossible to beat. So, let me introduce a car that should, in theory, kick the diesel, manual wagon’s arse at its own game. The Škoda Octavia 1.4 TSI G-TEC.

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MQB GLI Is A-OK

We haven’t yet received an updated Volkswagen Jetta based on the MQB architecture, but maybe we’ll be lucky enough to get a Jetta GLI based on this.

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Reader Review: Skoda Octavia VRS

All the way from Santiago, Chile, reader Carlos Villalobos invited us to drive his Skoda Octavia vRS. Sadly, none of us could make the 12+ hour flight to the other end of the globe, so Carlos sent us his review instead.

Lusting after forbidden fruit isn’t a concept known only to North Americans, salivating over diesel hatchbacks and hot VAG variants. Here in South America, we also are afflicted with the same problem every other human being has: wanting what they can’t have.

Except in my case, I am lusting after a Jetta GLI.

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Review: Skoda Octavia RS

Originally, I wanted to borrow an Octavia RS as the ultimate example of the “nice things you Americans can’t have”. But then I decided not to. I had three reasons. First, the RS, unlike “ordinary” Skodas, isn’t readily available in any shade of brown. Second, I had already tested a diesel, manual wagon recently. And third, the diesel wagon really isn’t the Octavia RS you really want. It’s a compromise, something you choose as a company car, because gasoline engines are verbotten by your company’s policy and you need the space for hauling stuff to your vacation home each weekend.

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Skoda Octavia VRS, A GTI In Sensible Shoes

The Skoda Octavia vRS is almost like the VW Jetta GLI we should have gotten. Using the MK7 GTI’s MQB platform and 217-horsepower four-cylinder powertrain, the Octavia vRS is also available with a 2.0 TDI engine making 180 horsepower – and both powertrains can be had with the wagon bodystyle you see above.

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  • Tassos While I sure am not interested in any big and heavy crossover, even if it is a Honda, I got to say that this thing's "up to 300" mile range is really dismal.But why? You'll ask. It's not bad. That is not good enough. When we have Model Ss with certified EPA 402 mile real range, and many years later (ie today) this brand new wannabe Tesla killer gets barely 300, while it should get 500, using the progress in the years after the S it came out, it is really disappointing. And sure as hell "up to" 300 does not mean even 300 at all.The price is not bad, since it is in devalued, worthless, Idiot Joe Briben 2023 dollars. If you don't mind a Crossover, it may actually be a good place to put your $, compared to a ... savings account above all. And the top should easily exceed $65k, if not $70k, when it comes out (with another 10% of your lame $ eaten away by the rats of the failed Idiot Joe Briben Administration.)
  • El Kevarino If you have an EV platform that supports dual motor AWD, then why choose FWD for the 2WD version?
  • Analoggrotto Try as they may and as they might but the future of Electric, the future of human reality is TESLA. Only the highest level of affluence, priviledge and wealth can earn one a place in the stars. In fact when you look at the night's sky do you notice that the stars are brighter? This is because of Supreme Wizard Elon Musk, who has brightened them with this awesome grace.
  • Dukeisduke Sixty-five miles of range added in ten minutes? Doesn't sound very impressive.Also, how are they going to build these in volume if GM is building Ultium packs by hand (which they have been, slowly)? Or are the packs coming from Korea?
  • Dave M. On one hand Honda tends to make a strong, competitive product that should give you years of excellent service. On the other hand it's built on the bones of a GM product, who has a tendency to underbake their products until right before cancellation. NUMMI worked out well for GM; I wonder if this will work out well for Honda....