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But long gone are the days when a Skoda was an under-powered, Czech-built tin can where the noisy engine at the back blew up every few miles. 'Skoda' in Czech actually means 'sorry'. And there are all those tired old jokes (How do you overtake a Skoda? Run! What do you call a Skoda at the top of a hill? A miracle! What happened when the Skoda hit the cat? The Skoda died!) no longer apply.
These days Skodas are too busy winning reliability awards and topping customer satisfaction surveys. And now Morang Auto Works is selling slick Skodas in Nepal.
"European cars have a reputation for their power and performance," says MAW's Vishnu Agrawal: "Skoda is the perfect choice for a luxury ride even on Nepal's roads."
Skoda started life in Czechoslovakia in 1895, and nearly 100 years later was taken over by the Volkswagen Group which updated the models, improved design, performance and safety, and dealt with the car's notorious reliability problems so effectively that Skoda drivers today are some of the happiest around.
Agrawal is confident his diesel-engined Laura and Octavia models will be highly sought after in Nepal, and will stand up well to the rigours of Nepal's roads. The cars come with a 'rough road' package of upgraded shock absorbers, a protective underbody coating and 160mm ground clearance. Laura can do 14km/l and the Octavia 16km/l. Both models can be seen at Morang's Thapathali showroom, and its Dhobighat workshop is equipped for full servicing.
After only 25 days in his showroom, Agrawal already has 10 bookings for Skodas.
Paavan Mathema
