√Mint-condition Soviet-era Skoda up for auction with delivery mileage

Want an as-new classic car with low mileage, but can’t stretch to a million-dollar Ferrari or Porsche? This Skoda Favorit – stored for nearly all of its 29-year life, with just 34km on the clock – may be for you.

An as-new example of the last new Skoda designed under communist government ownership – with 34km on the odometer, and the original plastic on the seats – has come up for sale in Greece.

Listed on auction platform Collecting Cars, this 1993 Skoda Favorit has spent nearly all of its life under a cover – and is in near-perfect condition, with only minor marks on its bodywork, its original tyres still fitted, and protective plastic over its seats.

As of writing, bidding sits at €18,000 ($AU26,900) – or more than a new Skoda Fabia city car, the Favorit’s modern equivalent – with 24 hours to go.

According to the seller, the first owner of the car in 1993 “drove the vehicle from the Skoda dealer to his underground garage” – a distance of about 25km – before deciding “driving is a stressful experience and he never drove [the car] again”.

The seller says the first owner “never neglected paying road tax every year”, and kept the car under a cover in his garage until it was purchased by the current owner, who added a further 9km to the odometer preparing it for sale.

The Collecting Cars listing says the exterior is in “good condition” – with a few scratches along the sides of the body, due to fitting and removing car covers, as well as marks on the rear passenger door and front bumper – while the interior is in “as-new condition”.

The Favorit received a service in May 2022 – with 30km on the dashboard, 29 years into its life – with replacement fuel/water pumps, battery, oil, and brake pads fitted.

Black, red and gold pin stripes were applied by the factory over the white paint – with 13-inch steel wheels – while inside there are grey cloth seats, wood dashboard inserts, and the original plastic parts.

Powering the Skoda Favorit is a 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine developing about 40kW to 50kW – depending on the model variant – coupled with a five-speed manual and front-wheel drive.

Launched in 1987, the Favorit was Skoda’s last car launched under the ownership of the communist government of Czechoslovakia – regarded as a ‘satellite state’ under the heavy influence of the Soviet Union.

After the communist Czech government fell in 1990, ownership of Skoda was transferred to the Volkswagen Group – first through a minority stake in 1991, followed by a majority stake (60 per cent) in 1994, and complete VW ownership in 2000.

To view the Collecting Cars auction listing – bidding on which currently sits at €18,000 ($AU26,900), as of writing – click here. Bidding ends on Friday at 4:30am AEST.

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