Skoda Sharyaq And Prediaq Debut As 4-Wheeled NHL Mascots

And now for one thing fully completely different, a Czech automaker is popping its consideration to North America’s Nationwide Hockey League. No, Skoda sadly is not coming to america. It is really the opposite method round as two NHL groups are presently in Europe for back-to-back video games to open the 2022-23 common season. San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators will duel on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8 in Prague on the O2 Enviornment.

Skoda has been a long-time hockey supporter, having been an official companion of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship since 1992. For the NHL’s ninth go to to Europe, the Volkswagen Group model has determined to decorate up two of its SUVs as mascots. Based mostly on the Kodiaq, the four-wheeled mascot of the Nashville Predators known as “Prediaq” whereas the “Sharyaq” for the San José Sharks is an Enyaq iV. Sure, even the mascots comply with Skoda’s naming scheme with all SUVs ending with the letter “q.”

Vítězslav Pelc, the Skoda worker accountable for these funky group mascots explains why these autos had been chosen. The Mladá Boleslav-based marque determined to go along with the 2 SUVs since they’re comparable in dimension and supply a distinction between combustion engines and all-electric drivetrains. Very like the Predators’ jerseys, the Prediaq is usually yellow whereas the Sharyaq is black and blue to echo the San José Sharks.

Other than the eye-grabbing physique decals, the Kodiaq and Enyaq iV use a 3D-printed versatile ribbed composite construction. It consists of polyurethane foam layered in various hardness in order that the fins, tail, and mane can “wiggle naturally,” in response to Plec. It’s an sudden transfer on Skoda’s half and a enjoyable approach to promote the model throughout such an enormous occasion for NHL followers.

Skoda isn’t any stranger to wacky ideas as college students from the corporate’s vocational college have constructed some attention-grabbing one-offs over time. From a Kodiaq pickup truck to a Sunroq SUV convertible, there have been some unconventional tasks in latest occasions.