Only few people know that Škoda means something like “damage” or “pity” in Czech. However, the name actually goes back to Emil von Škoda, who was born almost 190 years ago in the Bohemian city of Pilsen. First Škoda cars were produced from 1905 onwards, but the 20th century was to be a period of constant ups and downs for the brand: At first, the spin-off from Laurin & Klement, then the Second World War, followed by nationalization and finally the sale to Volkswagen in 1991. No wonder Škoda still seems to be searching for its identity.
Contrary to this assumption, my most recent shoot for Oldtimer Markt, with four historic Škoda models from the supposedly barren post-war period, was surprisingly entertaining. It wasn’t just the setting at an old locomotive shed or in the forests of the Ore Mountains on the German-Czech border that was breathtaking. The cars of the so-called Spartak generation impressed with style and character – a far cry from the bland gray-mouse image that was also haunting my mind.
An elegant Cabriolet with refinement? A clever estate car with a two-part boot lid? Or a sports sedan that has already proven its worth at the Monte Carlo Rally? All part of the colourful Škoda story – for which no one really needs to apologize.
