THE one millionth Skoda Fabia has rolled off the production line at the SkodaAuto plant in the Czech Republic.

It was a Fabia vRS, which was presented to a customer from the UK at the factory.

Skoda Auto chairman Vratislav Kulhánek said at the presentation: 'I am pleased to see that our millionth Fabia has been made for a customer from Great Britain and not only because this country belongs to our largest market.

'It is in Great Britain that the transformation of the Skoda brand has become fully evident. Whereas, prior to 1991, we were a much-derided brand in the UK, nowadays Skodas are respected by customers in this demanding market.'

The Fabia made its debut at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in 1999, with the estate version following a year later. A saloon version was introduced in 2001 and the Fabia vRS appeared in the middle of last year.

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