Much Effort, No Success
In 1955, the Ministry of Automotive Industry in the CSSR gave the green light for the construction of a commercial vehicle that would meet the requirements of spacious, light weight and modern. In addition, it was also demanded that the minibus should appeal to buyers of the Western countries, simply because of the fact that the coveted foreign currency, gained by the export, could fill the state treasury of the Czechoslovak Republic. Other government requirements were a steel body, which was self-supporting, the load capacity of 950 kg, as well as a top speed of almost 100 km/h, with a consumption of no more than 10 liters of petrol per 100 kilometers.
With these key values, the first test vehicle at Škoda was created and got the model designation S 979. From March 1956 onwards the van was designed, developed and set on wheels. Only six months later a prototype was ready to be tested in real conditions.
Visually slightly modified, an improved version was tested on the roads shortly afterwards, which was designated inhouse as the prototype 979-II. The rear still featured two rows of bench seats, while the engine was installed between driver and front-seat passenger.
It is not exactly known why the development of the minibus was protracted repeatedly, why the initial prototype had to be rebuilt visually slightly modified, and why in the end it did not come to a final, but above all near-term decision by the governmental institutions. Finally, the first bus – under the designation 1203 – left the production line in November 1968.
