The ŠKODA Octavia RS takes on a starring role alongside Brendan Gleeson, Ruth Bradley and Liam Cunningham in upcoming Irish action film, ‘Pursuit’.

Set between Connemara and the Spanish Costa del Sol, ‘Pursuit’ is a modern take on the legend of Diarmuid and Gráinne; a tale of love, betrayal, revenge and the pursuit of a life beyond crime, which features car chases galore, placing the Octavia RS firmly in the limelight.

First launched in Ireland back in 2001 the Octavia is now in its fourth generation and accounts for 10% of all Octavia cars sold in Ireland. The volume seller has been the 2.0TDI 184bhp Diesel with the 2.0TSI 220bhp petrol also featuring.

Following the shooting of ‘Pursuit’ in 2014; in March of this year, ŠKODA unveiled the new Octavia RS 230 at the Geneva Motor Show and it made its entrance into the Irish market in July 2015. This new model features a racy exterior design with black elements, sporty interior, modern technology and more impressive power.

The new ‘230’ designation relates to the new RS special edition’s horsepower, accelerating the car from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.7 seconds via its 230bhp two-litre petrol engine. The car’s top speed stands at 250 km/h (156mph), making the ŠKODA Octavia RS 230 the fastest series-produced Octavia of all time.

Road holding has also been given a performance upgrade with traction-boosting limited-slip differential.

Speaking about the new model, Raymond Leddy, Head of Marketing and Product at ŠKODA Ireland, said: “The Octavia RS has always been a very unique proposition. We would all love to drive sporty high performance vehicles but are prevented from doing so because we assume they are unpractical and are expensive to run and purchase. The RS 230 expels these myths with exceptional luggage and interior spaciousness and fuel economy from just 6.4 l/100km (44 mpg).”

The RS 230 is more heavily equipped than the standard version with 19” alloy wheels, new sports seats, black design twin exhausts and front grille all added to the package.  Prices start from €35,995 for the Octavia 2.0TSI 230bhp for the hatchback with Combi estate and DSG automatic alternatives also set to feature.