00:28 14-07-2026

Škoda's 11th Student Car: a two-year build to mark 100 years of vocational training

Škoda Auto has started work on its 11th Student Car, a project built entirely by vocational school apprentices — this time spread across two academic years and tied to a major anniversary.

Škoda has started work on its 11th Student Car — the brand’s signature project in which apprentices at its own vocational school design and build a unique car from scratch. This time the car will be special: it’s dedicated to 100 years of vocational education at Škoda Auto.

Unlike previous Student Cars, the new project is for the first time spread across two academic years rather than one. The finished car will be shown to the public in summer 2027, at the end of the 2026/2027 school year. For Škoda, this isn’t just a school exercise — it’s a way to demonstrate how the company trains future specialists for real-world car manufacturing. The team is currently working on the concept, planning modifications and preparing for construction.

Details about the donor car and the exact format of the project haven’t been revealed yet. But the Student Car tradition usually means far more than light tuning — it’s a full transformation of a production model built around the students’ own idea. Martin Slabihoudek, head of the Škoda Auto Vocational School, said the project has long outgrown the idea of simply modifying a car. According to him, students build a complete concept for a new vehicle, working alongside teachers, instructors and Škoda Auto specialists who provide advice, parts and vehicles.

The real value of the project isn’t just the finished show car. Students go through a process that mirrors real automotive development — from the first idea and technical decisions to presenting the finished result. For future engineers, mechatronics technicians, bodywork specialists and designers, it’s an experience that’s hard to get in the classroom alone. The Student Car tradition began in the 2013/2014 school year. Since then, students at the Škoda vocational school have regularly built one-of-a-kind cars, showing off both technical skill and creative thinking.

The tenth Student Car, the Škoda L&K 130, marked 130 years of Škoda Auto and its ties to bicycle heritage. This time the focus shifts to a different chapter of the company’s history. Škoda’s own vocational school opened in Mladá Boleslav back in 1927. Today it operates under the Škoda Academy umbrella and remains a key part of the manufacturer’s talent pipeline.

Projects like this matter more than ever for the car industry. Modern factories need more than robots and platforms — they need people who understand cars with their own hands, can work with real technology and adapt quickly to new tools. So the 11th Student Car isn’t just an anniversary showpiece — it’s a reminder that future cars start not only in design studios, but in training workshops too.

According to 32CARS.RU, Škoda has closed the door on a small city EV and is preparing a petrol-powered plan B instead.