A series of test drives for the Skoda Octavia began on Feb. 1, prior to the official launch of the new car. People who want to learn about the Octavia (Mingrui) model can book a test-drive at www.myskoda.com.cn. As a prelude to the launch, successful reservations will be awarded special prizes and will be entered into a lucky draw.

　　According to SVW staff, the test-drive activity was organized before the actual debut of the car since a number of customers expressed interest in the car and were eager to try it out for themselves. Since the event's announcement many people have tried to participate in the event via the Internet and hotlines.

　　The Octavia Mingrui, a market darling since its unveiling at Auto China last year, has already won several big awards, which explains why it has kept customers waiting anxiously for the full launch.

　　Industry insiders have noted that SVW is the first auto company to arrange a test-drive of a new car prior to the market launch. This represents SVW's full confidence in the new model. According to statistics, worldwide, Skoda Auto sold a total of 549,667 cars in 2006 -- an 11.7% increase year-on-year. With their completely revamped brand image for the China market Skoda cars are highly favoured to win increasing popularity in the market.