How will Škoda fare in Singapore, especially with Cupra thrown into the Volkswagen Group Singapore mix of brands?
Škoda has always been regarded as the thinking person’s choice, thanks to its good bang-for-buck as far as features are concerned. Has this proposition changed a lot since the brand has come under the Volkswagen Group Singapore (VGS) umbrella?
“Škoda strives to be ‘simply clever’ by offering smart value and practicality. From its compact Kamiq to the seven-seater Kodiaq, thoughtfully engineered features are a constant consideration. However, in the Singapore market, customers are not just utility-focused, but also design-conscious, with higher expectations in terms of quality and technology,” Dr Kurt Leitner, managing director of Volkswagen Group Singapore, tells us.
From the preceding pages, you’ll know that VGS has added another brand to its fold – Cupra, the Barcelona-bred rebel of the Volkswagen Group. How has the introduction of this enfant terrible affected Škoda, if at all?
Leitner says: “All our brands are unique and target specific customer groups. With that in mind, we will continue to uphold Škoda’s approach, with products and services that offer smart utility with a premium touch. Cupra is an exciting new member of the VGS family, but we see both brands offering something different to our customers.”
Like Cupra, Škoda has bolstered its model range in Singapore, with the launch of the Superb Combi, Kodiaq RS and the facelifted Octavia earlier this year, which joins the Kodiaq Selection and Kodiaq Sport Line. Up next is the all-electric Elroq compact crossover, which arrives later this year, as well as a push of VGS’s “Combi” strategy, which is centred around the Octavia and the Superb.
“Škoda is known as one of the few brands that offers wagons / estates in Singapore, and its Combi models have proven to be very popular. In fact, almost one in two Octavias sold is a Combi!” adds Leitner.
Like the other two brands under the VGS umbrella, Dr. Kurt Leitner sees importance in building a community of passionate Škoda owners, especially for the high-performance vRS models.
“Community engagement is integral to us as it allows us to stay connected with the ones that matter most, our customers,” Leitner says.
He adds: “On the topic of vRS models, we recently supported the Škoda Club Singapore — a self-organised group of enthusiastic owners — during their track day at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. It was a great day out for the community that was filled with adrenaline and camaraderie.”
However, VGS’s outreach is targeted at all owners, not just the owners of the aspirational models. “Our Škoda Smart app is another key tool with which we engage our customers and community with updates, exclusive benefits and more. This includes exclusive invitations to new model test drives, as well as a specially curated range of benefits. Additionally, we offer customers peace of mind thanks to a strong and established track record in Singapore, as well as our strong after-sales support. Should they choose to, customers can purchase the WePROTECT extended warranty on top of the standard new car warranty,” Leitner says.
