Since 2013, Skoda is treating us with interesting one-off concepts created by students at the Škoda Vocational School. The latest member of the family is the Skoda Afriq, a rally version of the Kamiq, with a modified body, an AWD powertrain sourced from the Octavia, and a cool device that extracts drinking water from the air.
The Skoda Afriq is the eighth concept car
from the apprentice program and the only one that took two academic years to
complete due to pandemic-related restrictions. The Skoda Kamiq was chosen as a
base for the project, with the students transforming it into a rally car after
four months and 2,000 hours of work. Note that the name Afriq was chosen as a
nod to North African markets, where Skoda is responsible for the VW Group
activities.
The humble Kamiq has been converted to a
three-door SUV and received wide front and rear fenders, a rally-style front
splitter, extra LED lights mounted on the bonnet, a roof scoop, a
center-mounted exhaust pipe, and a large carbon fiber rear wing. Like many of
the aforementioned components, the white and green Skoda livery has been taken
from the Fabia Rally2 Evo. Finally, a set of 16-inch Dotz 4×4 wheels with
grippy tires in combination with the increased ground clearance completes the exterior
looks.
Unlike the Karoq and Kodiaq which are
available in AWD variants, the smaller member of the ICE-powered Skoda SUV
range comes exclusively in FWD flavor. This setup wouldn’t be fitting for a
rally car, so the students came up with another transplant idea, sourcing the
entire powertrain from an AWD Skoda Octavia. In order to fit the new powertrain
into the smaller platform, the engine and gearbox were tweaked, and the exhaust
system was modified.
The Afriq comes fitted with a
turbocharged 2.0-liter TSI petrol engine producing 188 hp of
power and 320 Nm of torque, sending power to all four wheels
through a seven-speed DSG transmission. While we would prefer to see its more
powerful version from the Octavia RS, the regular 2.0 TSI is still a welcome
upgrade over the road-going Kamiq’s 1.0 TSI and 1.5 TSI units, especially when
you consider the lower weight of 1,350 kg (2,976 pounds).
Moving inside, the cozy atmosphere of the
production-spec Kamiq is gone, replaced by a motorsport-oriented cabin. The
covered dashboard, bucket seats, six-point seatbelts, and steering wheel are
sourced directly from the Fabia Rally2 Evo, while a full roll cage and a fire
extinguishing system have been added for safety. The students have also added a
navigation system by Garmin. Millennials will appreciate the fact that two
cameras with microphones can record the driving experience, allowing them to
share it on social media.
The ultimate tech highlight of the
interior though is the water generator unit from the Israeli company Watergen.
The device extracts drinking water from the humidity in the atmosphere. This
means that the driver and co-driver always have fresh, filtered, and
mineralized water available on demand, through a water dispenser on the
dashboard. No need to stop for a refill then. Just like previous concept cars
from the apprentice program, the Skoda Afriq is not destined for production and
will remain a one-off. However, if you have a Kamiq sitting in your garage, you
can fantasize about getting the same upgrades, transforming it into a beefed-up
off-road warrior.
