Mumbai: The premium-end car Superb from Skoda India is scheduled to hit Indian roads by January 2004.

Company sources say the first batch of the cars will reach India in the next couple of days for formalisation. After which the company will gear up for the launch with every network, part, and technically trained and well-equipped personnel at service and showroom so that the buyers will get a world-class experience.

Skoda India head (sales and marketing) Bipin Datar says the Superb will be priced in the super premium segment above Rs 20 lakh. "The Superb is a high-technology car than the Octavia and has been positioned in a segment where no carmaker except Benz has ventured into."

Datar says there are around 8,000 Skoda Octavias on Indian roads. The company established the network in November 2001, with 18 full-fledged dealerships with sales, service sand spare parts. There are also 21 satellite points with 12 more being added across the country by December 2003.

Skoda has gone ahead with establishing completely knocked down operations much ahead of schedule and is currently upgrading facilities to cater to the growing domestic demand.