Skoda Auto India has commenced production of the all-new, fourth-generation Octavia at its production facility in Shendra, Aurangabad. The sedan is to be officially launched later this month.

The celebratory ‘Lava Blue’ vehicle wears the Lauren & Klement badge that pays homage to the founders of the Czech auto manufacturer as well as its 125 years of rich history and heritage. According to Skoda Auto India, the “the latest Skoda offering will build on the Octavia's strong legacy – taking technology, features and overall luxury quotient to the next level.”

Zac Hollis, Brand Director – Skoda Auto India, said, "The Skoda Octavia has always offered a compelling combination of the brand's emotive design, exquisite interiors, class leading safety, and intelligent connectivity features, and the all new iteration pushes the yardstick further. A 20-year run, and about a 100,000 satisfied customers, is a testament to its strong equity among discerning car buyers in a dynamically evolving automotive market like India. With the commencement of production, we also commit to a stronger product portfolio as we look to grow our presence in India. In line with our laser sharp focus on customer centricity, we are also rapidly growing our network presence and have introduced several initiatives to ensure an unmatched ownership experience."

In 2001, the Czech auto major entered the Indian market and the popular executive sedan segment with the Octavia. The second-generation model was introduced in 2006. The new Octavia, a model range that had become synonymous with the brand, pushed the innovation envelope much further, more so with the introduction of direct injection technology on petrol vehicles as well as automatic dual clutch transmission (DSG). The third-generation Skoda Octavia set new benchmarks for functionality, practicality, and spaciousness in its segment, and the RS moniker combined unparalleled value proposition with pulse racing like none another.

The Octavia is Skoda’s global bestseller and about 6.5 million units have been produced the world over – across manufacturing facilities in China, India, Russia, and Kazakhstan.