The red Skoda leading the peloton has become a familiar sight at the Tour de France.
Skoda has been an official partner since 2004, providing the race director's cars and a large fleet of support vehicles. Over two decades the brand supplied multiple Superb generations, the plug-in-hybrid Superb iV and the all-electric Enyaq.
Skoda first served as the race director's car in 2004, beginning the partnership that continues across later Superb generations.
The second-generation Superb replaced the original in 2008; the third generation followed in later years and remained a visible presence at the race.
From 2019 Skoda supplied the plug-in-hybrid Superb iV and then the all-electric Enyaq (introduced in 2020), reflecting the brand's move toward electrified race director cars.
The image of a red car leading the riders in the famous Tour de France has become familiar. But few Vietnamese people notice that those cars are from Skoda. Let's take a look at Skoda cars across each Tour de France season.
Accompanying the Tour de France for 20 years
Along with the cyclists, hundreds of cars also participate in the Tour de France. The most visible car is the dark red vehicle driven by race director Christian Prudhomme, who has been using Skoda vehicles since 2004. Skoda's partnership with the race began in 2004 and spans multiple generations of the Superb.
The race director's first car was the first-generation Superb. It was replaced by the second-generation Superb in 2008, followed by the third generation in 2015. From 2019 the Superb iV—featuring a plug-in hybrid powertrain and electric driving capability—was used, and the all-electric Enyaq was introduced in 2020 and retained in later editions.
Pictures of Skoda at the Tour de France through the years
The article's gallery documents race director cars from 2004 through 2023 across many models and seasons. In addition to the director's vehicle, Skoda supplies a fleet of several hundred support and companion cars each year.