This December, ŠKODA AUTO can look back on 125 years of history. This makes the Czech company one of the longest established car manufacturers in the world still in operation.

The international success story began shortly before Christmas 1895 when Václav Laurin and Václav Klement founded a workshop for the repair and manufacture of bicycles in Mladá Boleslav.

Later they also produced motorbikes and automobiles, released from 1925 under the ŠKODA brand.

Exactly 125 years ago – shortly before Christmas 1895 – the mechanic Václav Laurin and the bookseller Václav Klement laid the foundation stone for the present-day ŠKODA AUTO. The two founders were united by their passion for cycling. They wanted to offer their customers bicycles built from the best materials available, while still being affordable.

In their small workshop three people were employed to make bicycles driven by foot or hand. One year later, 21 employees were making five different models of bikes, which bore the name SLAVIA. The range was soon expanded to include bicycles for children, tandem bicycles, two-wheelers with chain or shaft drive, and tricycles for transporting goods or people.

The company owes its rapid growth to the vision and entrepreneurial talent of Václav Klement. He succeeded in winning large orders both on the domestic market and in industrialised countries such as Germany and Great Britain. The outstanding qualities of the motorised two-wheelers from Mladá Boleslav were also confirmed by their success in demanding racing events.