Skoda

Skoda is an automotive manufacturer that is located in the Republic of Czechoslovakia. Skoda can trace its rather interesting roots back to 1895 when two young brothers became frustrated at the fact that it was exceedingly difficult to find replacement parts for their German-produced bicycles. The company was originally branded "Slavia" to reflect a marketing style that stressed national patriotism. As this company slowly expanded, it began to gain recognition outside of the country and automobiles were known to have been manufactured as early as 1905.

After the cessation of the First World War, Slavia merged with a larger automotive manufacturer by the name of Skoda (hence the name change) and a moderate amount of success was experienced. However, the company was forced to aid in the Nazi war effort during the second World War.

The postwar period saw lean times for Skoda although there was a slight advantage due to the fact that the company held a monopoly over the manufacture of automobiles in Czechoslovakia. These times saw further difficulty underneath the communist regime that existed when the Iron Curtain fell over eastern Europe. It was not until the collapse of communism in the late 1980s that models of Skoda vehicles entered into European markets.

Skoda's reputation improved when it became directly involved with the massive automotive conglomerate Volkswagen. Since the latter part of the 1990s, this manufacturer has been heavily involved in the European marketplace. Although Skoda has yet to make significant headway into the American markets, analysts feel that this brand will continue to be successful into the future.