The first fourth-generation Fabia has rolled off the line at Skoda Auto’s main plant in Mladá Boleslav. The production facilities were extensively modified so that this latest edition of the popular small car can be built there; the investments made amount to 110 million euros – or about £94 million.

For the first time, the Fabia is based on Volkswagen Group’s MQB-A0 platform, which Skoda says enables it to be not only the most spacious car within its segment but also to offer improved comfort features and a wealth of new safety and assistance systems.

Michael Oeljeklaus, Skoda Auto Board Member for Production and Logistics, said: “Production launches are always very special moments that we meticulously prepare for. Today, we are celebrating the official start of production of the new Fabia. In total, we have invested 110 million euros in the extensive modernisation as well as further automation of the production processes. This is now paying off: it’s great to see everything running smoothly, with every mechanism working in perfect harmony. I’d like to thank the entire team for their outstanding work and I’m delighted that our efforts have allowed us to make a significant contribution to the Fabia’s success story.”

The Fabia is built on the same production line as the Scala and Kamiq model series. In the run-up to starting production, the Czech carmaker made adjustments to the assembly line as well as to the press and welding shops. Numerous complex and physically demanding production steps are now carried out by robots, which has enabled a high level of automation in the manufacturing processes.

The first-generation Fabia, launched in 1999, was one of the bestselling small cars, with more than 1.7 million units delivered. The second-generation model that followed in 2007 also surpassed the mark of 1.7 million units sold. Including the third generation, which debuted in 2014, more than 4.5 million Fabias have been delivered to customers around the globe.