When somebody says "clever Skoda commercial" one doesn't necessarily think of Australia. But the new Fabia needs to be sold in the land of Holdens, and they've resorted to pranking people.
All the major manufacturers are making a big deal about smartphone integration these days. And why wouldn't they? For years, we've felt disappointed by how crude our optional media systems felt when compared to an average handheld device.
But the unassuming victims of this prank were told a surgical implant could ensure a perfect connection between the driver and the Skoda Fabia.
Permanent surgery is required to install a microchip and USB port into the arm of the user. That's going to freak most people out, as it makes the future world of Matrix seem plausible. But the Skoda dealer nonchalantly says the implant procedure is simple and require only one day of recovery.
While the surgery is fake, the SmartLink system is real. Skoda models can now be connected to most types of smartphones that use Android and iOS software. Every major app you have on your phone can be accessed via the car's infotainment system, plus voice commands make sending texts or calling people much safer.
If there's one thing we've learned from this clip, it's that some people are extremely gullible. How could you possibly believe a carmaker like Skoda randomly performs surgery to install microchips? So while they are turning humans into cyborg consumer slaves, Volkswagen is replacing our air with CO2 and NOx? Wait... that's a dirty joke.
Right now, the new Fabia is available in Australia with, you guessed it, only one type of engine. The 1.2-liter turbo can be yours with 90 horsepower (66 kW) and a manual or 110 hp (81 kW) and a 7-speed DSG. Parent company Volkswagen is facing huge fines in Australia after using a special software to artificially lower exhaust emissions during tests.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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