Škoda Octavia (1959-1964)

› The first Škoda Octavia evolved from the 440/445/450 model series popularly nicknamed the ‘Spartak’
› Modest in size by today’s standards, it was available with 1.1- and 1.2-litre engines producing up to 39 hp
› A competition-oriented Touring Sport version was also produced, with output increased to 50 hp

Mladá Boleslav, 12 October 2026 – The original Octavia evolved from the 440/445/450 model series, popularly nicknamed the Spartak. Customers valued the Octavia for its affordability, reliability, and driving characteristics. It became a key Škoda model, and its present-day successor remains one of the brand’s mainstays.

When Škoda modernised the 440 model series, the car manufacturer replaced the numerical designation with a name. Octavia was chosen deliberately: it derives from the Latin word octavus, meaning “eighth”. It was the eighth Škoda model introduced after the Second World War, and the eighth in a line of models featuring independent suspension on all four wheels.

The Octavia had a four-stroke, inline four-cylinder OHV engine mounted longitudinally behind the front axle, driving the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox. The entry-level 1.1-litre engine produced up to 29 kW (39 hp) at 5,500 rpm and a peak torque of 68.6 Nm at 2,800 rpm. The car had a top speed of 110 km/h, with fuel consumption of around 7.7 l/100 km.

The range also included the Octavia Super, whose more powerful 1.2-litre engine delivered up to 33 kW (44 hp). At the top of the range was the sporty Touring Sport, producing 50 hp and 74.5 Nm of torque in road-going form, before any competition modifications. Its higher output came from fitting two carburettors instead of one and raising the compression ratio from 7:1 to 8.4:1. Further modifications for competition could almost double that output.

Compact by today’s standards, the first Octavia was 4,065 mm long – around 4 cm shorter than the current Fabia. It was 1,600 mm wide and 1,430 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,390 mm and a weight of around 920 kg.

The Škoda Octavia was made from 1959 to 1964, with the estate remaining in production until 1971. A total of 229,531 standard notchback Octavias were built, along with 79,489 units of the more powerful Octavia Super. The Octavia in the Škoda Museum’s collection dates from 1960, when it was delivered to its first owner in Prague. Its third owner donated the car to the museum in 1977, and it was restored there in 1996.