The retractable “Skoda” badge on the bonnet is the most prominent customization among the others.
Skoda Auto Volkswagen India (SAVWIPL), which oversees the five Volkswagen Group brands in India — Skoda, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, and Lamborghini — has announced the launch of the country’s first-ever student car program.
The SKoda Rapid sedan has a distinctive cabriolet version that was developed by a select group of students in the Group Academy’s Dual Vocational Training in Mechatronics program. Students can apply their theoretical knowledge in a real-world setting through this project, which gives them practical experience in the automotive industry.
“This initiative reflects our commitment to nurturing talent and promoting innovation in the Indian automotive industry,” said Piyush Arora, managing director and CEO of Skoda Auto Volkswagen India. Such initiatives also provide a chance for the realization of futuristic concepts through the construction of prototypes with unconventional thinking and no fear of failure.
The mechatronics students built a SKoda Rapid into a cabriolet as part of an innovative car project. Although transforming a typical hard-top car into a roofless work of art was not an easy task, the students were committed to finishing the project on schedule and to perfection.
The retractable “Skoda” badge on the bonnet stands out among the other customizations the most. At the push of a button, the “winged arrow” hood ornament gracefully rises from the bonnet and falls back inside. To further the sporty look, they also added stylish LED lip lighting to the front bonnet. The project car also receives an illuminated ‘Skoda’ logo on the boot-lid to give it a distinctive look. The fully loaded black accessories package with a yellow catch radium flow character line and yellow-painted brake calipers is one of many other sporty details.
The students replaced the stock radio with a more contemporary touchscreen infotainment system to give the cabin a more upscale feel. But more importantly, because the cabriolet lacks a B-pillar where the seatbelts are normally mounted, they had to incorporate the belt into the front seat. High-quality scarlet-red leather has been expertly crafted into the seats themselves. And to guarantee a thrilling experience, the factory-installed exhaust was changed out for a sporty exhaust system that can send chills down your spine at the slightest throttle blip.
At SKoda Auto Volkswagen India, Group Head of HR and Administration Sarma Chillara said, “With a focus on practical learning and skill-building, our mechatronics program is tailored to empower students with the tools and expertise needed to thrive in the fast-paced automotive industry.”
The Azubi Student Car Project at the Koda Academy is currently in its ninth iteration, despite being the first student car project by SKoda Auto Volkswagen India internationally. The goal of this full-time, 3.5-year course, which was imported from Germany, is to cultivate school-leavers’ talents for leadership positions.
The Student Car Program is being formalized by SAVWIPL Academy and will now be part of the curriculum for students as a project. Every year, there will be one cycle of projects in the program, and the criteria for choosing students will be enhanced to increase competition.