The Škoda 1201 was a family car produced by AZNP in Mladá Boleslav as the successor to the Škoda 1200. It kept the steel ponton body of its predecessor, gained a larger and stronger engine, and was sold as a four-door saloon, an estate, a panel van and a pick-up until 1961, when the 1202 took its place.
Škoda 1201 at a glance
| Maker | AZNP, Mladá Boleslav |
|---|---|
| Production | from the mid-1950s until 1961 |
| Predecessor | Škoda 1200 |
| Successor | Škoda 1202 |
| Body | steel ponton, carried over from the 1200 |
| Bodies | four-door saloon, three- or five-door estate, panel van, pick-up |
| Engine | 1,221 cc four-cylinder OHV, water-cooled |
| Power | 45 PS (33 kW) at 4,200 rpm |
| Gearbox | four-speed manual, synchromesh on the top three ratios |
| Top speed | between 90 and 105 km/h, depending on source |
| Indicators | flashing lamps instead of the 1200’s semaphore arms |
| Markets | widely exported; home cars mostly government and taxi use |
History of the Škoda 1201
A stronger 1200
The 1201 was an evolution rather than a new car. It inherited the ponton body of the 1200, which in turn had been Škoda’s first mass-produced all-steel shell, and the same backbone chassis with independent suspension on transverse leaf springs. The engine grew to 1,221 cc and its output to 45 PS, which made the car rather less sluggish than the 1200, though still far from quick. The most visible change was the replacement of the semaphore trafficators buried in the front wings by flashing turn signals; because many 1200s were later converted, the lamps are not a reliable way of telling the two models apart.
Bodies and equipment
The 1201 came as a four-door saloon, a three- or five-door station wagon, a panel van for light deliveries and a pick-up. Equipment and trim were in the same modest spirit as the 1200: a simple dashboard, a heater, and paint and upholstery chosen for durability rather than luxury. The car also supplied the mechanical basis for the 1202 built in Vrchlabí, which used the same engine, gearbox and front end with a new body and a longer rear.
Who bought it
Much of the production went abroad, and the 1201 was widely exported to Western Europe, where cheap sturdy saloons and estates found buyers. At home most cars went to state institutions and to taxi operators, and only a small number reached private owners. Production ended in 1961, the year in which the 1202 entered production as its successor.
Design and features
- Bigger engine: 1,221 cc and 45 PS, a useful step up from the 1200’s 36 PS.
- Modern indicators: flashing lamps replaced the semaphore arms of the earlier car.
- Wide choice of bodies: saloon, estate, van and pick-up on the same chassis.
- Export success: a large share of production went to Western markets.
Škoda 1201 versions
- 1201 saloon: the four-door family car.
- 1201 estate: three- or five-door station wagon.
- 1201 panel van: light delivery version.
- 1201 pick-up: utility model on the same chassis.
- 1202 (1961): the estate, van and pick-up successor built in Vrchlabí.
The 1201 followed the Škoda 1200 and was replaced by the Škoda 1202. More cars are in the Škoda collection.
Sources
- Škoda 1201, English Wikipedia: production dates, engine, bodies, indicators, markets
- Škoda 1200/1201, Czech Wikipedia: place in the range, engine, shared mechanicals
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