Skoda Laura vRS: First Drive

It already had the go and now Skoda has added the much needed show as well. India's most performance focused has finally been unleashed. Say hello to the Skoda Laura vRS! Reading novels was never my thing, however there are always some narratives which become an absolute must read. For me it was “The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. Ever since I read it in my younger days I was completely besotted by it. The whole notion regarding the split personality bit wherein within the same person there are two distinct personalities had me captivated to no end. In fact the novels impact is such that it has become a part of the language, with the phrase “Jekyll and Hyde” coming to mean a person who is vastly different in moral character from one situation to the next. But my reference here is not a person but the all new Skoda Laura vRS. Now before we delve into the cars character lets take a look at a little vRS history. The Skoda Octavia became a popular car since its inception, however it was the diesel sold in higher numbers primarily because the petrol motor wasn’t upto the mark. That’s when Skoda unleashed the Octavia with the magical vRS badge. With a stonking 1.8 litre turbocharged mill pumping out 150 PS, stiffer suspension set-up and a hot looking body-kit, the vRS was the enthusiasts dream. While there were other fast cars too, none were as focused as this Skoda. With the new Laura taking the older Octavia’s place there were a lot of people awaiting the vRS badge. And although a little late, it’s finally here. The Laura in TSI guise was already a brilliant car and now in vRS trim it’s even better than brilliant. While there is good news as far as the exteriors and interiors are concerned the news on the engine is…well, good and bad. Skoda haven’t touched the engine at all so those expecting the 2.0 TSI with the superb DSG gearbox will be disappointed, however, the 1.8 TSI unit was an exceptional engine in the first place and hence its not a bad thing either. In fact the standard Laura TSI looked a little to staid for that engine. Now in the vRS avatar it finally has the show to match the go. To add to the show, the Laura vRS now comes with a sportier front bumper with an integrated lip spoiler which comes with fog lights of a different design as well. There are also the twin spoke alloys which look absolutely fab. Then there is the boot spoiler which is a must for a car with any sort of sporty intentions. The exhaust tips too are now polished twin pipes and definitely look the part.