One of PPE’s first projects was to prepare a Skoda Octavia RS Wagon for the gruelling Targa Tasmania of 2010. Skoda had built a one-off version of the potent family wagon, known as the RS-P, which housed numerous upgrades over the standard version. It had a clear motorsport intent, and through a collaboration with the Carsales network the decision was taken to promote the brand via the ultimate tarmac rally. And that is where PPE came in…
With little preparation time and a list of factory modifications already made to the Octavia (including fully adjustable KW suspension, larger brakes from the VW Passat R36 and ECU modifications) ruling out a chance to run in the Showroom category, the decision was made to base the DSG-equipped turbocharged wagon on the Modern (Outright) rules, and this meant competing with Lamborghinis, RS Porsches and Nissan GT-Rs!
Under project leader Craig Tulloch, our target for Targa readiness was a short five weeks. The Wagon, to be driven by Carsales editor-in-chief Mike Sinclair with co-driver Justin Hunt was stripped and the shell sent to FabRAIcations for the all-important roll-cage fabrication and install. Once returned, PPE rebuilt the car following Team Skods Carsales’requirements, with care taken to preserve as much of the interior trim as possible. This was particularly challenging with the wiring and equipment alterations necessary to run in a Targa-style event (Terratrip, Intercom, Video camera mounts etc.). We even retained the roof lining, radio system and air-conditioning! Extinguishers were plumbed in, HANS-compatible seats and harnesses were fitted and custom alloy footplates were fitted to better support the driving team.
Castrol Edge supplied fresh engine oil and brake fluid which complimented the Pagid competition pads and the braided brake lines already installed by the Skoda engineers. The driveline was essentially untouched, the differential and DSG programming as per Skoda’s specification. We did apply a set of special wheel studs which sister company TMR had used successfully on their production race cars to add strength and reliability.
With the Octavia back together and looking fantastic with its livery by ‘Decently Exposed’, an electrical issue caused the team to lose its only available testing day, so the RS-P went on the boat to Tassie essentially untested.
A quick shakedown at the Symmons Plains circuit south of Launceston saw the RS-P run perfectly on reasonably conservative suspension settings designed to take on the multitude of tarmac conditions encountered on the rally.
For the George Town prologue Team Skoda Carsales cheekily fitted a pair of bikes to the wagon’s roof rack, to further emphasise its unique combination of hot-hatch dynamics and family wagon practicality.
Throughout the event the Skoda ran at or very close to the front of the front-wheel drive Modern machinery, reaching a top speed of 199km/h on the Mt Roland stage, while the event also taught us a lot about handling the VAG’s twin-clutch DSG system under competition conditions.
By leg 4 the team was really on-song, embarrassing more fancied machinery in the slippery conditions, passing an Evo X and STi on the Rinadeena stage and prompting questions from fellow competitors as to the number of driven wheels under the Octavia’s Wagon body.
The crew finished the 2010 Targa Tasmania in a credible 20thoutright, and fastest front-wheel drive car in the Modern Category. The stage was set for a return in 2011, with a conversion to the Showroom Class and more testing. But that is a story for another day…
*Thanks to Mike Sinclair and the motoring.com.au team for letting us republish their images.
