Škoda has unveiled the 1000 MBX concept, a radical reinterpretation of the brand's classic 1000 MB coupe that challenges conventional automotive design by incorporating brutalist architectural principles. Unlike typical retro concepts that simply replicate surface aesthetics, this 2025 concept addresses fundamental spatial challenges while maintaining the geometric integrity of the original 1960s vehicle.
The original Škoda 1000 MB coupe, introduced in the late 1960s, featured a distinctive near-vertical rear windshield designed to maximize headroom and cargo access within a compact footprint. Exterior designer Antti Mikael Savio has preserved this upright greenhouse geometry in the MBX concept while replacing the rear glass entirely with a continuous body panel. This approach maintains the spatial intent of the original while inverting its execution logic.
Savio, who studied brutalist architecture before designing this concept, explains his philosophy: "Modern sports cars often appear overly aggressive, while those from the 60s and 70s carried a certain elegance, even endearing charm, and that's what I wanted to preserve." The rear window omission serves a dual purpose, honoring the original's distinctive vertical glass while creating substantially more cargo volume by extending the hatch opening nearly to the roofline.
The MBX concept completely abandons the soft volumes and chrome-trimmed edges that characterized the original 1000 MB. Where the 1960s model featured gently curved surfaces across the hood, fenders, and roof typical of European economy cars of that era, the new concept eliminates that softness entirely. Flat body panels meet glass at sharp transitions with no chamfer or radius to ease visual flow.
Tall bodysides rise with minimal curvature, creating walls rather than sculpted forms. The matte champagne finish erases reflections, forcing the vehicle to read as geometric volume instead of painted metal. This approach directly applies brutalist architectural philosophy by stripping decorative elements and allowing proportion to carry the design statement.
The front fascia uses LED patterns to create depth without requiring a physical grille, while the rear panel integrates taillights as textured surfaces rather than applied graphics. Chrome trim and character lines vanish completely, leaving only planes, edges, and the tension between mass and void. This represents a complete reversal of current automotive design trends that typically add creases and sculpted haunches to suggest speed.
One of the most innovative features is the split sliding door system. Instead of conventional doors or a single massive sliding panel, the MBX divides each side into two horizontal sections. The front panel slides forward while the rear panel slides back, creating pillarless access to both rows while maintaining structural rigidity. This configuration cuts the travel distance requirement in half compared to a single full-length slider.
This door system solves a practical problem inherent in 2+2 coupes, where rear seat access typically forces front passengers to exit or requires awkward maneuvering through narrow openings. The split sliders eliminate both compromises by allowing the rear section to open independently, providing direct access to the second row without disturbing front occupants. When closed, the panel divisions create horizontal lines that emphasize the car's width and low visual center of gravity.
Interior designer David Stingl continues the brutalist material reduction philosophy throughout the cabin. A continuous bench seat spans the full width with no console dividing the space, taking advantage of the flat EV skateboard platform that eliminates the transmission tunnel. This design transforms what was originally a mechanical packaging constraint in the 1960s model into an intentional strategy for enhancing spatial flexibility.
The rear seats fold upward to create cargo volume behind the front bench, with Škoda demonstrating this capability by storing a bicycle vertically alongside luggage. This transforms the 2+2 configuration into a genuine utility space when passenger capacity isn't required. The upright greenhouse geometry provides vertical clearance for tall cargo, while the solid rear panel extends cargo access nearly to the roofline.
The floating dashboard reinforces the material reduction strategy by appearing suspended rather than anchored to door panels, revealing floor continuity and emphasizing cabin width. A projection display replaces physical screens, projecting information onto surfaces rather than embedding technology into the architecture. The geometric steering wheel uses squared-off top and bottom sections with rounded sides, maintaining design continuity with the exterior's angular vocabulary.
The exterior color blocking employs a technique borrowed from brutalist architecture. The matte champagne body contrasts with a glossy dark roof, pillars, and upper structure, creating visual separation between the greenhouse and body. This makes the tall cabin appear to float above the lower mass, similar to how brutalist buildings use concrete bases to support glass or metal upper volumes.
The MBX concept exists within Škoda's "Icons Get a Makeover" series, which reinterprets heritage models with no production intent. This creates tension between the concept's genuine problem-solving approach to spatial utility and access innovation versus Škoda's current lineup of rebadged Volkswagen Group platforms with minimal differentiation. The design demonstrates that Škoda's design team understands how proportion, geometry, and material reduction create presence, though whether this understanding will reach production vehicles remains uncertain.
