What a red and black beauty

SKODA issued a special edition of their Fabia
last year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the famous Monte Carlo Rally.

It’s
really attractive and the red and black design would, I think, be ideal for
supporters of Bohemians soccer club or the Down football team, who pioneered
the red and black look in Gaelic games.

I
have seen pictures of a white version of the Monte Carlo edition, but no doubt
about it red is the best colour to showcase this lively supermini. A black roof
and 17-inch black trinity alloys add to the classy exterior look. The
protruding front grille should also grab your attention.

The
car looks good from the outside and the interior didn’t disappoint either.
Nowadays black is so often the dominant colour in the interior of many new
cars, but in the Fabia Monte Carlo a lovely shade of red on the front and back
seats provides an ideal contrast in colours.

The
controls on the dash are very Volkswagen-like and that means they are well laid
out and easy to use. This may be a supermini, but the back seat would be able
to accommodate three adults. You get a decent-sized boot with a full-size spare
wheel.

On
the road this was a very lively motor that handled and cornered very well. The
1.2 litre engine with 105 brake horse power can get you from zero to 100km/h in
just over 11 seconds. I thought it was a bit heavy on petrol, but then
discovered that the fuel tank was small after

?¬20 brought the gauge up to
almost half-full.

Prices
for the Skoda Fabia range start at

?¬12,745, while the 1.2TSI Monte Carlo
version with lots of extras which I drove will cost you

?¬17,030. C02 emissions
are low at 121 which equates to

?¬225 road tax per annum.

Long
gone are the days when people made jokes about Skoda cars. Now the joke is on
any motorist who refuses to look at the value for money the brand offers across
various models. Last year Skoda offered the sporty RS version of the Fabia, now
they are catering for another niche market with the Monte Carlo version.

Do
have a test drive for yourself and see what word comes to mind when you want to
describe this red and black beauty.