There is a new trend in the car world that many people are surprised by, the more technology evolves and vehicles become more disconnected from the classics the more consumers gravitate towards classic designs and the new revamped models from the past that made a mark in the industry. We have seen this with the Mini Cooper or the Beetle, which have survived the test of time, and more recently Renault has re released one of its classics but with a modern twist, but now it is time for another automaker to leave their mark on this new trend, and that is Skoda, who is revamping the Skoda Favorit.
It really is a blast form the past, as the original Skoda Favorit, is a compact vehicle from the 1980s that helped define an era for the brand. It really is a capsule from its time, when the company was still operating behind the Iron Curtain, dealing with tight budgets and limited technology as well as the complexities of geopolitics. And yet, the Favorit has managed to transcend as one of the most remarkable pieces of engineering for its time.
The new Skoda Favorit, a breath of fresh air
While not as currently popular as the Fabia and Octavia, the Favorit has still not left the public conscience, and considering the revamp trend that is happening, it is no wonder that Skoda is looking at past models that have left a mark as a way to breathe fresh air into the brand. They have already taken a fresh look at old icons like the Voiturette and the 1203 van, and although it is not the same car as many remember, the nods to the past and the classic design and concept that made it popular are still there, at least aesthetically.
Now it is the Favorit’s turn and Skoda is making their strategy a bit different this time around and they are not leaning as heavily into the retro aesthetics. One might think that the point is to lean into the retro vibe of the car, but Ljudmil Slavov, a designer who has been working with the brand’s current design philosophy known as Modern Solid, disagreed on the take. Since he was the one tasked with the redesign he chose to go in a different direction, rather than copying the past, he aimed to create something forward-looking that still respects the original.
He explained “I didn’t want to rely on current design elements like the Tech-Deck Face. This is a tribute to the Favorit, so I carefully studied the original details, aiming to evolve and elevate them. Simplifying an already minimalist shape to transform it into the Modern Solid style was a real challenge.”
Love it or hate it, he did try to respect the essence of what made the original Favorit unique, by stripping the design down to its essentials and rebuilt it using Skoda’s latest styling cues he managed to create a new version of the classic that has the best of both design languages. For example, the headlights and bumper are fully reminiscent of the 880s, but they have been completely reimagined with sleek, narrow LED lights that scream modern.
The car also comes with all the bells and whistles that make it a modern example of engineering, but the lines can be identified as the same ones from the original model, giving it a modern but classic feel that most fans of the original will be able to appreciate. Will this car be as popular as its predecessor? We shall have to wait and see, as the competition is a lot more intense nowadays, but it is a valiant effort from the company that signals how far they have come and how far they want to get.