foldable cinema-style seats let users fit their bike and bags in modern škoda 1000 MBX car

cinema-style seats inside modern škoda 1000 MBX car

The modern concept Škoda 1000 MBX car comes with foldable cinema-style seats that allow users to fit their bike, gears, and luggage in the passenger seat. A modern twist from the automobile’s interior designer, David Stingl, the 2+2 seating setup in the cabin makes the space inside flexible. The front seats can merge and become a bench, so there’s nothing hindering between the driver and the front passenger, while the riders at the back can feel as if they were in a theater with the cinema-style tip-up chairs. The upgraded Škoda 1000 MBX car can then easily transform from a two-seater coupe into a cargo vehicle without adding or removing anything from the ride.

David Stingl explains that when the rear seats are folded upwards, there’s sufficient space for luggage, or even a bicycle or other sports equipment. ‘The concept car even features air suspension, allowing the ground clearance to be adjusted: low for a sporty stance or high for tackling rough paths and easier cargo loading,’ he adds. If the passengers look around, they can notice that the side panels at the door have plus and minus buttons. When pressed, the windows ascend and descend, a design element that steers away from the typical push button.

all images courtesy of Škoda

dashboard with glass-covered oval module and projection

Still inside the Škoda 1000 MBX car, the dashboard comes with a glass-covered oval module into which images are projected, courtesy of the interior designer David Stingl. The oval shape appears throughout the cabin, from the steering wheel to the headrests. It is a direct reference to the company’s original sedan, 1000 MB, which was produced briefly in the 1960s. In the upgraded one, the central console is still absent, but the chrome accents, which were alive in the original model, now come through as clean graphics highlighted by ambient lighting. The silhouettes inside the vehicle are reminiscent of the sharp lines found in brutalist architecture.

That is, in fact, an influential visual element for the design team, more visible on the exterior designed by Antti Mikael Savio. Here, the designer admits to studying several buildings and objects in that style and incorporating it whenever he can. The vehicle subtly nods at some of the features from the previous model, including the raised headlamps above the bonnet line, the character crease along the flanks halfway up the sides, and the distinctive C-pillar treatment. The rear seat, however, has no windows to make extra cargo space and give the vehicle a sportier and more compact look. Instead of a window, there’s a rearview camera replacing it. 

instead of a rear window, there’s a rearview camera replacing it

A brief design recap of the 1960s Škoda 1000 MB

Revisiting the 1960s Škoda 1000 MB, the sedan that the designers based their Škoda 1000 MBX car on, was the first Škoda car with a self-supporting body and a new aluminum engine block made by pressure casting. The two-door version, called the 1000 MBX, started production in 1966 and had frameless doors and no B-pillar, which gave the vehicle a more open look. In 1968, Škoda released another model, the 1100 MBX, with a 1,107-cc engine producing 52 horsepower. Production was small, with only a few cars built each day. In total, Škoda made 2,517 units before production ended in 1969, making the 1000 MBX and especially the 1100 MBX version rare to find.

Fast forward to today, Škoda designers Antti Mikael Savio (exterior) and David Stingl (interior) create a modern and conceptual version of the Škoda 1000 MBX car. It forms part of a series called Icons Get a Makeover, where Škoda designers reimagine classic cars from the company’s history. It is a collection of design studies that are not meant for production, and for the 1000 MBX model, the designers worked on it for about a month: Antti focused on the exterior, starting with sketches made on paper, while David worked on the digital 3D model, shaping the car’s inside first and then adding details to the overall structure. The resulting concept car has the look of a modern crossover, combining a strong structure with usable space. Antti wanted the new version to look sporty but still friendly, while David focused on keeping the car’s original meaning: a stylish, functional car for everyday life.

the 2+2 seating setup in the modern Škoda 1000 MBX car makes the space inside flexible

there are foldable cinema-style seats for the back passengers

when the back seats are folded up, users can fit their bikes and other equipment there

the dashboard comes with glass-covered oval module and projection

the upgraded vehicle has a sportier and more compact look

project info:

name: 1000 MBX

company: Škoda | @skodagram

interior design and architecture: David Stingl | @davidstingl

exterior design: Antti Mikael Savio

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