Skoda Kodiaq RS in doubt for Oz

Skoda Australia is fighting hard to get the new Kodiaq RS SUV down under amid doubts our hot climate could rule it out.

The Volkswagen-owned Czech brand is working on a performance variant of its freshly launched seven-seat SUV. The RS version is set to be powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel engine that produces 176kW of power and 500Nm of torque.

But Australia is classified as a hot weather country by Volkswagen and Skoda so the engine requires more cooling than European specification cars. That could mean the RS model won't be offered in Australia despite local boss Michael Irmer being very keen to have it in local showrooms.

"The RS version we have obviously expressed incredibly strong interest for that for obvious reasons. Very, very strong interest," Irmer said. "If the engine will become available for Australia we will 100 per cent take it, but at the moment that is under evaluation by the engineers because we are classified as a hot country... So it has higher cooling requirements."

But Irmer and Petr Solc, Skoda's General Manager Sales International, are both pushing hard to ensure a solution is found. Skoda head office has declared Australia a priority market, which meant the Kodiaq launch was brought forward six weeks from its original date, so Solc is confident the engine can be adapted to Australian weather.

"We fight for it," Solc said. "We find it very important. As we managed to pull forward the Kodiaq this is also our intention. But, of course, there are certain investments behind that and we fight for it. Nothing's decided."

Irmer has vowed not to give up without a fight.

"Will work on it," Irmer said. "I can't sleep until I get an answer on this."

While the RS remains in doubt, Irmer has confirmed Skoda Australia will add the Sportline variant of the Kodiaq alongside the existing 132TSI and upcoming 140TDI model that will arrive before the end of 2017. But only after current supply constraints are lifted, which should mean a launch some time in 2018.

"When is the discussion at the moment because managing the supply situation in some market is incredibly difficult," he said.

However, he played down the chances of offering the off-road biased Kodiaq Scout to the local line-up.

"I'm looking at it in the market and at this stage I would say it's not certain because we built all the essentials into the car as is, so I think the Sportline is a point of difference for us," he said.

While the Kodiaq is the brand's first SUV it will be followed by the new Karoq (pictured below) in April or May 2018, which will be based on the five-seat Volkswagen Tiguan in the same way the Kodiaq is twinned with the Tiguan Allspace.

A smaller SUV, which will share its development with the Volkswagen's yet-to-be-revealed production version of the T-Roc concept, is also on the cards. A fourth model, a coupe variant of the Kodiaq, is also mooted by 2020. While Irmer wouldn't confirm these models he acknowledged SUVs were the priority for the brand around the world.

"I think it's safe to say the factory has clearly turned its focus to SUV," he said. "As has our sister brand Volkswagen and Audi too. And we expect more than two to come out of the factory. How many? We don't know yet either because there are certain statuses of likelihood for future product ideas currently under evaluation."

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