Fuchsröhre, Schwedenkreuz and Karussell – the sections of track on the Nürburgring’s legendary Nordschleife are well-known to motorsport fans all over the world. No other race track is more challenging and nowhere else are drivers and vehicles pushed to their limits like they are on the 20.832-km-long circuit in the Eifel region. The ŠKODA KODIAQ RS withstood the track conditions in the ‘Green Hell’ and, at 9:29.84 minutes, set the Nordschleife record for a seven-seater SUV.
Sabine Schmitz was at the wheel of the ŠKODA KODIAQ RS during the record-breaking lap. Schmitz regularly participates in the long-distance championship (VLN) and the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring and in 1996, she became the first woman to win the 24-hour race and won again the following year. Having long been a ‘Ring Taxi’ driver and as a presenter on various car shows, she has become well-known to a wide audience. Schmitz estimates she has driven more than 30,000 laps on the Nordschleife to date.
“The ŠKODA KODIAQ RS is great fun on the track,” said Sabine Schmitz. “ŠKODA has made full use of its large SUV’s potential with the KODIAQ RS. I can certainly imagine that I’ll be encountering the KODIAQ RS regularly during my laps around the Nordschleife in future,” Schmitz adds with a wink.
František Drábek, Head of Compact Models at ŠKODA AUTO and responsible for the development of the KODIAQ RS, was also present at the successful record attempt. He points out that, “The KODIAQ RS equally embodies the versatility and spaciousness of a family SUV as well as emotiveness and dynamism.”
The new 2.0 BiTDI engine produces 176 kW (239 PS). This allows for dynamic power delivery and excellent responsive qualities, even at low engine speed. Exhaust gases are purified by an SCR catalytic converter. In the KODIAQ model range, the 2.0-litre BiTDI diesel engine is exclusively reserved for the RS, and thanks to Dynamic Sound Boost, the high-torque diesel engine’s power is immediately apparent. With adaptive Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) including Driving Mode Select and progressive steering, the all-wheel-drive vehicle – which was still in its camouflage wrap during its appearance in the Eifel region – was perfectly equipped for its record-breaking lap at the Nordschleife.
The ŠKODA KODIAQ RS will celebrate its world premiere in October of this year. It will be presented to the public for the first time at the 2018 Paris Motor Show.
A detailed report from the record breaking-lap with video and photo-gallery, as well as the article with interviews with Sabine Schmitz and František Drábek, can be found on ŠKODA Storyboard. The material is freely downloadable and useable in media.
