Czech Delight

Roof-down motoring on country roads in the European summer is a joy but even more so as time stands still and people in quaint little ancient towns look out to see you drive by in a classic. Yogendra Pratap recounts the experience of driving a 1961 convertible - the Skoda Felicia

- Yogendra Pratap

The Felicia was first introduced way back in 1959 at the Geneva Motor Show along with the Octavia and both shared near identical bodywork below the window line. The Felicia though was a convertible and we got the opportunity to drive one in the Czech Republic, very close to the company's manufacturing facility at Mlada Boleslav.

With liberal doses of chrome that has been maintained spectacularly, elements of aluminium and a swooping behind, the car is quite a looker and with its roof safely stowed, the interiors though spartan, are in keeping with the times of over 65 years back.

To give you an idea of its size, earlier advertisements proclaim it to be a five seater with seating for three up front and for two at the back. The two doors are large enough to provide easy access to the back but it was getting behind the steering wheel that interested me more.

Powered by a 1.1-litre twin carburettor four-cylinder engine that produces just over 50bhp, I was not expecting it to be spirited and I was warned that it would not be easy to drive. The steering wheel though spindly, again in keeping with the times, looks like a work of art and its rather large diameter aids in manoeuvering the car that is not as small as one presumes it to be.