Expedition Skoda Octavia Scout Experience 2007

On Saturday, 4 August 2007 at 12:00, ten Skoda Octavia Scouts are starting a 9,700-kilometre expedition in Moscow's Red Square to end in Vladivostok, at the Japanese Sea.

The European part of the “Scout Experience“ expedition goes through Ryazan, Penza, Samara and Ufa as far as Celyabinsk, behind the Urals. Going deeper to the inland Asian part of Russia, the route then continues through Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk as far as the Baikal Lake. The last stage goes along the Chinese border to Vladivostok and, symbolically, ends at the end of the world famous TransSiberian Railway.

Within seventeen days, the crews made up of journalists from eight countries are going to drive through 11 time zones, on all types of road, from tarmac in Moscow to field paths and gravel roads in Siberia and the Russian Far East. The stage lengths range from 401 km to 1,059 km.

The goal of the expedition is to test ordinary mass-produced Skoda Octavia Scout vehicles in extreme conditions and increase awareness of the Skoda brand, particularly in the Asian parts of the Russian Federation. The crews are also planning to visit local Skoda dealers and meet with officials of the cities and regions that are on the route.

The Skoda Octavia Scout was launched early this year. Based on the Octavia Combi 4x4, this four-wheel-drive vehicle has a new, progressive design. Compared to the “standard” model, the key differences include increased clear height and the “Scout“ packet (new front and rear bumpers, side protection mouldings and mudguard protectors).