Skoda milestones: the cars that defined the brand

We take a look at the Czech marques diverse and storied history

For almost as long as Autocar has been published, Skoda has made cars – but these are the cars that made Skoda. 
Laurent & Klement arrives
In the early days of motoring, it was even more important than it is today for a new brand to demonstrate its cars’ capabilities in order to gain the trust of potential buyers, such was the vast spread of manufacturers and the great variances in their mechanical ideas.
Laurin & Klement’s British agents relied on the standard method of long-distance runs. In April 1907, Autocar reported that one WE Burkin was “touring the provinces in an 8hp L&K, giving demonstration and trial runs to prospective purchasers” and the Bohemian car “has been running remarkably well and has shown itself capable of making a high average speed”.
Within weeks, we verified such reports ourselves, joining a two-car run from L&K’s London depot to Holyhead on Anglesey. We rode with an anonymous Austrian count as