Skoda

Based in the Czech Republic, Škoda Auto traces its origins back to 1895, when Václav Laurin, a mechanic, and Václav Klement, a bookseller, decided to start their own bicycle repair business. Frustrated by the lack of spare parts for their German bicycles, they began manufacturing their own, naming the company Slavia as a symbol of national pride. The business soon evolved into Laurin & Klement Co., and by the turn of the century, they were producing motorcycles, which quickly gained popularity...