SKODA OCTAVIA RS 245 - BADGE ENGINEERED

Despite the shared badge, there’s a whole lot separating the Octavia RS 245 from the RS 230

- SIMRAN RASTOGI

Within hours of Skoda opening the online bookings for the limited run of 200 units of the Octavia RS 245, the website was down. Orders had flooded in and people were putting down money even before they knew what the price tag read! Of course, there’s the vRS badge legacy to thank for that. A legacy of offering so much more than just what the usually impressive numbers on the box say. From the Mk1 Octavia RS, to the Laura RS, and the more recent cars with the 2-litre TSI motor, making big power was often just a few hours and an ECU remap away. And given the aftermarket support for these VAG cars, bolt-on upgrades for intakes, exhausts, suspension components and even larger turbochargers are all relatively easy, reliable and affordable ways to go quicker.

Which begs the question, is the fully-imported Octavia RS 245, at Rs 36.9 lakh ex-showroom, worth the price difference over the RS 230, which retailed at around Rs 25 lakh when launched? On the face of it, you’re getting 15PS/20Nm more, an extra gear in the 7-speed DSG ‘box, an electronically-controlled limited slip differential, and larger brakes. While the discussion may be a moot point, considering all the 245s are sold out, one can hope Skoda decides on another batch.