Skoda Octavia RS230 confirmed for November

The fastest Octavia ever will land in Australia in November, with Skoda today warning the Octavia RS230 would arrive in extremely limited numbers – and with a manual-only transmission.

Skoda Australia could secure as few as 50 examples of the in-demand RS230, with our right-hand-drive production limited to the six-speed manual gearbox only.

But it's unlikely to dampen enthusiasm among the performance car faithful, with a manual-only Octavia RS230 one of very few self-shifting options in our performance market.

"We are one of the top countries in the world (for RS sales). I don't want to say the top country, as there is no official ranking, but definitely we are one of the highest," said Skoda Australia Director, Michael Irmer.

"But there is a limitation in vehicle production. There are some other countries who are taking up the allocation of those cars. I can't put a number on our allocation, but it will be extremely limited."

While straight-line sprints will be similarly quick, twisty tarmac will be disposed of with far more ease, and speed, than in the regular Octavia RS.

Arriving in both wagon and sedan body styles, the RS230 scores a tuned-up version of the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine from the existing Octavia RS, but with power bumped from 162kW to 169kW (or 230 horsepower). It generates the same 350Nm of torque, but it's available across more of the range, with max power now spanning 1500–4600rpm. The changes will see the RS230 decimate the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.7secs, or 6.8secs in the wagon.

Those numbers are microscopically quicker than the standard RS, however the most significant improvement is the addition of the clever electronic limited-slip differential from VW's Golf GTI Performance, which, through a combination of tech wizardry and dark magic, staves off understeer by sending its power to whatever wheel has the most grip. It means that while straight-line sprints will be similarly quick, twisty tarmac will be disposed of with far more ease, and speed, than in the regular Octavia RS.

While the Octavia RS230 is a strictly limited-edition offering, Mr Irmer is not ruling out the possibility of it earning a permanent spot in Skoda's future model line-up, though it remains unlikely so long as it remains a manual-only proposition.

"If it was offered with a DSG gearbox, then we could look at it as a permanent fixture. But sometimes you are surprised by how well a model does, and it can find a regular place," he said.

Local pricing is yet to be confirmed, but international pricing sees the RS230 wear a $2k-$3k premium over the $37,890 regular Octavia RS 162TSI sedan.

Will you be queuing up for an RS230? Tell us what you think in the comments below.