Yahoo Autos The New Skoda Kodiaq RS SUV Holds a Nurburgring Lap Record
Škoda has taken the wraps off its new Kodiaq RS at the Paris auto show, and the performance SUV is chock full of superlatives. It is the first performance SUV from the Volkswagen Group's Czech brand; it has the most powerful production diesel engine that Škoda has ever used; and it already holds a lap record on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Okay, so the record that it holds isn't exactly one that companies are fighting to beat. With a lap time of 9:29.84, the Kodiaq RS can lay claim to being the fastest seven-seat SUV around the 'Ring. The record was set in a completely stock Kodiaq RS, and Sabine Schmitz, famed German racing driver and the only woman ever to win the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (in 1996 and 1997), was behind the wheel for the record attempt. Speaking about the Kodiaq after setting this new record, Schmitz said, "If you want to make a car fast on the Nordschleife, it's so much work, so if a stock car is already good on it, then the engineers did a very good job. And I felt very comfortable [in the Kodiaq RS] from the beginning on, which I really didn't expect."
The Kodiaq RS is powered by a twin-turbocharged diesel 2.0-liter inline-four making 236 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. That torque is sent to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic transmission and a variable all-wheel-drive system that can send as much as 85 percent of torque to an individual wheel. Škoda claims a zero-to-62-mph time of 7.0 seconds and a top speed of 137 mph. Six-mode adaptive dampers, variable-ratio steering, and a set of larger performance brakes come as standard.
To match its performance, the Kodiaq RS gets a number of styling enhancements. Model-specific front and rear bumpers, 20-inch wheels, gloss-black trim, and visible exhaust outlets set the exterior of the RS apart from the regular Kodiaq. Inside, aggressive bucket seats and a flat-bottom steering wheel are standard fare. Quilted Alcantara with red stitching covers the seats and door cards, and the center console gets carbon-fiber-look trim.
Škoda makes a big deal about the redesigned vRS logo, which is found on the Kodiaq's grille, tailgate, seats, and steering wheel (the v stands for victory, the automaker says). Only fit for the brand's sportiest models, the RS badge first appeared in 1974 on the 180 RS and 200 RS rally prototypes, which evolved into the successful 130 RS coupe that won the Monte Carlo Rally in 1977. The badging was resurrected in 2000 for the Octavia RS sedan, the first modern production RS model, and has been used on many performance cars since.
Check out the videos below for footage of the Kodiaq RS setting the 'Ring record and an interview with Sabine Schmitz:
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