The Škoda Rapid is a

mid-size car Mid-size—also known as intermediate—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars. "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in ...

that was made in Czechoslovakia by

Škoda Škoda means "pity" in the Czech and Slovak languages. It may also refer to: Czech brands and enterprises * Škoda Auto, automobile and previously bicycle manufacturer in Mladá Boleslav ** Škoda Motorsport, the division of Škoda Auto responsi ...

from 1935 to 1947. Škoda had first applied the "Rapid" name to a version of its 1,195 cc Popular Type 920 made in 1934–35. From 1935, however, it transferred the name to a new, larger model. The Rapid Type 901 has a 1,386 cc

sidevalve A flathead engine, also known as a sidevalve engine''American Rodder'', 6/94, pp.45 & 93. or valve-in-block engine, is an internal combustion engine with its poppet valves contained within the engine block, instead of in the cylinder head, as ...

engine and was built 1935–38. It was succeeded by the Rapid OHV (Type 922) which has a 1,558 cc

overhead valve engine An overhead valve engine, abbreviated (OHV) and sometimes called a pushrod engine, is a piston engine whose valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with flathead (or "sidevalve") engines, where the v ...

and was built 1938–47. There was a six-cylinder sister model, the

Škoda Rapid Six The Škoda Rapid Six was a car manufactured by Škoda Auto, Skoda in 1935. The larger sister model of the Škoda Rapid (1935–47), Škoda Rapid, the two-door Coupé, coupe had a streamlined body in wood-steel hybrid construction. Only four such car ...

(Type 910), with a 1,961 cc engine, which was launched in 1935. In 1984 Škoda revived the "Rapid" name for the

Rapid Rapid(s) or RAPID may refer to: Hydrological features * Rapids, sections of a river with turbulent water flow * Rapid Creek (Iowa River tributary), Iowa, United States * Rapid Creek (South Dakota), United States, namesake of Rapid City Sport ...

version of the

Škoda Type 742 The Škoda Type 742 and 746 is a family of rear-engined, rear-wheel drive small family car, produced by car manufacturer Škoda Auto, AZNP in Mladá Boleslav, Czechoslovakia between 1976 and 1990. The original models were the Škoda 105 and Škoda ...

(120/130). Since 2010, the company has also used the name on a succession of models built in its factory at

Pune Pune ( ; , ISO 15919, ISO: ), previously spelled in English as Poona (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1978), is a city in the state of Maharashtra in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan plateau in Western ...

in India.

Concept

In the 1930s Škoda introduced a new range of cars with a

backbone chassis Backbone tube chassis is a type of automobile construction chassis that is similar to the body-on-frame design. Instead of a two-dimensional Vehicle frame#Ladder Frame, ladder-type structure, it consists of a strong tubular backbone (usually re ...

and all-round

independent suspension Independent suspension is any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically (i.e. reacting to a bump on the road) independently of the others. This is contrasted with a beam axle or deDion axle system in ...

. The backbone design was aimed to solve the lack of torsional stiffness in the

ladder frame A vehicle frame, also historically known as its ''chassis'', is the main supporting structure of a motor vehicle to which all other components are attached, comparable to the skeleton of an organism. Until the 1930s, virtually every car had ...

of previous models. The chassis was developed under the leadership of chief engineer

Vladimír Matouš Vladimir (, , pre-1918 orthography: ) is a masculine given name of Slavic origin, widespread throughout all Slavic nations in different forms and spellings. The earliest record of a person with the name is Vladimir of Bulgaria (). Etymology ...

and derived from one designed by

Hans Ledwinka Hans Ledwinka (14 February 1878 – 2 March 1967) was an Austrian automobile designer. Youth Ledwinka was born in Klosterneuburg (Lower Austria), near Vienna, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He started his career as a mechanic, a ...

for Tatra. The first models in the new range were the Popular

compact car Compact car is a vehicle size class—predominantly used in North America—that sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars. "Small family car" is a British term and a part of the C-segment in the European car classification. However, before ...

in 1934, followed by the Superb

full-size car Full-size car—also known as large car—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than mid-size cars. It is the largest size class for cars. In the United Kingdom, this class is referred to as ...

. The mid-range Rapid was added in 1935. It was followed by the Favorit in 1936.

Type 901

Paris - Retromobile 2012 - Skoda Rapid II - 001

The Rapid Type 901 (later Type 914) had a four-cylinder 1,386 cc, sidevalve engine and ATE- Lockheed brakes. It had a top speed of and its fuel consumption was between nine and 10 litres per 100 km. The choice of bodies offered included a two-door saloon, four-door saloon and two-door, four-seat convertible. There was also a commercial van version.

Type 922

Škoda revised the engine and in 1938 launched the Type 922, which it marketed as the Rapid OHV. It had enlarged the engine to 1,558 cc and given it overhead valves, which increased power to , although top speed remained . The new model's fuel consumption was 10 litres per 100 km. The choice of bodies included two-door and four-door saloons. In 1938 Škoda launched a streamlined version of the 1,558 cc Rapid OHV with a new

aerodynamic Aerodynamics () is the study of the motion of atmosphere of Earth, air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dynamics and its subfield of gas dynamics, and is an ...

two-door saloon body. It bears a strong resemblance to the streamlined four-door body that Škoda built for its Type 935 prototypes in 1935–38.

References

Sources

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Skoda Favorit Automobiles with backbone chassis Cars introduced in 1935

Cars discontinued in 1947