1895 - The foundation of the firm
In early December, 1895, Václav Laurin, a machinist, and Václav Klement, a bookseller, commenced to manufacture bicycles branded Slavia. A couple of years later, in 1899, the Laurin&Klement firm could launch a motorcycle production which was met with success in international competitions.
1905 - The first automobile
After the first attempts on the turn of the century, the firm gradually changed over to car production. The first automobile, Voiturette A, produced in 1905, had been met with the same success as were the motorcycles, and could later become a classic among Czech veteran cars. The firm soon occupied a stable position on the gradually evolving international car market. Production expanded considerably and soon it exceeded the scope of a family enterprise. In 1907 the founders changed the firm into a joint-stock company.
1925 - Merger with ŠKODA Plzeň
In the 1920´s, the circumstances made it necessary to unite the company with a powerful partner. In 1925, it fused with ŠKODA Plzeň. This brought an end to the independent Laurin&Klement brand. In the following years, the production was modernised and expanded to inclused not only automobiles, but also various types of lorries, buses, aeroplane engines and agricultural machinery.
1930 - ASAP
As early as 1930, the production in ŠKODA concern was specified to personal automobiles again. An independent Joint-stock Car Industry Company (ASAP) was founded. After the world economic crisis had subsided, this company managed again to put Škoda "422" and "420 Popular" prototypes onto the international car market.
1939-1945 - Hermann-Göring-Werke
However, this course of events was soon interrupted by World War II which paralysed all civil projects, and production shifted its focus onto military needs. ASAP Škoda became part of the "Hermann-Göring-Werke" German concern and had to focus exclusively on war production. Apart from the manufacture of weapon constituents, various types of cross-country vehicles and heavy towing "RSO" vehicles were manufactured.
1945 - AZNP Škoda
After World War II, the firm was converted into a national enterprise with the Car Company, National Enterprise (AZNP ŠKODA) brand which, in connection with the country´s political development, was granted a monopolised status in car production. After 1946, the production of the Škoda 1101/1102 Tudor prototypes began, still picking up the threads of pre-war technical success. Regardless of the economic and political conditions of that time, the firm managed to preserve a comparatively high standard - as proved by the Škoda 1200, Spartak, Octavia, Felicia as well as Škoda 1000 MB models. Car production did not expand until 1987 when the new Škoda 781 Favorit models was produced. Together with the Forman 785 and Pickup 787 models, more than one million cars of this new trade-mark were sold.
1991 - Fusion with VW
After the political changes of 1989, the Škoda company in Mladá Boleslav commenced to search a powerful foreign partner whose experience, know-how and investments could help Škoda obtain a strong competitive edge in the new economic environment. In December 1990, the Czech government decided to cooperate with the German concern Volkswagen. On April 16, 1991, the co-operative Škoda joint-stock company initiated its activities. Škoda became was the fourth brand to join the concern after VW, AUDI and Seat. Thanks to numerous modernization measures taken in management, marketing, as well as in production processes, the Favorit prototype could be replaced by Škoda Felicia model in 1994; its quality and style complied with international requirements and standards. At the same time, the production of the second type, Octavia, was planned, to be equipped with the concern-produced undercarriage. The Škoda Octavia was introduced to the Czech market in late 1996, and two years later, the Škoda Octavia Combi followed. In September 1999, the new Fabia model was introduced.
