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This is what a 21st-century Skoda coupe would look like

Skoda Atero concept
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Volkswagen’s Czech Republic-based Škoda division has introduced an eye-catching, one-of-a-kind concept that pays a discreet homage to its past. Dubbed Atero, the design study was developed and built by the carmaker’s apprentices.

The Atero started life as a regular-production Rapid Spaceback, a four-door hatchback sold largely in Europe that’s roughly the same size as a Volkswagen Golf. 26 young apprentices moved the C-pillar back by a couple of inches, welded in the rear doors, and gave the coupe a fast-sloping roof line that’s accented by a red spoiler. The sleek new silhouette is reminiscent of the rear-engined coupes built by Škoda from the 1970s to the early 1990s.

The Rapid’s front end has been modified with new headlights, a more muscular-looking bumper that features large air dams and red inserts, and illuminated vents cut into the hood. 18-inch alloy wheels borrowed from the bigger Octavia RS add a finishing touch to the sporty look. Interior photos aren’t available, but Škoda tells us that the coupe features red ambient lighting and an 1,800-watt sound system that plays through no less than 14 speakers. All told, the Atero took Škoda’s apprentices 1,700 hours to design and build.

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Beneath the sheet metal, the Atero is standard Rapid fare. Power is provided by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that sends about 125 horsepower to the front wheels via a dual-clutch automatic transmission controlled by shift paddles. The drivetrain is borrowed from the Volkswagen parts bin, but performance specifications haven’t been announced.

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Read more: Škoda’s one-off Fabia pickup might be the most practical city car ever built

Sorry, Škoda fans, but the Atero is a one-off model designed to show what the company’s apprentices are capable of, and it won’t join the rest of the lineup as a regular-production model any time soon. In fact, Škoda hasn’t dabbled in the coupe segment in decades, and executives have shown absolutely no interest in building another two-door model for the foreseeable future.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
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