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Mladá Boleslav, 20 August 2014 – ŠKODA is at the starting line of this year's Sachsen Classic with no fewer than eight legendary cars from its 119-year company history. The rolling classic phalanx from Mladá Boleslav ranges from the 1925 Laurin & Klement 110 to the legendary 1978 ŠKODA 110 R sports coupé.

Besides passing the most beautiful landscapes of Saxony again, this year the 12th Sachsen Classic (21 to 23 August) will also go into Czech territory. For this reason, four additional historic ŠKODAs can be seen in Karlsbad (Karlovy Vary). This includes an exact reproduction of the manufacturer's first car from 1905, the famous Voiturette A.

"Saxony's great automotive history, together with thousands of excited spectators, make the Sachsen Classic a highlight of the season. This has a particular relevance for ŠKODA this year, as the one-day detour through the Czech Republic of this year's event makes it a sort of home game for our brand. This gives us a reason, more than ever before, to send more vintage ŠKODAs to this classic car rally", says Dr Frank Welsch, ŠKODA Board Member for Technical Development.

One of the oldest cars on the starting line is the 1925 Laurin & Klement 110. This vehicle represents a milestone in the company's history; its production began in the same year that L&K merged with the former engineering company ŠKODA. Between 1925 and 1929, around 3,000 of these vehicles were built. The car participating in the Sachsen Classic dates back to the first production series and therefore only bears the L&K emblem. Later models carried the logos of both brands.

The elegant ŠKODA 645 represents automotive luxury of the 1930s. Only 758 vehicles were built between 1929 and 1934. In Saxony, seven-time German rally champion Matthias Kahle will take the driving seat. Two ŠKODA 1101 Tudors and the newly restored 1957 ŠKODA 440 also rank among the participating vehicles. This car, also colloquially known as 'Spartak', was – at that time – the manufacturer's response to the public's increasing demand for a reasonably priced, down-to-earth and modern vehicle.

German rally driver Sepp Wiegand will be driving the 'Spartak'. Wiegand – currently second in the European Rally Championship (ERC) with the ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000 – is looking forward to the Sachsen Classic: "This is an excellent opportunity to combine motorsport with an attractive classic event. I am looking forward to being a part of this wonderful event with a ŠKODA 440 'Spartak' in my home country. What a blast from the past: the car is around three times as old as I am." The ŠKODA driver's next rally appearance will be at the ERC home rally in Zlín, the eastern city of the Czech Republic (Barum Rally Zlín, 29-31 August 2014).

The 1937 ŠKODA Popular Monte Carlo refers back to the brand's successful 113-year motorsport history. In 1936, a ŠKODA Popular drove into an impressive second place at the legendary Monte Carlo Rally. For this reason, the manufacturer produced an exclusive line of 70 ŠKODA Popular Monte Carlos a year later. One of these can be seen in Saxony, as will the 1978 ŠKODA 110 R sports coupé. ŠKODA's presence will be rounded off with a 1955 ŠKODA 1200 Sedan.

On Friday, 22 August, the participants of the Sachsen Classic Rally will make their way to Karlsbad. ŠKODA is using the detour to the Czech Republic as an exclusive exhibition of a further four historic cars. In Karlsbad, participants and spectators will be able to marvel at an exact reproduction of the Voiturette Type A. The Voiturette A was, in 1905, the first car of the founding fathers, Laurin and Klement. Another eye-catcher is the 1911 Laurin & Klement Type S, which was built in different variations as a mass-production car up to 1924. The car from the first S series is equipped with a 14 PS engine and a cylinder capacity of 1,771 cm3. A 1930 ŠKODA 645 and the elaborately restored 1950 ŠKODA 966 Supersport will also be on display in Karlsbad.

The Sachsen Classic is one of the most popular classic car rallies and revels in an ever-growing presence of spectators. The reliability and regularity run begins on Thursday, 21 August at exactly 12:01 at the central market in Zwickau. On the second day, it makes its way from Zwickau through the German-Czech border to Karlsbad. Finally, on Saturday, 23 August, for the third stage, the participants will be able to enjoy a 258 km round-trip, starting again from the central market in Zwickau and ending at the Augustusplatz in Leipzig. Cars are scheduled to finish from around 15:30 onwards.

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