Ready to RS?

The RS legend has been revived! Skoda is set to launch the Laura with an RS badge (that’s two badges, front and rear, actually) and there’s a tonne of goodies it’s loaded with. To start with the cosmetic bits — and it’s a long list we’re talking about here — the RS will be available in black, white, ‘sprint yellow’ and ‘racing blue’, the last two being particularly outstanding. Also starring are xenon headlamps with a cornering function in the front fog lamps. The illumination bits are signed off with daytime LEDs, which do look quite refreshing.

The front bumper now gets a lip-spoiler and also headlamp washers. Another addition to the RS are chequered door sills which, along with the twin tailpipes and a rear spoiler, sum up the cosmetic changes to the exterior. The insides are an Onyx hue with alloy inserts aplenty and also RS floor mats. It is also equipped with leather Alacantra sports seats which come with active headrests. Also, the steering wheel is a three-spoke one and is leather wrapped while the pedals have now gone mental, er, metal.

Summing up the features list on the RS are an L&K derived audio unit, parking sensors, an electric sunroof, rain-sensing wipers and lastly, a tyre pressure monitor. Talking business, the RS retains the 1.8 TSI motor paired with a six-speed manual gearbox — the same as on the standard TSI. Power output, too, remains the same at 160 bhp, although that’s still 10 more than the previous Octavia RS. However, changes have been made to the suspension, which is now stiffer and the tyre sidewalls now read 205/55 R16!

Overall, the RS’s spec sheet has ‘driver focus’ written all over it and we can’t help but get rather excited about it. The consensus is that twenty or so more horsepower would have really spiced things up, but then we’re a perpetually greedy bunch! Skoda will launch the RS on August 31 and we expect the price to be around the Rs 17-lakh mark, ex-showroom, Mumbai. Can’t wait to get our hands on this one...