Inside there more clues as to what will happen when you press the 'go' pedal: dig those light grey sports seats, chrome vRS door sills, sexy perforated black leather three-spoke sports steering wheel, stubby metal-topped gearlever with leather gaiter and leather trimmed handbrake.
If you discount the 300bhp four-wheel-drive Skoda WRC that Didier Auriol will pilot and which was revealed at last year's Geneva Motor Show, the ¯¿½11,990 Fabia vRS could be the sexiest-looking Skoda ever.
Certainly it is one of the hottest road-going Skodas of all time. And the vRS has taken many of its cues from its World Rally Championship big brother.
Well I wish I'd had a chance to take one of the old Skoda-jokers for a drive in the Fabia vRS. Their toupee would have blown out the window before we got to the end of my road.
Admittedly, it takes a while to get the gear changes timed right, because the power-band is low. But once you get the hang of using the vRS's low-down grunt rather than the top-end poke of a petrol screamer, then you start flying.
The handling is mighty impressive too. Skoda's engineers have done the sort of job any Max Power converter would be proud of. They've shorn 15mm off the suspension to increase stability.
The result is a very smart handling car you can't afford to miss. Steering turn-in is razor sharp, body roll minimal, grip during hard cornering is exceptional. So, the next time somebody pokes fun at the badge on your Fabia boot, don't be afraid to take them for a blast!
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