India-bound Skoda Karoq drops top to become Skoda Sunroq
Skoda has unveiled a new cabriolet based on the Skoda Karoq. Named ‘Skoda Sunroq’, the new drop-top SUV is the fifth concept car created by students at the Skoda Vocational School.
The Skoda Sunroq name was chosen from among several hundred names proposed by Skoda customers and fans. It took a team of 23 students and around 8 months to make the Skoda Sunroq. After removing the roof, the team reconstructed the doors, redesigned the A and B pillars, and completely changed the rear-end. The concept has modified bumpers, from which Skoda logos are projected onto the road.
The Skoda Sunroq features a Velvet Red body paint, 20-inch dual-tone (red and black) alloy wheels that are wrapped in Pirelli P Zero 235/35 ZR20 tyres, ‘Skoda Academy’ branding on the front door panels and the front-seat backrests, and a dual-tone chic interior in a combination of white and red. Other unique details include Skoda logos that are discreetly luminous in the dark, special indicator lights and backlit door handles.
The Skoda Sunroq has the same length (4.38 metres), width (1.81 metres) and wheelbase (2.64 metres) as the Skoda Karoq. It uses shock absorbers from the Skoda Octavia RS, and so, it is much lower. It is powered by the 1.5-litre TSI turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 110 kW (150 PS) at 5,000-6,000 rpm and 250 Nm of torque at 1,500-3,500 rpm. A 6-speed manual transmission routes drive to the front wheels. A 0-100 km sprint in the convertible SUV takes 8.6 seconds. 195 km/h is the claimed top speed.
Also Read: £118,688 (INR 1.07 crore)-armoured Skoda Superb Estate unveiled - Video
The Skoda Sunroq is a one-off vehicle with no plans for production. Moving forward, Skoda may expand the Skoda Karoq range with Sportline and Scout variants, but a convertible version is not expected. In India, the standard Skoda Karoq will go on sale sometime in 2019. Its prices could start somewhere in the INR 20-25 lakh (ex-showroom) bracket. The company will locally assemble it from CKD kits at the Aurangabad plant (Maharashtra).