Skoda's eight student-designed car is off to a flying start, to be called Afriq

The eight Skoda concept car to be designed by students of Skoda Vocational School, which will be a rally version of the Skoda Kamiq city SUV, has been christened ‘Afriq’. The name is important as it the vehicle commemorates the legendary Dakar Rally in Africa. It is also important as since the beginning of this year, Skoda has been responsible for all the Volkswagen Group’s activities in North Africa.

For the eight student project, Skoda has partnered with the motorsport division for the first time. The rally version of the Skoda Kamiq city SUV, which serves as the basis for the student car, will take on the look of the vehicles that compete in the legendary Dakar Rally.

Skoda Afriq will be a 4,362 millimetres long vehicle which will have a wheelbase of 2,649 millimetres. With the support of the faculty at the Skoda Vocational School, engineers and experienced employees from the Technical Development, Design and Production areas, as well as the Motorsport team, the 25 apprentices are incorporating many new, unusual ideas on their concept project.

The rally vehicle will be designed to take part in the annual Dakar Rally. The vocational students have already designed the exterior and interior of the vehicle in their sketches of the next Skoda student car project.

The rally vehicle features a distinct racing character, as experts from the motorsport division also supported the apprentices. The first-ever collaboration between Skoda motorsports and the Student Car project also marks the 120th anniversary of the automaker's motorsport division.

The project was started in 2014 and since then, every year, a group of students from the Vocational School are given the opportunity to plan, develop and build a concept vehicle. Last year, a group of 20 students developed a Spider version of the Skoda Scala.