Why don’t all automakers do this? It’s a question I ask myself whenever Skoda resurrects a car from a bygone era. Once again, the Czech brand, part of the Volkswagen Group, is applying its latest design language to a virtual concept that revives an important nameplate: the 110 R.
Pictured at the bottom, the original car debuted in 1970 with a price tag equivalent to around 40 months’ wages. Despite costing a steep 78,000 crowns, it was a huge success, with 57,085 units sold during a 10-year production run that ended in December 1980. Fast-forward to 2025, and the rear-wheel-drive coupe is back, albeit only in digital form. The original four-cylinder 1.1-liter rear-mounted engine is gone, replaced by an electric motor.
Rather than going the retro route, Skoda designer Richard Švec went all-in on modernizing the 110 R with the company’s “Modern Solid” design language. From headlights and taillights that slide open to aero wheels, the coupe is anything but classic.
The black band at the front conceals sensors to clean up the design. Side cameras and the absence of conventional door handles smooth out the profile, while functional air vents below the rear quarter windows echo the engine inlets of the 1970s car. At the back, the vintage “S 110 R” badge pays tribute to the concept’s inspiration.
Photo by: Skoda
The latest fictional model from Skoda’s “Icons Get a Makeover” series is all about clean surfaces. Although technical specifications haven’t been imagined, we can assume the designer would want the 110 R to be as lightweight as possible. Its ancestor tipped the scales at just 880 kilograms (1,940 pounds).
The original wasn’t exactly quick, even by 1970s standards. The 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint took 19 seconds, with the puny 52-hp engine sending power through a four-speed manual gearbox mounted ahead of the rear axle. The weight distribution was 43:57, and the vehicle had two cargo compartments: one located under the front hood and another behind the rear seats.
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Source: Skoda
It would be hard for Skoda to convince bean counters to approve such a car in 2025, given how the coupe segment continues to shrink. On top of that, a fully electric setup wouldn’t help the coupe’s appeal. And let’s be real: Skoda lacks the brand cachet to attract enough sports car buyers to make such a project viable.
Audi with the Concept C and Porsche with the next Boxster/Cayman stand a better chance of covering this niche. While the next 718 will still offer combustion engines, the TT-esque sports car will be EV-only. If the Group ever considers a more affordable sports car, it would likely be badged as a VW. Remember the BlueSport that never was?
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