The Volkswagen Group’s annual GTI-Treffen festival on the shores of Lake Wörthersee in Austria may be named for VW’s iconic tuned Golf, but by now – in its 30th rendition – it’s turned into a multi-marque celebration of the hot hatch. Case in point: the A1 Clubsport Quattro concept unveiled there this year byAudi. And now Skoda has joined in on the action with a hatch-based custom of its own.

To create the dramatic Fabia RS 2000 concept you see here, Skoda has taken its existing Fabia RS hot hatch, lopped off the roof and fitted a widebody kit housing 18-inch powder-coated alloys for a stance similar to its S2000 rally counterpart. The brightwork has also been blacked out, the open-air cabin fitted with four individual buckets with racing harnesses and carbon-fiber trim, and the hood louvered to vent the 200+hp 2.0-liter twin-turbo four.

All in all, a rather dramatic take on a bread-and-butter hatchback that blends the best of a road-going rally car with a four-door convertible. But while its occupants may enjoy the wind in their hair, the Wörthersee show stand is about probably as much daylight as this concept will ever see. Have a closer look in the high-res image gallery and the press release after the jump.

Some terms we use in the automotive lexicon are absolute. Others are relative. Take “subtle” for example. Most wouldn’t call painting a car bright red “subtle”, but when you compare it to the last rally-edition SkodaFabia we reported on, that’s exactly what this is. Whereas the S2000 edition Fabia vRS sported full livery taken from the company’s IRC-winning S2000 Fabia, this one’s decidedly more low-key, but not without its dose of flair.

The Monte Carlo edition celebrates 100 years of the namesake rally – and 110 years of Skoda’s motorsport program – with a red and black paint scheme. While the body is painted bright red, everything else has been blacked out, from the roof to the 17″ alloys, including the mirror housings, grille and smoked headlamps. The red and black theme continues inside with either black or red and black seats, complemented by black roofliner, and color-keyed steering wheel, shifter and handbrake lever.

Based on the SE specification and available with a range of engines from 1.2 to 1.6 liters, the Fabia Monte Carlo will make its debut at the Monegasque rally later this month. Details after the jump with photos in the gallery below.

The refreshed Octavia, which is essentially Skoda’s (better) take on the VW Jetta, has received new engine and transmission options for 2010. In particular, both the liftback and estate versions are now offered with a new, downsized 1.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder TSI gasoline engine with direct-injection while the 1.6 TDI CR 105HP diesel models can now be equipped with the VW Group’s DSG dual-clutch transmission.

The 1.2-liter TSI produces 105 horsepower and can be matted to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed DSG dual clutch transmission.

It propels the hatch from zero to 62mph (100km/h) in 10.8 seconds (Estate: 10.9 seconds) while returning a combined fuel economy of 49.6mpg UK, which is equal to 41.3mpg US and 5.7 lt/100km (Estate: 48.6mpg UK).

In the UK, prices for the Octavia 1.2 TSI start from £12,935 for the liftback and from £13,835 for the Estate.

SKODA announced on its official website that is going to preview its all new compact MPV, Roomster, at the Geneva Motor Show that opens its gates to the crowd. Based on the VW Polo – Skoda Fabia platform, the Roomster will retain the controversial style of the prototype.

VOILÀ! This is Skoda’s proposition in the popular compact MPV category. Although the Roomster production model holds the same name as the concept unveiled , its styling is less attractive and adventurous, and reminding us the Mercedes A-Class based Viano. Among others, the production model has lost the Saab style roof line and gained one more door on the driver’s side compared to the Roomster Concept as you can see in the pictures above.
The model range will include among others, 1,4, 1,6 and 2,0 litre MPI & FSI engines. According to sources in the VW Group, the Roomster will give birth to a crossover model based once again on a concept

Škoda Auto presents the first official picture of the new Škoda Roomster that is going to become the fourth model family. Not only does the Škoda Roomster represent the Škoda brand’s step towards a new market segment, but also a step towards a new development stage.