Škoda Afriq, the apprentices of the Czech brand transform the Kamiq into a rally car

For several years now, Škoda has run a fine initiative in which it hands its apprentices the responsibility of showing all their talent and what they have learned by letting their imagination run free, taking one of the models in the Czech brand’s range as a base and turning it into whatever vehicle they want. Once again, the Škoda apprentice school has rolled up its sleeves and here presents its new creation, the Škoda Afriq.

The Škoda Afriq is something completely different from what we used to be accustomed to, resulting in a creation oriented toward the world of rallying and, more specifically, paying tribute to the Dakar, a competition in which Škoda has also taken part. Moreover, since this is a rally vehicle, Škoda Motorsport has become involved as never before in helping the apprentices, both with its knowledge and with its components, and the Afriq inherits numerous components from the Fabia Rally2 evo.

The base used for this project is the Kamiq, a model that had to undergo several bodywork modifications to be turned into a rally car. To achieve this, the apprentices needed the body to be even more rigid, so they began welding the rear doors, from which the roll cage was directly connected. A ventilation intake has been installed on the roof, along with other components on which Škoda Motorsport has a lot to say, since elements such as the rear spoiler, the front auxiliary lights and the quick-release fasteners for the bonnet and tailgate come from the Fabia Rally2 evo.

These will not be the only elements we find from the Fabia Rally2 evo in the Škoda Afriq, since the competition seats with six-point safety harnesses, the steering wheel and the dashboard are exactly the same as those fitted to the official rally car. In addition, the apprentices have also thought of numerous details, benefiting from a fire extinguishing system with nozzles spread throughout the cabin, a navigation system prepared for rallies, a water generator from the company Watergen that extracts drinking water from atmospheric air, and a pair of cameras to record all the action taking place inside during a rally.

Mechanically, the Škoda Afriq uses the four-cylinder 2.0 TSI engine producing 190 CV, together with a torque figure of 320 Nm inherited from the Octavia, as is the 7-speed DSG transmission that sends power to all four wheels, which, incidentally, use 15-inch OZ Racing alloy wheels, finishing with an exhaust system that has been entirely modified to suit both the new bodywork and the Afriq’s new underbody.

But this task of installing the Octavia 4×4’s transmission in the Afriq has required quite extensive modifications to the underbody. Because the Octavia’s engine is larger, it was necessary to modify the front axle, engine and transmission mounts; it also features a new multi-link rear axle, for which a component from the rear of the Octavia was adapted to accommodate the mounts, and the Octavia’s two-piece fuel tank had to be used so the axle could be fitted, also modifying the filler neck and the opening of the tank itself. Finally, the driveshaft was shortened to fit it to the Afriq, and the gearbox and exhaust system were also modified to save space.

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverSkoda Kamiq9 versions · from 28,600 €