By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(May 12, 2015) About this time last year, we did a story on how small pickups are an idea that just won’t die. Here’s more proof that there may be a market just waiting to be exploited. Twenty-three trainees from the Skoda Vocational School sat down to build a vehicle for the 34th annual GTI meeting in Wörthersee, Germany, as part of the school’s second annual “trainee car” project. Starting with a Skoda Fabia, which is a mixture of VW’s 5th generation Polo and MQB structures, the students built a small pickup from the bones of the Fabia five-door wagon.

It is powered by Skoda’s 121 horsepower, 1.2-liter turbocharged four for the simple reason that the 2.0-liter GTI engine they wanted to use wouldn’t fit under the hood. With approximately 2,500 pounds to move and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox mated to it, the engine should provide decent acceleration and fuel economy.

The dumbest part of the car is its name: FUNstar and, perhaps, the 1400-Watt sound system. Then again, these kids are studying to be apprentices on the shop floor, not sales and marketing types. Naming things isn’t what they do best. (All trainees that successfully complete the Skoda school’s trainee program are offered a full-time job with the company)

The pickup’s sills, grille surround and rear spoiler are painted Reflex Green, and this color is repeated in the LED light strips that act as daytime running lights. The main body is a combination of Steel Gray and Moon White, and these colors are repeated in the interior. Eighteen-inch “Gemini” alloy wheels round out the package.

The Virtual Driver