Skoda Superb, The 2009 car of the EU?

The Skoda Superb has no doubt carried heads of state around many times before - heads of state have nights out and need taxis home like everybody else. But please - a Skoda state car? This must have been an accident? Maybe Czech President Vaclav Klaus asked his secretary to get him a Skoda estate car for a trip to Ikea one Friday afternoon. Imagine his horror when a fleet of Skoda Superbs turn up on Monday, having been ordered in his name as official transport for the Czechoslovakian nation's stint at the helm of the EU in 2009.

But worse things have happened. It's true that the Czechs take the EU Presidency in 2009, so in a display of moving national solidarity - or stupidity, depending on which way you look at it - the Czechoslovakian Government has ordered no less than 54 new Skoda Superbs to carry it and other EU bureaucrats from lunch meeting to lunch meeting next year.

Still, the new Superb is a huge leap over its 'sub-par VW taxi' predecessor. It's high quality, capacious and good looking - all qualities associated with the outgoing car to a greater or lesser extent, though all imbued into the new version in much greater measure. It's a car the Czechs can be proud of, and it's certainly a more forward thinking choice than a big old Jag or Bentley - and it's got loads of room to stretch out in and take a nap after all that policy meeting foie gras. Plus, if all else fails, Czech ministers can escort their guests toward the Superb's rear and woo them with its witchcraft boot configuration, which is simultaneously a saloon boot and a hatchback.

Interestingly, someone from Skoda is quoted as saying the following about the EU fleet: “Skoda Auto considers this cooperation a prestigious issue and a good opportunity to present this year's novelty among the EU top representatives." This year's novelty? Hmm... We though that was Cheryl Cole.

Mark Nichol

Tuesday November 11