Skoda Considers Entering the US Market

The town of Kodiak, Alaska may finally get to see a Kodiaq, as Automotive New Europe is reporting that Skoda is thinking of selling its cars in North America.

Skoda recently successfully entered the Chinese market, and has been filing trade mark applications in the US for names such as Superb, Octavia, and Yeti, all cars made by the brand. This would mark the Czech brand’s first foray into the American market since the early 1960s, when they briefly sold the Felicia.

13-04-05-Skoda_Museum_Mladá_Boleslav_by_RalfR-014_(cropped)

“In the past our focus was on the European market and our path to growth was in China. Now we are discussing the next step for the brand,” a spokesman told ANE.

Skoda sales have been strong lately, having sold more than 276,000 cars in the first quarter. Profit rose 30% as a result, raising the brand’s margin to 9.3%, better than either Volkswagen or Audi.

Automotive News Europe is suggesting that Skoda might take over for the much maligned Volkswagen brand in the US, where Volkswagen has always struggled and is currently facing especial difficulties due to the recent diesel scandal.

Some analysts say, on the other hand, that Skoda doesn’t offer enough large SUVs and trucks to compete in the American market, though, they’re new full-size SUV is coming out soon. Worse news for North American fans of the brand, a coming drop in automotive sales that is expected to affect all automakers could keep the brand away.

Volkswagen first became involved with Skoda after the fall of communism in 1991, and VW fully acquired the brand in 2000.

[source]

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