Skoda begins testing the Mission L concept

Remember the Mission-L concept that Skoda had exhibited at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year? Well, it seems Skoda has no plans of delaying it as the Czech car-maker has already begun with its testing in Europe. I wonder how our friends from Carscoop.Blogspot could even recognise it was a Skoda, considering how most of the parts of the car are completely covered.

One can tell that this is the production version of the concept as the panoramic sunroof has been done away with. Also, the test-mule here doesn’t carry body-coloured door handles or ORVM’s, which further goes to show that this was indeed one of the low-end production variants.

From whatever is visible, it would be hard to comment on any changes made to the exterior. However, you can still notice the sharp lines that were seen on the concept. There has been some confusion on whether the Mission-L is a replacement for the Laura/Octavia, or is it just a Rapid-like sedan for the international market. But judging by what Skoda had stated in its plans for India, this is what could be making a comeback for the Octavia branding next-year.

The current Laura (internationally known as the Octavia) has already started showing signs of ageing, and with that the Mission-L would be a perfect option for a replacement. The concept when unveiled was said to be nearly production-ready, which indicates that the world-premiere for the Mission-L could be happening soon. Expect a Paris Motor Show launch in October this year, followed by an Indian launch in 2013.

Source: Carscoop