Skoda 130 RS

Skoda 130 RS

The Skoda 130 RS stands as the most successful competition car ever produced by an Eastern Bloc manufacturer and one of the most remarkable underdog stories in motorsport history. Known as the 'Porsche of the East,' this lightweight, rear-engined coupe punched dramatically above its weight in international competition, winning class victories at the Monte Carlo Rally, dominating the 1,300 cc class in the European Rally Championship, and claiming the 1981 European Touring Car Championship, achievements that brought prestige to Czechoslovak engineering during an era when Eastern European products were often dismissed by Western observers.

The road-going 130 RS was based on the Skoda 110 R platform but with extensive modifications that created an essentially different car. The engine was enlarged to 1,289 cc and, in race specification, produced approximately 140 horsepower through the use of dual Weber carburetors, a higher-compression cylinder head, and extensive porting and polishing. The road-homologation version, required for Group 2 competition eligibility, was more modest in output but still significantly more powerful than the standard 110 R. The engine's rear mounting provided excellent traction, a particular advantage in the rallying conditions where the 130 RS excelled.

The bodywork was dramatically lightened and aerodynamically refined compared to the standard 110 R coupe on which it was based. Glass-fiber body panels replaced steel where regulations permitted, and the overall weight was reduced to approximately 720 kg in competition trim. The wider wheel arches accommodated larger wheels and tires, and subtle aerodynamic modifications improved high-speed stability. The visual result was a car that looked purposeful and aggressive without resorting to the excessive appendages that characterized many competition cars of the period.

The 130 RS's competition record was extraordinary by any standard, let alone for a car produced behind the Iron Curtain. The 1977 Monte Carlo Rally saw a 130 RS crew finish in the top 20 overall, an astonishing result for a 1,300 cc car competing against factory-backed Lancias, Fiats, and Porsches with two to three times the engine capacity. The 1981 European Touring Car Championship victory, achieved through consistent class victories across the season, represented the pinnacle of the car's competitive career.

Production of the road-going 130 RS was extremely limited, as the car was primarily a homologation exercise to qualify the competition version for international motorsport. Exact production numbers are debated, but the total is believed to be fewer than 200 units, making it one of the rarest Skoda models. Each car was assembled with significantly more care than standard Skoda production vehicles, reflecting its specialized purpose.

The Skoda 130 RS occupies a unique position in the collector market. As the most successful Czechoslovak competition car and a genuine rarity, it is highly prized by collectors of motorsport history and Eastern European automotive heritage. The car's competition provenance, combined with its extreme scarcity and its role in demonstrating that innovative engineering could overcome resource limitations, makes it one of the most historically significant small sports cars of the 1970s. Verified examples with documented competition history command prices that would have been unimaginable just two decades ago.