We adore Skoda, don't we? The venerable Czech automaker consistently delivers intriguing forbidden fruits that we can only gaze at from afar. This year, capitalizing on its motorsport heritage, Skoda crafted a rather formidable rally car based on one of its otherwise modest electric SUVs. This is the Skoda Enyaq RS Race concept.
Designed and constructed by Skoda Motorsport, the racing division took a standard Enyaq EV and transformed it into a lower, wider, and lighter machine. Employing biocomposite body panels with flax fibers and lightweight polycarbonate windows, the Enyaq RS Race sheds 661 pounds compared to the standard Enyaq SUV, weighing in at approximately 4,300 pounds. The concept sits 2.8 inches lower and is 2.8 inches wider at the front and 4.6 inches wider at the rear. It replaces the production dynamic chassis control suspension with a race-ready sports suspension, allowing individual adjustments for spring stiffness, compression, and rebound.
Visually, the Enyaq RS Race boasts an aggressive aero kit featuring various vents and wings. It sports a new lip spoiler and a larger grille opening for enhanced cooling, a substantial rear spoiler for increased downforce, and even a functional NACA duct that channels air into the cabin. The custom 20-inch wheels are also aerodynamically optimized. Powered by two electric motors and an 82.0-kilowatt-hour battery pack, the concept delivers 335 horsepower. Thanks to its significant weight reduction, the Enyaq RS Concept accelerates from 0 to 62 miles per hour in under five seconds, maintaining the same 112-mph top speed as its production counterpart.
Similar to a genuine rally car, Skoda Motorsport stripped the Enyaq’s interior, replacing it with a roll cage, a handbrake lever, an emergency fire extinguisher switch, safety foam panels, and a linear steering system with adjustable steering weight. The 13.0-inch touchscreen remains, however. Will you ever be able to purchase one of these? Probably not. But it’s a fascinating exploration of what Skoda Motorsport can achieve moving forward. Johannes Neft, a Skoda Auto Board Member for Technical Development, mentions that the company is "trialing [the biocomposite parts] in motorsport" and may implement the material in "future applications." Either way, it’s undeniably impressive.
