Soviet Bloc cars were easily dismissed as simple and unreliable, yet 120,000 buyers established Skoda as the king of inexpensive and joyful transportation.
During the 1980s, comedians who had run out of things to say about their mothers-in-law relied on pathetic “Skoda jokes” for their livelihood. It was a backhanded tribute to the Estelle’s familiarity, but Matthew Bareham’s 1986 120L is now one of only 21 on the road.
Skodas were first officially imported from Czechoslovakia in 1958, and by the time the 105/120/125 series superseded the 100/110 range in 1976, the marque had established itself as a low-cost transportation option.
British market sales began on May 25, 1977, under the name Estelle, with one advertisement asking, “Are you sure you’re not dreaming this?” If your desires largely involved anti-dazzle mirrors and a sideways-opening boot (at the front, as the engine was at the back), the next step was to contact the concessionaire “To find out where dreams come true”. Meanwhile, a very exciting sales film promised a comprehensive toolkit.
However, the fact that the new Skoda had a faux radiator grille at the front suggested that the firm wanted to downplay the engine configuration. By 1976, rear-engined family saloons were a dying species in the UK; the Hillman Imp was phased out the same year, and the Simca 1000 and Volkswagen Beetle imports to Britain were discontinued in 1978.
Skoda has planned a front-wheel-drive replacement for the 100/110. This innovation received neither funding nor political support, thus the new Estelle retained its predecessor’s venerable running gear.
A 1979 advertisement stated that “Skoda has come first in its class in the last eight RAC rallies.” That’s pedigree,” but the swing-axle rear suspension was not universally well received. This report noted that the Skoda was “not a pleasant car to drive and remains outdated in handling and mechanical refinement”. Similarly, Motor claimed that the “tricky, tail-heavy, and tail-happy Skoda Estelle will not help you out of trouble and could well land you in it”. It was described as “very possibly the worst new car sold in Britain” by Car magazine.
The 1984 second generation had changed suspension, but the list price remained a considerable incentive: a 1986-model 120L cost only £2,788, which was more than £1,200 cheaper than an Austin Metro City or a Ford Fiesta Popular.
When Car tested the top-of-the-line second-generation 120 LSE, it discovered it to be significantly better and with many positive features. In the magazine’s test, the Skoda “did not have treacherous handling.” It was not an unexpected oversteerer, and it never threatened to go through a hedge backwards. However, the testers were concerned that owners with “limited driving ability” might be unable to deal with such oversteer.