Škoda 1000 MB
Encyclopedia
The Škoda 1000 MB/1100 MB were two variations of a rear-engined, rear-wheel drive car that was produced by Czech manufacturer Škoda Auto
in Mladá Boleslav
, Czechoslovakia
, between 1964 and 1969. The two-door Coupé versions of the 1000 MB and 1100 MB were called the 1000 MBX and 1100 MBX.
made its first appearance, Škoda started making plans for a new car for the 1960s. The initial plans for the car were to make the car as light and fuel-efficient as possible: it was to weigh no more than 700 kg
, and the overall fuel consumption was not to exceed 6-7 litres per 100 kilometres (33-38mpg).
The next step was to produce the car as a four-door saloon, which would be built using monocoque
construction. Like most leading car manufacturers dating from before the Second World War
, Škoda always built their cars using the traditional and well-proven front-engine and rear-wheel drive layout. However, Škoda decided to look at two alternative options. Their first option was to go for the more modern front-engine and front-wheel drive layout, and their second option was to use the rear-engine and rear-wheel drive layout, if the first option was unsuccessful.
The front-engined-with-front-wheel-drive option was unsuccessful due higher cost and design complexity, and therefore Škoda opted for the rear-engined-with-rear-wheel-drive format. Even by the early 1960s, the idea of rear-engined small family saloons was still considered to be reasonably popular. In France, there were the Renault Dauphine
, Renault 8
and Simca 1000
, while in Germany there were the Volkswagen Beetle
and NSU Prinz
, in Italy there were the Fiats 500 and 600, and in Britain there was the Hillman Imp
, all of which employed the rear-engined concept.
. The letters MB were abbreviated for Mladá Boleslav. The 'MB was just the beginning of what would eventually evolve into a long line of rear-engined Škodas. The 1000 MB was powered by a rear-mounted, water-cooled, 988cc, four-cylinder overhead valve engine, which produced 44 bhp. An interesting thing about this engine was the combined use of an aluminum block with a cast iron cylinder head.
The 1000MB was a stylish four-door saloon, measuring 4.1 meters in length and 1.6 meters in width, which featured a steeply-sloping nose that was flanked by rounded front wings (not unlike the Ford Anglia 105E of the time). Being a rear-engined car, the 1000MB's radiator and (engine-propelled) cooling fan were situated in the rear engine compartment, so therefore a series of slats were cut into each rear wing and the rear panel to increase the flow rate of air in order to assist in keeping the engine cool. Apart from the use of cooling vents in the rear wings and rear panel, everything else about the car's styling was normal, which was undoubtedly in an attempt to appeal to all the conservative-minded buyers in export countries like the UK. This car was highly successful for Škoda and the Czechoslovak economy.
By early 1965, the British were starting to receive the 1000 MB, which was being priced at a reasonable £579, which was cheaper than similarly-sized four-door saloons such as the Ford Cortina
1200 and Hillman Minx
Deluxe, which cost £592 and £636 respectively. Despite being affordably priced, the 1000 MB came well equipped, with all-independent front suspension, reclining front seats, a heater and demister, full tool kit, and a generously-sized boot up front as well as useful storage areas behind the folding rear seat. Many salesmen over the years rightly stated that the MB was "a lot of car for the money".
For a small/medium-sized car with a 1-litre engine, the 1000 MB gave acceptable performance. The top speed was 120 km/h (75 mph), reaching 100 km/h (62 mph) from standstill in 27 seconds. Overall fuel economy was around 6.5 l/100 km (36 mpg).
By August 1969, Škoda felt it was time to update the 'MB series, which they did with the introduction of the Škoda S100/110
series. By the time it was updated, a total of 443,903 'MBs were built. The 'MBX series was produced in very limited numbers (2,517 in total) and is therefore quite a rarity these days.
Škoda Auto
Škoda Auto , more commonly known as Škoda, is an automobile manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. Škoda became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group in 2000, positioned as the entry brand to the group...
in Mladá Boleslav
Mladá Boleslav
Mladá Boleslav is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, on the left bank of the Jizera river about 50 km northeast of Prague.Founded in the second half of the 10th century by King Boleslav II as a royal castle...
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, between 1964 and 1969. The two-door Coupé versions of the 1000 MB and 1100 MB were called the 1000 MBX and 1100 MBX.
The beginning
In 1955, the same year in which the Škoda 440/445Škoda 440/445
The Škoda 440 and the similar 445 and 450 are cars that were produced by Škoda Auto in Czechoslovakia between 1955 and 1959.The three models are all powered by inline four cylinder engines.* 440 Spartak - 1089 cc, @ 4,200 rpm...
made its first appearance, Škoda started making plans for a new car for the 1960s. The initial plans for the car were to make the car as light and fuel-efficient as possible: it was to weigh no more than 700 kg
Kilogram
The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
, and the overall fuel consumption was not to exceed 6-7 litres per 100 kilometres (33-38mpg).
The next step was to produce the car as a four-door saloon, which would be built using monocoque
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
construction. Like most leading car manufacturers dating from before the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Škoda always built their cars using the traditional and well-proven front-engine and rear-wheel drive layout. However, Škoda decided to look at two alternative options. Their first option was to go for the more modern front-engine and front-wheel drive layout, and their second option was to use the rear-engine and rear-wheel drive layout, if the first option was unsuccessful.
The front-engined-with-front-wheel-drive option was unsuccessful due higher cost and design complexity, and therefore Škoda opted for the rear-engined-with-rear-wheel-drive format. Even by the early 1960s, the idea of rear-engined small family saloons was still considered to be reasonably popular. In France, there were the Renault Dauphine
Renault Dauphine
Renault Dauphine is a rear-engined economy car manufactured by Renault in one body style — a three-box, four-door sedan — as the successor to the Renault 4CV, with over two million examples marketed worldwide during its production from 1956-1967....
, Renault 8
Renault 8
The Renault 8 and Renault 10 are two small family cars produced by the French manufacturer Renault in the 1960s and early 1970s....
and Simca 1000
Simca 1000
The Simca 1000 was a small, rear-engined, four-door saloon manufactured by the French automaker Simca from 1961 to 1978.-The launch:The car was inexpensive and, at the time of launch, quite modern, with a brand-new inline-4 watercooled engine of 944cc...
, while in Germany there were the Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
and NSU Prinz
NSU Prinz
The NSU Prinz is an automobile produced in West Germany by the NSU Motorenwerke AG. The car was built from 1957 to 1973, and received a model change in 1961 .-NSU Prinz 30:...
, in Italy there were the Fiats 500 and 600, and in Britain there was the Hillman Imp
Hillman Imp
The Hillman Imp is a compact, rear-engined saloon car that was manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group from 1963 to 1976...
, all of which employed the rear-engined concept.
A new era for Škoda
The Škoda 1000 MB made its debut in April 1964, as the successor for the OctaviaŠkoda Octavia (1959-1971)
The Škoda Octavia was a small family car produced by Czech automaker Škoda Auto at their plant in Mladá Boleslav. It was introduced in January 1959 and was named Octavia as it was the eighth car produced by the nationalised Skoda company....
. The letters MB were abbreviated for Mladá Boleslav. The 'MB was just the beginning of what would eventually evolve into a long line of rear-engined Škodas. The 1000 MB was powered by a rear-mounted, water-cooled, 988cc, four-cylinder overhead valve engine, which produced 44 bhp. An interesting thing about this engine was the combined use of an aluminum block with a cast iron cylinder head.
The 1000MB was a stylish four-door saloon, measuring 4.1 meters in length and 1.6 meters in width, which featured a steeply-sloping nose that was flanked by rounded front wings (not unlike the Ford Anglia 105E of the time). Being a rear-engined car, the 1000MB's radiator and (engine-propelled) cooling fan were situated in the rear engine compartment, so therefore a series of slats were cut into each rear wing and the rear panel to increase the flow rate of air in order to assist in keeping the engine cool. Apart from the use of cooling vents in the rear wings and rear panel, everything else about the car's styling was normal, which was undoubtedly in an attempt to appeal to all the conservative-minded buyers in export countries like the UK. This car was highly successful for Škoda and the Czechoslovak economy.
By early 1965, the British were starting to receive the 1000 MB, which was being priced at a reasonable £579, which was cheaper than similarly-sized four-door saloons such as the Ford Cortina
Ford Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
1200 and Hillman Minx
Hillman Minx
The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group between 1932 and 1970...
Deluxe, which cost £592 and £636 respectively. Despite being affordably priced, the 1000 MB came well equipped, with all-independent front suspension, reclining front seats, a heater and demister, full tool kit, and a generously-sized boot up front as well as useful storage areas behind the folding rear seat. Many salesmen over the years rightly stated that the MB was "a lot of car for the money".
For a small/medium-sized car with a 1-litre engine, the 1000 MB gave acceptable performance. The top speed was 120 km/h (75 mph), reaching 100 km/h (62 mph) from standstill in 27 seconds. Overall fuel economy was around 6.5 l/100 km (36 mpg).
By August 1969, Škoda felt it was time to update the 'MB series, which they did with the introduction of the Škoda S100/110
Škoda S100/110
The Škoda 100/110 were two variations of a rear-engined, rear-wheel drive car that was produced by Czechoslovakian manufacturer AZNP in Mladá Boleslav between 1969 and 1976. Engine sizes were 1.0 litre and 1.1 litre respectively...
series. By the time it was updated, a total of 443,903 'MBs were built. The 'MBX series was produced in very limited numbers (2,517 in total) and is therefore quite a rarity these days.
Problems
All Škoda 1000 MB had corrosion problems, particularly at the door sills and the axle suspensions. The vehicles were quick to rust, even with regular cavity sealing. Another serious problem was a blown cylinder head gasket because of engine overheating. Temporarily, the cars were delivered with a spare canister of coolant water; the plastic container was in the right rear fender. The cooling problems were so bad that often in the summer it was necessary to drive with the heater switched on to prevent overheating of the engine.Production figures
| MODELS | TYPES | YEARS PRODUCED | TOTAL PRODUCED |
|---|---|---|---|
| Škoda 1000 MB | 990 | 1964–1966 | |
| 721 | 1966–1969 | ||
| Škoda 1000 MB de Luxe | 721 | 1966–1969 | |
| Škoda 1000 MBG de Luxe | 710 | 1966–1969 | |
| Škoda 1000 MBX de Luxe | 990T | 1966–1967 | |
| Škoda 1100 MB de Luxe | 715 | 1967–1969 | |
| Škoda 1100 MBX de Luxe | 723 | 1967–1969 | |
'MB series timeline
- April 2, 1964 - Introduction of the 1000 MB (Type 990) four-door saloon. It had a rear-mounted 988cc four-cylinder engine giving 42 hp at 4650 rpm.
- April 1, 1966 - Introduction of the 1000 MB de Luxe (Type 721) four-door saloon with a more powerful 48 hp version of the 988 cc engine. It had better trim than the standard 'MB.
- April 3, 1966 - Introduction of the 1000 MB (Type 721) and 1000 MBG de Luxe (Type 710) four-door saloons and 1000 MBX de Luxe 2-door coupe (Type 990T). The standard 1000 MB now had the same engine as the MB de Luxe, while the 'MBG and 'MBX had a twin carburettor 52 kW version of the same engine.
- April 1, 1968 - Introduction of the 1100 MB de Luxe and 1100 MBX de Luxe (Types 715 and 723 respectively). Both were much the same as the earlier 1000 MB de Luxe and 1000 MBX de Luxe only they had a bigger 1107cc engine giving 52 hp. The 1000MBX was discontinued at this point.
- 1969 - All 'MB series replaced by the new S100 seriesŠkoda S100/110The Škoda 100/110 were two variations of a rear-engined, rear-wheel drive car that was produced by Czechoslovakian manufacturer AZNP in Mladá Boleslav between 1969 and 1976. Engine sizes were 1.0 litre and 1.1 litre respectively...
.