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For over 125 years, the Škoda brand has been a reliable and respected symbol of strength, quality, and dependability. But who was the mastermind behind this iconic car manufacturer? That would be none other than industrialist Václav Klement.
Klement was born in 1868 in the small town of Mladá Boleslav in Bohemia, which is now part of the Czech Republic. He was an industrious worker from a young age, attending both a trade school and a technical school in Prague.
Klement’s career began in 1887 when he joined the bicycle manufacturing business of his uncle Vaclav Laurin. The partnership of Laurin and Klement was officially established in 1895 and the company was soon turning out hundreds of bicycles.
By 1897, the partnership had progressed to the next level and the first Laurin & Klement motorcycle was produced. Shortly thereafter, the company produced its first automobile, the Voiturette A. It was the first car built in Central Europe.
Following the success of the Voiturette A, Laurin & Klement moved into the production of automobiles on a larger scale. In 1905, Klement and Laurin formed a new company known as Akciová Společnost Škoda, which was focused solely on car production. Klement was the president of the company and the two men went on to produce a variety of cars, including the popular ŠKODA POPULAR.
Throughout the years, ŠKODA has become one of the most successful and recognizable car brands in the world. The company has been through many changes and has had different owners, but the same commitment to quality and reliability remains.
All of this began with Václav Klement. Klement was a man of vision who saw the potential of automobiles and motorcycles. His ambition and dedication to his work resulted in one of the most successful and beloved car manufacturers of all time.
Václav Klement is no longer with us, but his legacy lives on in the ŠKODA brand and the cars it produces. He is undoubtedly the man who created the ŠKODA brand and gave us one of the most reliable and iconic car makers in the world.