The Skoda Fabia has been revealed in full, over six weeks ahead of its formal debut the Paris motor show on October 2.
Overnight, the Czech company issued a press release recounting the views of head designer Jozef Kaban, concerning the elements that drove him and his team during the development of the new car.
According to Kaban, the new Fabia "is able to combine great functionality with an expressive, emotional and more sharply defined design."
There's a certain appeal in its style that affects people on an "emotional" level, the designer insists, but that appeal has not stood in the way of practical considerations – the new Fabia being bigger inside than its predecessor.
"In spite of all its emotionality, the ŠKODA Fabia remains more than true to its fundamental virtues and is more spacious, practical, economical and clever than ever before," Kaban was quoted saying in the press release.
"The boot is bigger and has the largest capacity in its class, the interior is both wider and longer," he added.
That is despite the fact the new Fabia – as we reported last week – will be offered in hatch and wagon form, but is expected to be no longer than around four metres, which is roughly the same length as the current car. It will be 90mm wider however, which is likely to be where the R&D team have found the extra interior space for the new car.
Kaban acknowledged in the press release the debt owed by the Fabia to the Vision C concept unveiled earlier this year in Geneva for the Fabia's new design language.
"This new design direction is the next step in the development of our brand and the new ŠKODA Fabia is the first model to communicate this design language," the Skoda design chief observed. "Drawing on elements of the ‘ŠKODA VisionC’ design study, the Fabia is more expressive, more dynamic and sportier."
While the new Fabia soldiers on with the PQ platform carried over from the previous model, it is set to offer significant gains in fuel efficiency, Kaban hints.
"This compact car is up to 17 per cent more economical and has innovative assistance systems from higher class cars."
It's uncertain as to how Skoda will market the Fabia in Australia, but overseas at least, it will be highly customisable, Kaban says.
"There is more opportunity to customise the Fabia than ever before. 15 different body colours are available, as well as a special colour concept which offers customers the chance to individually select the colour of the roof, rims and exterior mirrors. We offer three lines and numerous options for the car’s interior."