Vision 75 previews Skoda's new look

EXCLUSIVE Seven-seat concept sets the scene for forthcoming MEB models

- John Mcllroy

SKODA has enjoyed great success with its first bespoke EV, the Enyaq iV - and now the Czech manufacturer is showing its vision for an even bigger zero-emissions model that seats up to seven people, as well as revealing a fresh brand identity.

Called Vision 7S, this new concept car previews an electric SUV that will be part of Skoda's ambitious plan to expand its current EV range with three further models by 2026. It's larger than the Enyaq, and is being presented in a 'six-plus-one' layout, with three rows of two and a baby seat mounted on top of a central 'spine' that runs down the centre of the cabin.

The most obvious evidence of Skoda's new brand identity comes at the front end, where the company's design team, led by Oliver Stefani, has introduced a solid plastic panel that replaces the conventional grille required for combustion-engined cars. Skoda is calling the feature the "Tech Deck" because it is used to house the myriad sensors needed for driving assistance systems. It sits between ultra-slim, vertical headlights that are going to be a key part of Skoda's SUV design in the future.

The bonnet has an inverted power dome - a play, in a way, on the fact that there's no conventional engine beneath it - and its leading edge features Skoda's new corporate identity, with the name spelt out in painted lettering instead of the traditional 3D-chrome badge.