Skoda marks its anniversary with racy Fabia 130 hot hatch

Tuned 174bhp supermini celebrates Czech manufacturer's 130th birthday

- Alastair Crooks

WEEKS after we caught the car testing on the Nürburgring in Germany, Skoda has taken the wraps off its hot new Fabia 130 – a spicy hatchback that serves as a birthday present for the Czech company’s 130th anniversary.

Priced at £29,995 with orders opening on 30 October, the Skoda Fabia 130 is based on the current £24,290 Monte Carlo model – but comes with a host of performance-focused upgrades to help transform it into a rival for the likes of the MINI Cooper S and Volkswagen Polo GTI.

Given that no vRS hot-hatch version of the current Fabia is offered, the 130 is positioned as the range-topper of the supermini’s lineup and splits these two above rivals on price, although the Polo does offer 199bhp and the MINI 201bhp.