It was billed as a test of fuel efficiency, but the Skoda Greenline Challenge was as much a test of nerves and driver skill as the natural competitiveness of the invited journalists came to the fore. Divided into four groups, competitors had the opportunity to drive the entire Skoda Greenline range, consisting of the Yeti, Superb and Octavia, all powered by 105hp 1.6-litre TDI engines and the three-cylinder, 1.2-litre TDI Fabia. The prescribed 267-kilometre route took drivers over a variety of national, regional and motorway roads as they drove from Dublin to Cavan and back via Longford and Mullingar.
Technologies in the Greenline range include a stop-start system, low rolling resistance tyres, modified engine control units, recommended gear feature and aerodynamic tweaks. These, in conjunction with efficient driving techniques, saw the fleet end the day with an average fuel consumption of 3.53 litres/100km (80.1mpg) across the four teams.
Commenting on the Greenline range, Ray Leddy, Marketing Manager for Skoda Ireland said: "Skoda diesel models are renowned for their quality and fuel efficiency. The latest range of Skoda Greenline models takes efficiency to the next level and what better way to put them to the test than to conduct our very own eco-friendly team driving challenge."
As the teams left Mullingar for the final leg of the challenge the competition came down to a straight duel between the teams in the Superb and the Fabia - a car that achieved a fuel consumption figure of 2.2 litres/100km in the hands of economy driving world champion Gerhard Plattner on a 2,006km jaunt from Austria to Denmark and back. Having averaged 2.9 litres/100km on the motorway and 3.48 litres/100km over the entire day, it was the Fabia team who took the honours.
On the results of the challenge Mr. Leddy had this to say "The Greenline Challenge demonstrated that our eco-fleet can deliver an optimum fuel efficiency of 3.53 l/100 km over a 267 kilometre route. With fuel prices continuing to increase, the Greenline range is proving very popular as it's not only better for your pocket, it also lowers environmental pollution."