Škoda… (en)

Excerpt from a report by the Foreign Affairs Department of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia:
“With immediate effect, orders must be issued to the Commercial Attaché Offices at Czechoslovak Embassies to seek out local trade partners, politically reliable, in order to expand the base of entities capable of placing orders for the Škoda 1100 OHC. Additionally, they should be informed that this vehicle is intended to secure our victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.”

From the speech of the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, delivered during an unexpected inspection visit to the AZNP Mladá Boleslav Automobile Factory:
“Comrades! Thanks to the labor of your hands and your active participation in the grassroots party organizations, this socialist enterprise is thriving and flourishing. We are deepening and expanding cooperation with fraternal countries that purchase the works of your hardworking hands, to present them to the leading workers and meritorious party activists. It is also worth mentioning that the Škoda 1100 OHC is successfully competing in the markets of the decadent West against locally produced vehicles, bringing our country the much-needed foreign currency. Down with the Western exploiters of Czechoslovak technical ingenuity! Comrades! The Italian and other communist parties operating covertly will assist us in combating hostile sabotage. Enough of copying our designs in the jaded, decadent West!”

From the duty log of the VB (Verejná bezpečnosť) police station:
“Around 11 PM on Tř. Václava Klementa Street, three intoxicated men were detained, walking while carrying suspicious packages. It should be noted that they resisted the uniformed patrol, referring to the officers, quote: ‘You bastards.’ The packages contained parts of a Škoda 1100. After interrogation at the station, the detainees admitted only to ‘borrowing a few parts’ from AZNP Mladá Boleslav (formerly Škoda Works), where they are employed. They also admitted that they intended to exchange the ‘borrowed’ parts for US banknotes on the car market and did not plan to return them.”

Škoda brochure for the Poznań Fair:
“The Škoda 1100 OHC Coupe is a modern sports car, an original AZNP design. The car features an aluminum body, available as a coupe or an open-top version. It is designed for both short and long distances, including foreign highways, which are undoubtedly dangerous roads due to the excessive speed of vehicles. The Škoda offers easy access to the engine and other components, facilitating self-maintenance. All spare parts are continuously available in car showrooms across the People’s Democracies and in the Peasant Self-Help points. The most convenient way to purchase a Škoda 1100 is by making a down payment at your nearest bank branch or post office.”

Excerpt from the British magazine „Autocars & Motorynken”:
“At the last Geneva show, we were treated to an unusual sight: an original sports car, the first to emerge from behind the Iron Curtain. The astoundingly well-proportioned Škoda 1100 is a creation of the Polish stylist, Mr. Nawrot. There are rumors of a new Jaguar sports car to be presented next year, but to this day, the Škoda seems to be the only true roadster of its type, save for the new Triumph Spitfire, with which it shares some design traits. Export orders are being taken, with cars to be sold through Moskvich dealers in the British Isles.”

Official memo from the Main Czechoslovak Office for Press, Publications, and Performances:
“Regarding: Škoda 1100 OHC. It is prohibited to allow the publication of any material that presents the aforementioned car in a negative light. Any references to the supposedly bourgeois nature of a sports car must be ruthlessly suppressed, and the personal details of repeat offenders, particularly among foreign department journalists, must be immediately forwarded to the appropriate security offices. Do not allow photographs of the Škoda 1100 to be published alongside other domestic or foreign cars. This matter is of personal interest to the First Secretary. Implement immediately. Reports to be submitted by the end of March.”

Sigh… It’s a pity this is just a vision of an alternate reality. Could it have happened? Not really. But the Škoda 1100 OHC did initially come into being in 1957 as an open-top car, with only two units ever produced. Two years later, in 1959, a Coupe version saw the light of day, once again limited to just two units. Interestingly, the brand had intended to enter the cars in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Unfortunately, those plans never materialized. And just now, after many years, Škoda has restored a beautiful example. The car will be displayed alongside the open-top 1100 at the Škoda Museum.