Skoda’s sporty Octavia RS is still the Farmer’s Ferrari, but has it lost its edge?

The Skoda Octavia was something close to God-sent when it first arrived in 1998, at least as far as Irish drivers were concerned. Secure in the knowledge that it was essentially a VW Golf underneath (VW had bought out Skoda in the post-communist euphoria of a newly free Czechoslovakia) but equally knowing that it came with a bigger boot and a smaller price tag. Well frankly, what’s not to like?

The Octavia became an instant strong seller in Ireland, and popular with hard-working types. There’s still a second-generation 2007 Octavia knocking around that has more than a million kilometres on its odometer, proving that with a little maintenance and care, a humble Skoda could threaten mighty Toyota when it came to longevity.

When it came to fun, the Skoda Octavia was a more obvious threat. That first-generation Octavia RS has gone down in legend, becoming known as the Farmer’s Ferrari.

Last year, we had to wave goodbye to one branch of the Octavia RS, when the production of the diesel-engined version came to an end.