The sporty looking Skoda Slavia Monte Carlo was recently launched at a price of Rs 15.79 lakh to Rs 18.49 lakh (ex-showroom, pan-India). This new special edition of Slavia has several blacked-out elements like the grille and alloy wheels, while the interior has been given a new colour scheme.
Skoda Slavia Monte Carlo Exterior
Before we go to the laps, let’s see what changes have been made over the standard Slavia to make it a Monte Carlo. Gloss black has become synonymous with being sporty and the Skoda Slavia Monte Carlo gets a lot of such treatment on the outside. The front grille, elements in the front bumper, alloys, wing mirrors, roof, window line, rear diffusor, boot-lid spoiler and badging are all finished in black, and give it a nice contrast against the red or white colour available on the Monte Carlo.
The Skoda Slavia Monte Carlo’s highlights are the smoked-out tail-lamps and glossy black side skirts and badges on the front fenders. However, Skoda has not given the Slavia the stylish 17-inch ‘Vega’ dual-tone alloys and red brake calipers that the Kushaq Monte Carlo gets. A lower ride height, which would have involved some mechanical work, is not part of the Monte Carlo’s menu.
Interior, Features and Safety
The interior is completely blacked out and gets red trim inserts on the dashboard. The 8-inch digital driver display too gets a red theme to complement the new special edition. The pedals now have a metal finish.
Talking about the seats, they have black leatherette upholstery with red inserts and stitching of the same color. This red stitching has also been applied to the front center armrest and door pads. ‘Monte Carlo‘ embossing has been given on both the front and rear headrests, while ‘Monte Carlo’ scuff plates have been given on the doors.
How was the performance on the track
We got a chance to test Smarcoda’s Monte Carlo Axiom at the Buddh International Circuit. Although time was limited, the car was driven on a track where driving it in international director events like Formula 1 and Moto GP was an exciting experience. We have introduced its 1.5 kW and 7 stats DSG transmission variant on the track.
The paddle shifters were used very well on the track. During this time we also got a chance to test the handling and braking of the car. Along with high speed, the car also performed well on the turns. Even when turning at high speed, the car remained completely under control and stability was also maintained. On the track, we tested it at a comfortable speed of around 165 to 168 kmph. At such high speeds, the car remains in control even when braking hard.
Powertrain
The Skoda Slavia Monte Carlo Edition comes with both a 1-litre turbo-petrol engine (115 PS/ 178 Nm) and a 1.5-litre engine (150 PS/250 Nm). The smaller engine comes with both a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic transmission, while the 1.5-litre engine is only available with a 7-speed DCT.
Pricing and Rivals
The Skoda Slavia Monte Carlo is priced between Rs 15.79 lakh and Rs 18.49 lakh (introductory ex-showroom, all-India). It rivals other compact sedans like the Honda City, Hyundai Verna, Maruti Ciaz and Volkswagen Virtus.
