The 1960s Škoda 1203 van gets reinterpreted

First revealed in 1968, the Škoda 1203 went on to become Czechoslovakia’s most popular small commercial vehicle. Panel van, minibus, ambulance and flat-bed versions were all available during a production run that lasted for almost three decades.

It’s just become the latest candidate for Škoda’s ‘Icons Get a Makeover’ series, which allows one of the brand’s designers – in this case Daniel Hájek – to imagine how a long-retired member of the Škoda range could be modernised.

Skoda 1203 ‘Icons Get a Makeover’ Concept (2021 Rendering) Front Side 1

The project takes the current Volkswagen Transporter platform as a starting point. Doing so has naturally dictated many of the key dimensions, making this contemporary 1203 more spacious than the original.

Presented as a camper van with a pop-top elevating roof, the result is not intended to be too obviously retro.

Skoda 1203 ‘Icons Get a Makeover’ Concept (2021 Rendering) Front Side 2

Notable styling features include protrusions above the front grille and windscreen, while the side surfacing is divided by a prominent swage line. Perhaps the least successful aspect is at the rear, where low-mounted light clusters are joined together by a horizontal strip.

Inside, a minimalist approach is evidenced by the simple uncluttered dashboard. Indeed, an infotainment screen is conspicuously absent, because drivers would be expected to dock their own smartphone or tablet instead.

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