- Skoda has continued its run of concept cars that reimagine classic models with its latest take on the 1980s Favorit small hatchback.
- The company has previously created concepts reimagining iconic models like the 130 RS, 1203 van and Slavia B motorcycle.
- The original Favorit was instrumental in transforming Skoda into a thoroughly modern carmaker.
Skoda has continued its recent run of reimagining its classic models with modern concepts, this time with an old favourite. Or rather, Favorit.
The newest concept in the series is a modern electric re-envisioning of the iconic Skoda Favorit from the late 1980s designed using the brand’s contemporary "Modern Solid" design language, bringing a touch of today’s aesthetic to a car deeply embedded in Skoda's more recent history.
The original Favorit was a genuinely significant vehicle for Skoda. Despite being developed under some rather challenging conditions behind the Iron Curtain with limited resources, it managed to be an impressive engineering feat.
Praised for its attractive design (from acclaimed Italian design house Bertone, no less), practical features, and even earning international acclaim, the Favorit laid the groundwork for Skoda's transformation into a global automotive brand and was notable enough to even catch the attention of industry giants like Volkswagen, which made its initial investment in the Czech company three years after the Favorit's debut in 1987.
The task of bringing this legend into the modern era fell to Skoda designer Ljudmil Slavov, who says he aimed to capture the spirit of innovation that defined the original.
"I didn’t want to rely on current design elements like the Tech-Deck Face,” Slavov said.
"This is a tribute to the Favorit, so I carefully studied the original details, aiming to evolve and elevate them. Simplifying an already minimalistic shape into the Modern Solid style was genuinely challenging."
While the result certainly retains recognisable elements from the original, the new concept feels distinctly modern rather than simply retro. Its front end is particularly noteworthy, and one specific design feature that stands out and offers a clever nod to the past is the headlight design.
In the late 1980s, even the acclaimed Bertone design house grappled with the challenge of integrating the large, mass-produced headlamps made in Czechoslovakia at the time into the Favorit. Despite their size, the lights had to somehow be seamlessly incorporated into the car’s design.
In keeping with this tradition, Slavov says he invested considerable thought into reimagining the headlights for today. His solution features ultra-slim LED strips at the front and rear, set behind semi-transparent covers that mirror the size and volume of the original lamps. “These covers allow the lights to project different patterns, which owners could personalise,” Slavov said.
Sadly, like all the concepts in its 'reimagined' series, this modern reinterpretation of the Favorit isn't planned for production, but the company says it plans more entries into the series of revitalised iconic classics.
