Skoda 110 R reborn as sports coupé EV

Skoda has revived its iconic 110 R as an all-electric sports coupé concept as part of the Czech car manufacturer’s 130th birthday celebrations.

Penned by Škoda designer Richard Švec, the Skoda 110 R EV adopts the brand’s new ‘Modern Solid’ design language, which was introduced with the award-winning Elroq and then applied to the updated Enyaq earlier this year.

The original 110 R – nicknamed the ‘Erko’ – was produced at Škoda’s Kvasiny plant from 1970 to 1980 and came with a rear-mounted air-cooled engine paired with a rear-wheel drive drivetrain. Weighing in at just 880kg and designed with aerodynamic efficiency in mind, the 110 R powered on to a top speed of 90mph.

Thanks to its then-relatively sporty credentials, the 110 R also served a the basis for the Skoda 200 RS – the first car to wear the Skoda ‘RS’ badge – and its successor, the rally and European Touring Car Championship-winning 130 RS.

The ‘new’ Skoda 110 R EV incorporates a ‘Modern Solid’ interpretation of its predecessor’s uncluttered design, and adds 130 RS-inspired flared fenders, centre-lock wheels, and ribbed hood. As a further nod to the 110 R’s motorsport heritage, the 110 R EV gets a rollcage inside.

To avoid pushing “the design too far into retro territory”, Švec has dropped the round headlights of the original car. Instead, he has integrated Skoda’s new ‘Tech-loop’ lighting signature, which debuted on the Škoda Vision O concept at the Munich Motor Show.

At the front end of the Skoda 110 R EV there is an illuminated Skoda logo, while all necessary sensors and vertical LED daytime running lights are integrated into a contrasting black panel.

At the rear, another standalone illuminated Skoda logo becomes the distinctive centrepiece of the tail panel. The updated Skoda logo also appears on the aerodynamic wheel covers and even in the rear windows.

Beneath the electrified Skoda 110 R’s rear windows sit two air inlets reminiscent of those fitted to its air-cooled forebarer. Like the original, these visually-updated inlets are designed to cool the battery and other electrical components.

According to the designer, “the absence of a large cooling system allowed me to keep the concept’s shapes and surfaces as clean as possible”. No further technical details were provided.

The Skoda 110 R concept is the latest in a line of landmark vehicles from Škoda’s past, which have been redefined as EVs using the ‘Modern Solid’ design philosophy. Other concepts from this series include the Slavia B bike, the Felicia Fun pick-up truck, and the Favorit hatchback.

Throughout this run of EVs, Skoda has maintained that each one remains a concept and will not make it to production. Unfortunately.