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Skoda launched the 2020 Rapid recently in the Indian market. The brand’s entry-level sedan falls in the price bracket of Rs 7.49 lakh - Rs 13.29 lakhs (ex-showroom). Recently, Skoda Rapid with a temporary number plate was spotted refueling at a CNG fuel station in Pune. Spy shots for the same have been leaked online. This has further given rise to speculations that the automaker might introduce the sedan with a factory-fitted CNG kit in the Indian market. Currently, the India-spec Skoda Rapid is available only with 1.0-litre TSI turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine. The engine churns out 108 bhp power @5500 rpm and 175 peak torque @1750 rpm. The motor is linked to a 6-speed manual transmission along with a 6-speed torque converter gearbox as an option.
The 1.0-litre TSI petrol unit with CNG is found in several VW group cars in Europe. We can expect the same in India. In the European market, the petrol-only variant generates 110 bhp power while the CNG version produces 90 bhp. Thus, as you can see there is a slight decrease in power output. Furthermore, it could appeal to those who want a more fuel-efficient and cleaner sedan. The test mule spotted at the CNG station in the country was not under camouflage. Apart from the mechanical updates, no other changes have been observed. The upcoming Skoda Rapid CNG variant is likely to come equipped with the same features that are currently being offered on the petrol-only models.
The 2020 Skoda Rapid is offered in a total of six variants namely Rider, Rider Plus, Ambition, Onyx, Style, and Monte Carlo. We can expect the entry-level Rider and Rider Plus trims of the sedan to get the CNG option. Furthermore, the petrol-only Rapid competes with the likes of Hyundai Verna, Honda City, Maruti Ciaz, and Volkswagen Vento in its segment. As of now, none of these Rapid’s segment rivals are offered with factory-fitted CNG option.
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