Email


A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H    I    J    K    L    M    N    O    P    Q    R    S    T    U    V    W    X    Y    Z




Bookstore
Exercises

Wheel change
Save Energy
History
Formulary


Ganz neu ...


Ganz neu ...


History (short)
History 1
History 2
History 3
History 4
History 5
History 6
History 7
History 8

Škoda
2015 Apprentices at Škoda

2015 Octavia RS 230
2015 Superb
2014 Fabia
2014 Simply Clever
2014 Yeti
2014 Octavia Combi
2013 Rapid Spaceback
2013 Octavia RS
2012 Citigo
2009 RS 2000
2009 Yeti
2008 Superb
2007 Fabia
2003 Fabia WRC
1999 Fabia
1996 Octavia
1994 Felicia
1987 Favorit
1987 Rapid
1977 130 RS
1974 200 RS Coupe
1972 Spider B5
1971 Super Sport Ferat
1964 1000 MB
1964 Formula 3
1959 Octavia
1957 1100 OHC
1956 1201 STW
1948 1101 Tudor Cabrio
1946 1101 Tudor
1935 935 Dynamic



Škoda - History 1








Moving from the center of Germany to the east, thus of Hessen via Thuringia to Saxony, I can say from my own opinion the landscape will be more idyllic. What have they not predicted a grim future for the Erzgebirge in face of the forest death, to see is rather the opposite.

Perhaps you guessed it, I'm on the journey to the roots of major Czech car industry, the brand Skoda. The way remains unfortunately not always so nice. Latest when one reached the plateau in the Czech Republic, is an end to dreamy streets, meandering anfractuous through green and yet light-filled forests.

In addition, heavy construction projects are on the main road to Prague. And because I want a little northern anyway to Mlada Boleslav, I decide to leave the big, but currently highly traffic controlled road turning left, what indeed is proving to be appealing but in no way less time-consuming.

I ask the way just before the town - still no navigation system at that time - and I already have a passenger, working in the factory. Too bad, Czech is such a difficult language what, incidentally, also noticeable at the entrance to the museum. Anyway, I'm here and enjoy to read much, to see and photograph. The texts are at least also in English and German.

If one looks back, as an automotive technician actually already had the feeling during the socialist era, Skoda is in the Eastern Bloc a particular car brand. Although there were a long time and perhaps too long rear engines, but at least according to the four-stroke principle working engines. After all, Skoda itself failed to the front drive before the end of communism because of prohibition from Moscow, but to five speeds in a normal sedan.

Later, Skoda I particularly noticed as a Czech subsidiary within the VW Group. There I read in an self-study program from a four cylinder, I consider outdated at first glance: underhead camshaft, three fold mounted crankshaft. What I think to be a typographical error at first glance emerges as a construction of the evidence rooms of Skoda, this company has actually rescued in time with VW.

So, enough of preface, we get to Václav Klement from Mlada Boleslav and his now famous letter to the Seidel & Naumann bicycle factory in Vienna in 1894, in which he complains about the warped framework of its newly acquired bicycle and ask for redress, of course, in Czech language. The reply, by refusing to take note of a text in that language, angered him so much that he decides to produce bicycles himself.

On this occasion, I remember the story of Ferruccio Lamborghini, who wants to complain to Enzo Ferrari for the more than defective clutch and will be treated the same in principle. Difference between the stories: Ferrari never needed back down against Lamborghini, but Seidel & Naumann must accept licenses of the Laurin & Klement company some time after the incident.

Which brings us to the second important person establishing the company, the locksmith Laurin, also with first name Vaclav. In contrary to him Klement has actually learned bookseller and like many rides a bike for sport and hobby purposes at that time, usually connected to respective clubs. There we have the later successful duo, the rather choleric, cosmopolitan Klement and the quiet and more and more manually talented Laurin.

Next page






cartecc.comImprintIndex