Skip to main content

Skoda’s one-off Fabia pickup might be the most practical city car ever built

Skoda FUNstar concept
Image used with permission by copyright holder
A team of 23 young apprentices from Volkswagen’s Czech Republic-based Skoda division have turned the humble Fabia city car into a mean-looking mini pickup called FUNstar. The one-off model will be presented to the public later this month at the annual GTI Meeting that will take place in Wörthersee, Austria.

The FUNstar is almost identical to the standard Fabia from the tip of the front bumper to the B-pillar. Beyond that, the apprentices have chopped off several feet of sheet metal, welded in the rear doors and sealed off the passenger compartment in order to create a pint-sized pickup with a tiny stainless steel-lined bed. The Fabia’s hatch has been cut in half and turned into a tailgate.

The concept further stands out from the Fabia thanks to a specific front bumper, bright green trim around the radiator grille, dark green LED daytime running lights, and a custom hood fitted with a pair of vents. 18-inch alloy wheels sourced from the regular-production Octavia RS sport sedan do a better job of filling the wheel arches than the Fabia’s stock steelies.

Skoda has not published pictures of the FUNstar’s interior but it promises the pickup is equipped with a sports steering wheel, bucket seats, a sprinkling of white and silver trim pieces that echo the two-tone paint job, and an insanely powerful 1,400-watt sound system.

Mechanically, the FUNstar packs slightly more grunt than the standard Fabia thanks to a Volkswagen-sourced 1.2-liter four-cylinder TSI engine that generates 120 horsepower. The four-banger spins the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission controlled by shift paddles.

Like most of the wild concept cars that are presented every year at the Wörthersee show, the Skoda FUNstar will remain a one-off model destined to spend the rest of its life in a warehouse or, at best, a museum.

Editors' Recommendations

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
These are our picks for the most American cars ever made
1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz

To celebrate the birth of our nation, the Digital Trends Cars team gathered around for the most American activity we know - a good 'ol fashioned argument. The topic of the day is what was the most American car ever made? And although we've recently looked at the most American cars sold today, this discussion was less about parts sourcing and more about what packs the most freedom vibes per mile. Each of us picked a winner, and had to defend our choice. The (dubious, entirely personal) results are below:
1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz

The 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz is a pellucid reflection of mid-century American aspiration. The Eldo convertible holds a special, exalted status among all Cadillacs. Caddie’s engineers gave this model an exclusive triple-carburetor 390 cubic inch engine with 345 horsepower; a bit more than any other Cadillac of the day. Curb weight of 5,250 pounds supported by a newly developed air suspension gave this mighty road machine the ride quality of a dreamy cloud. Kitted out in flame red with a color-matched red leather interior and a fat set of whitewalls, the Eldorado was the product of an optimistic civilization at its peak. Nothing about this car looks backward, or admits any compromise. At the dawn of the space age, the Eldorado was made to transport its owner in starry splendor. This car is bigger than big, fantastically opulent, totally in your face, and utterly breathtaking. We will not see its like again.

Read more
Ferrari’s SF90 Stradale, its most powerful road car ever, is a plug-in hybrid
Ferrari SF90 Stradale

Previous

Next

Read more
The 6 best car phone holders in 2024
Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger with an iPhone 14 Pro.

Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Installing a car phone mount in your vehicle is the best way to make sure that you have easy access to your smartphone when behind the wheel. While you shouldn't be using your phone while driving, having it mounted on your windshield, dashboard, vent, or anywhere else will let you take a quick glance when you're using a navigation app, or to change your playlist when you stop for a traffic light, for example. Instead of having to pick up your device, it will be easier and faster to get these done while it's on a car phone mount for less time of having your eyes off the road.

Read more