If you’ve ever had a soft spot for boxy old hatchbacks with names like Favorit, buckle up because Škoda just reimagined this Eastern Bloc classic as an electric crossover concept. And honestly? It’s kind of cool.
Meet the new (but very unofficial) Škoda Favorit EV concept—a passion project from two Škoda designers who clearly couldn’t get the ’80s out of their heads. The original Škoda Favorit, which launched back in 1987, was already a bit of a revolution behind the Iron Curtain. Designed by Nuccio Bertone (yes, the Italian design legend), it brought front-wheel drive and fresh, modern styling to drivers in then-Communist Czechoslovakia.
But this new take? It’s got 2025 written all over it—with chunky EV-ready proportions and a clean concept.
The brains behind the design
This retro-modern remix is the brainchild of Ljudmil Slavov, an interior designer, and David Stingl, one of the company’s 3D modellers at Škoda. And get this, Slavov reportedly clocked in 120 hours of his own time to bring this design to life. Talk about dedication.
An electric crossover that still feels like the original
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Designer Ljudmil Slavov, who led the sketching process, saw the original Škoda Favorit as already carrying the DNA of the carmaker’s modern design philosophy. “From today’s perspective, I think the Favorit was already a kind of Modern Solid. It was technically and visually a simple car meant for the general public,” he says.
But instead of just recreating the old hatchback, Ljudmil decided to nudge it into crossover territory. That gave him room for better battery integration (in the floor, of course) and also made it more aligned with what people actually want today: something compact, but elevated. Think Škoda Kamiq vibes, only cleaner and sleeker.
It’s a clean-sheet design, but the past is present
Ljudmil didn’t just slap a new face on a generic crossover. He intentionally avoided current design cues like Škoda’s “Tech-Deck Face” and focused on evolving the Škoda Favorit’s original proportions instead. “I studied its original details and tried to evolve and elevate them. Honestly, simplifying the already minimalistic shapes into Modern Solid form was very challenging,” he admits.
The result? A design that doesn’t scream retro, but still nods to where it came from. The character is familiar, just dressed in sleeker lines and smoother surfaces.
Yes, those doors open in opposite directions
Here’s where things get interesting: the concept features suicide-style rear doors, but with a twist — both the front and back doors share a central handle embedded in the body. This isn’t just quirky for the sake of it. It creates a cleaner side profile and opens up the cabin in a way that feels equal parts practical and poetic.
“It keeps the design visually clean,” adds David Stingl, the designer who stepped in to translate the 2D sketches into a near-production-looking 3D form.
An entirely digital journey
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Ljudmil Slavov
This Škoda Favorit was born in pixels, not graphite. Ljudmil’s process didn’t involve a single physical pencil; everything was drawn on a tablet. “I hardly ever use pencils anymore—maybe just for the very first ideas,” he says. The digital workflow helped him fine-tune the car’s proportions with surgical precision.
Once the concept matured, David Stingl stepped in to model it in 3D, bringing more structure and refinement to the sketch. “My task was to give the car new volumetric proportions, shapes, and design elements so the result looks almost like a finished product,” David explains.
There’s even a rally version
Let’s not forget Škoda Favorit’s rally roots. Alongside the “civilian” concept, Ljudmil also designed a sportier trim that draws from the car’s motorsport history. Think chunky bumpers made from soft-touch materials — modern-day equivalents of the original plastic ones — and a beefed-up stance that hints at Škoda’s wild side.
So… will we see it on the road?
There’s no official word yet; this was a passion project, after all. But it’s a passion project that feels remarkably real. And if Škoda’s paying attention, it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine this clean, clever, and quietly radical Škoda Favorit driving off a factory floor someday.
If nothing else, it’s a reminder that nostalgia and innovation don’t have to compete; sometimes, they drive side by side!
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