"New Power Of Skoda" - Skoda Presents New Growth Strategy To Dealers From All Over The World

Feb. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- World Dealer Conference 2011” in Prague for 5,000 business partners from more than 100 countries
Company will at least double worldwide sales until 2018
Significant investments in products, technologies, and markets
New corporate design underlines the remaking of the brand

“Today, we will jointly begin a new era in the history of Škoda. In the coming years, we will put the pedal to the metal in all areas. We will do that in close cooperation with our trading partners throughout the world. A strong trading organization is essential and constitutes an important backbone of Škoda’s success worldwide. Now we want to set out for new horizons and at least double our sales until the year 2018. And you as our business partners will play an important role in that effort,” said Prof. Dr. h.c. Winfried Vahland, the chairman of the board of Škoda Auto, in his address to the participants of the convention.  

Prof. Dr. h.c. Winfried Vahland made it clear that the growth strategy is supported with concrete measures: “The most important investments have either been made or been planned upon. We are working very hard on new car models (http://www.skoda.com.au/models.aspx) that will expand and deepen our product range.” The Škoda boss also emphasized the support of the Volkswagen Group: “In the past 20 years since the entry of the Volkswagen Group, we have jointly written one of the most successful stories in the history of the automobile. The association with the currently most successful multi-brand automotive group in the world will provide us with the necessary backing in the coming years as well.” Furthermore, the negative effects of the economic and financial crisis in the years 2008 and 2009 have been mostly overcome. Škoda had demonstrated strength and is clearly among the winners.  

Prof. Dr. h.c. Winfried Vahland pointed out the strength of the company and the brand: “Škoda is one of the longest established automobile manufacturers (http://www.skoda.com.au) and has shown impressive performance in the past 20 years. It has been nothing less than the successful resurgence of a legendary automobile brand from the heart of Europe – Czech Republic. We are proud of that. This success would not have been possible without the abilities, experience, and the commitment of our 26,000 employees worldwide in all areas of the company. They have made Škoda what it is today: a successful company with a global presence.” In doing so, the Škoda brand stands for cars with an attractive price/value ratio for our customers: “Our cars are and will remain ‘simply clever’. They are ‘cleverly engineered with a human touch’. We will continue this course with consistency and build attractive, authentic vehicles with a special price-value for money, clever ideas, precise workmanship and high benefit to customers throughout functionality and roominess. That is the standard for the expansion of our model range.”  

Škoda also gave the car dealers (http://www.skoda.com.au/dealernetwork/finddealers.aspx) in Prague a detailed presentation of the new corporate design of the brand. With a new visual appearance, which will be presented for the first time at the International Motor Show in Geneva at the beginning of March and then be used in all means of communication, the company also expresses the new strength and strategic direction in a visual way. Jürgen Stackmann, the board member for sales and marketing, explained the individual elements: “New Power of Škoda – that applies to our new corporate design as well. From the advanced logo to new text fonts to the design of Škoda dealerships: the Škoda brand is powerful, fresh, younger, and it has a dynamic style. But this does not just apply to the reorientation in terms of the visual appearance and branding:

Škoda has never been in a better position than today. First-class products, loyal and efficient employees, a strong parent company and – last but not least – a dealer network that is very well positioned globally are the factors guaranteeing our success in the future.”

For further information, contact:
Karl Gehling
General Manager Press and PR
Telephone: (02) 9695 6003
Fax: (02) 9695 6186
Mobile: 0409 138 069
E-mail: karl.gehling@volkswagen.com.au

Nadine Nethery
Public Relations Specialist
Telephone: (02) 9695 6010
Fax: (02) 9695 6186
Mobile: 0438 455 019
E-mail: nadine.nethery@volkswagen.com.au

Jenny Wu
Public Relations Representative
Telephone: (02) 9695 6004
Fax: (02) 9091 7004
Mobile: 0438 455 023
E-mail: jenny.wu@volkswagen.com.au

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Skoda Australia offers a range of Czech designed car models including the Skoda Superb, Octavia Rs. Skoda today is one of the fastest growing car companies in Europe and have built their reputation around quality design, reliability and safety. Visit http://www.skoda.com.au for more information.