West Yorkshire Fire Service Ablaze With Skoda's

The West Yorkshire Fire Service has just taken delivery of 11 flame red Skoda Fabia estates to transport staff and equipment around the county, delivering fire safety messages across the region.

Huddersfield retailer Lightcliffe Skoda supplied the fleet of Fabias, all 1.4 TDI Ambiente estates which are financed and managed by Lloyds TSB autolease. West Yorkshire Fires Service Technical Services Manager Noel Rodriguez comments, “We looked for vehicles that are reliable, good value for money and come with great after-sales care.”

Martin Burke, Head of Skoda Business Sales, comments, “The Fire Service requires reliable cars with excellent customer service, and has an excellent eye for value. The Skoda Fabia was perfect for its requirements because of the model’s intelligent electronics and exceptional safety standards. As a result of this deal, we hope to extend our business sales to other Fire Services throughout the country.”

In July the Service is also due to take delivery of a further three Fabia 1.4 TDi Ambiente Estates and a Superb for a senior member of staff.

The Fabia is part of the Skoda family that includes the Octavia, Skoda’s sporty vRS models and top-of-the range Superb. Even in the Ambiente trim level, the Fabia has bags of Skoda’s legendary great value as standard, with equipment including a trip computer, electric front windows, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, remote central locking and “Symphony” radio/ single CD with eight speakers.

All Fabia models provide Skoda’s “extra bit of car” and the customer service that earned Skoda and its retailers second place overall in both the 2004 and 2005 JD Power Surveys of Customer Satisfaction.

Skoda business sales volume has grown from 1,273 in 1998 to 10,030 in 2004, a phenomenal growth of 680 per cent. In 2004, while the fleet market was up 2.3 per cent on the previous year, Skoda business sales increased by 5.3 per cent. In light of this success, Skoda intends to increase the number of retailers offering business sales, support and service to 20 per cent over the coming years. In the past 12 months, business sales staff has almost doubled, increasing from 12 in 2004 to 23 in 2005, under the supervision of the newly appointed head of business sales, Martin Burke. Skoda aspires to provide a better service for customers and retailers, mirroring the customer satisfaction already proven in the retail market.

To read our in depth road test of the Skoda Fabia [ click here ]