The History of Škoda
Škoda was founded in 1895 by Laurin and Klement - it’s one of the oldest car manufacturers. The company started making bicycles and then moved on to creating motorcycles. The first Škoda motorcycle was called the ‘Motocyclette’ and was powered by an engine mounted on the handlebars, but was considered unsafe. The ‘Slavia’ motorcycle was created shortly afterwards and exports to London began.
By 1905, Škoda started to build cars. The first model was called Voiturette A (pictured to the right). Using a water-cooled two-cylinder side-valve engine with 7bhp, it managed a top speed of around 25mph and could seat two. The Voiturette A was priced at 3,600 Czech Koruna and was enough of a hit to warrant a second Škoda vehicle: 1907’s much larger, more powerful Type FF, with a 44bhp eight-cylinder engine.
In 1925, the first car to be properly called a Škoda – and the last to wear the Laurin & Klement badge – the original 110. The next few models such as the Škoda-Hispano Suiza and Škoda 860, made the Škoda name.
Škoda began to branch out into the global market and by the sixties was selling its cars in over 60 countries.
Škoda Logo
The many milestones of the company have often been marked by a change of logo, and in some cases, company name. And whilst the Škoda badge has changed on ten occasions, the core elements have remained unchanged since the early 1920s. See more here.
Škoda and Listers
In 2011, Listers opened its first Škoda site in Coventry.