SKODA will launch Sport versions of the revised Fabia and new Octavia next year, boosting its offering for user-choosers.

Skoda Auto UK director Chris Craft said: ‘Our vRS models have proved we can be serious contenders in the hot hatch sector, but not everyone wants the operating costs and high insurance that comes with faster cars, so the new Sport versions will look dynamic but have standard petrol or diesel engines.’

Available from January, the petrol-powered Fabia Sport is likely to cost less than £10,000, compared with the £12,250 price of the 130bhp turbodiesel vRS, while the Octavia Sport, available in the spring, is likely to start from about £16,000.