The Škoda Favorit was one of the most important cars ever built in Mladá Boleslav. It moved the Czech brand into a modern front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout and helped prepare the company for its future inside the Volkswagen Group.
Most buyers remember the Favorit as a five-door hatchback, the practical Forman wagon, or the pickup with different body conversions.
Yet Škoda had many other ideas for the model. A visit to the Škoda Museum shows how much wider the Favorit family could have become.
In the museum section dedicated to uncovered concepts, several forgotten prototypes reveal a far more ambitious plan for the car that changed the company’s direction.
A Sedan Favorit Was Planned
One of the most interesting projects was the Škoda 782 from 1986. It showed what the Favorit could have looked like as a sedan.
The design was created by Bertone, the same Italian studio responsible for the basic shape of the Favorit. Several prototypes were built, and series production was planned for 1990.
That plan was eventually abandoned. Škoda chose to focus on body styles with stronger commercial potential, which meant the sedan remained part of the brand’s development history rather than its showroom lineup.
Bertone Also Designed A Three Door Coupe
Another forgotten project was the Škoda 783, a three-door coupe also designed by Bertone. Development began in 1985, when the first sketches and a 1:4 scale model were created.
In 1986, engineers in Mladá Boleslav and Kvasiny completed production documentation for the three-door body.
The coupe prototype first reached the road in 1987. It showed that the Favorit platform had room for a sportier personality, but production again stayed out of reach.
Practical Concepts Went In Different Directions
The Škoda 784 Savana concept from 1991 took the opposite approach. Rather than focusing on sportiness, it was built around practicality.
Based on the Forman wagon, the Savana had a raised rear section, generous glazing, two seats, and extra cargo space. It looked like a clever utility version for customers who needed simple transport with greater luggage capacity.
Another unusual idea was the Škoda 788 from 1991. This concept explored an ambulance version of the Forman, with an extended wheelbase and a special rear body designed for a patient and medical equipment.
Two examples were built and tested on the road. Although the idea could have continued Škoda’s ambulance tradition, the market had already moved toward ambulance conversions based on light commercial vans.
Škoda Fun Pointed Toward A Later Production Model
In 1993, Škoda also built its first show car based on the Favorit. The Škoda Fun was created purely for exhibition purposes.
It used the pickup as a base and was imagined as a colorful leisure vehicle. Only two examples were built, but the idea did not disappear.
The concept later inspired the Škoda Felicia Fun, a production pickup with bright yellow paint, lightweight plastic elements, and a more playful outdoor character.
The Favorit’s production family may have looked simple, but these prototypes show how many directions Škoda considered. Some were practical, some sporty, and some experimental, yet all of them underline the importance of the model that helped reshape the company’s future.
This article originally appeared on Autorepublika.com and has been republished with permission by Guessing Headlights. AI-assisted translation was used, followed by human editing and review.