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On February 14, the Skoda brand of Volkswagen Group released a new Mingrui official picture. As a medium-term revamped model, the new car is available in four configuration versions: Essence, Selection, Sportline and RS, and adopts a new design style, including the front face and interior decoration, and provides a variety of 1.5T, 1.5T light mix, 2.0T power options. As a comparison, the price range of bright sharp PRO currently on sale in China is 143900-154900 yuan.

In terms of appearance, the new car continues to use the family-style front grille, but the internal structure of the headlights has changed obviously, and the daylight on the inside continues to extend downward, forming an acute angle design. The headlight group and the central grille blend with each other, making the overall line more vigorous and more athletic. Among them, the RS version of the new car is standard with the second generation LED matrix beam headlights, with 36 independent matrix units inside, while the Selection and Sportline can be optional. In addition, the front enclosure of the new car is also changed to a penetrating style design, so as to broaden the visual width, and redesign the ventilation hole area on both sides and the transition area from the front enclosure to the wheel arch.

On the side of the body, the overall layout of the new car has not changed much. It continues to be equipped with regular styling door handles, new styling rims, 3 kinds of ordinary solid color car paint and 7 kinds of metal paint options, and new 16-inch silver Matar rims, 17-inch black Slagard rims, 18-inch Lerna rims and 19-inch Elias rims for the RS version. In terms of size, the length of the new car body is increased from 9mm to 4698mm. In the rear part, the rear bumper of the new car has been replaced with a new style, and the internal structure of the taillight has also been adjusted, and the width lamp has been changed to three displays, which is closer to the design of Audi A4.

In the interior part, the new car also has a significant improvement compared with the old model, with a minimum configuration of 10-inch LCD meter and 10-inch central control screen, and can be upgraded to 13-inch central control screen. The car provides 15W wireless charging and 45W USB-C charging interface, equipped with a brand new keyless, which can automatically unlock or lock the vehicle within 1.5m of the vehicle.

In terms of power, the two 1.5TSI engines have maximum power of 85kW (115hp) and 110kW (150hp) and peak torque of 220Nm and 250Nm respectively. 48V light hybrid version is available and the transmission system matches a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed double clutch transmission. Two 2.0TSI engines are mainly provided for the four-wheel drive version and RS models. The maximum power of the four-wheel drive 2.0T engine is 150kW (204hp) and the peak torque is 320Nm. The RS version of the 2.0T engine has a maximum power of 195kW (265hp) and a peak torque of 370Nm, an increase of 20 horsepower like the Golf GTI.

Although Skoda is one of the four oldest automakers in the world, it was not until 2006 that Skoda began to make China. Skoda became the third brand of Volkswagen Group to launch production in China after Volkswagen and Audi. In April 2005, coach KODA AUTO partnered with Shanghai Volkswagen Co., Ltd., and in September of the following year, the KODA brand was put into production in Shanghai Volkswagen and announced its Chinese name Skoda.

So far, Skoda's models on sale include Mingrui, Xinrui, Komick, Kroc and Kodiak. Among them, Mingrui, once a popular model under SAIC Skoda, was listed in China in June 2007 and has gone through four generations of models so far. The official map launched this time is the mid-term revamped model of the fourth generation Ming Rui.

At the beginning of the listing of Mingrui, with its atmospheric appearance and solid workmanship, it was sought after by consumers and became a popular model in the joint venture car market. Before 2019, Mingrui had launched several replacement models, and its performance in the market was also commendable. After entering 2019, Skoda brand began to decline in China brand power, and Ming Rui's sales also declined sharply. Especially after entering 2020, Mingrui's sales have entered a low ebb, with sales of 26110 vehicles in 2020 and monthly sales of only about 3000 vehicles.

In order to change the status quo, the new generation of bright sharp listed in May 2021, and changed its name to "bright sharp Pro", the price range is 12.49-157900 yuan. The 1.5L naturally aspirated engine was cancelled and the 1.4T turbocharged engine was replaced with the maximum power 110kW and maximum torque 250N.m, matched with a 7-speed double clutch transmission. However, after the official listing of the new generation of Mingrui, the old Mingrui did not withdraw from the market and still launched a modified model, that is to say, the Mingrui model adopts the mode of selling both new and old models.

SAIC Volkswagen Kodak sold 22809 vehicles in 2023, down 47.53 per cent from 43470 in 2022, according to retail data. Among the subdivided models, the top three models were Cormick, Mingrui and Kodiak, with sales of 7173, 3820 and 3384 respectively. From the analysis of sales data, Skoda's performance in the domestic market is still not optimistic.

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