Skoda Superb tries on a pickup truck body

Skoda Academy has unveiled the tenth project of its student team. Called the L&K 130, it’s a light truck based on the Superb wagon chassis and envisioned as a bike race assist vehicle.

It’s worth pointing out that Skoda traces its roots to a bicycle company founded by Václav Laurin and Václav Klement 130 years ago. The name of the students’ latest project is a nod to the two forefathers of the Skoda brand. Not only that, but the Czech automaker is an official partner of the Tour de France bike race, so it has a closer connection to the world of cycling than one might expect.

Back to the car, though. It’s an all-custom job that sees the Superb’s trunk exposed and turned into a truck bed of sorts. You can pull it out when parked for easier access to the bikes inside, then push it back in. A special partition wall behind the rear seats ensures proper noise insulation.

The rear doors aren’t hinged anymore – they slide to open, so the cyclists can safely ride around the car without slamming into the doors, the students explain. As for the interior, it houses an extra telemetry display with an Internet connection, as well as dedicated equipment racks and a mini-fridge with water bottles.

According to the Skoda Academy, this is its students’ first project to use the Superb wagon as a starting point. It’s also the first one to utilize a hybrid powertrain, albeit stock. A 1.5-liter turbocharged engine works in tandem with a single electric motor to deliver 204 PS (201 hp / 150 kW) to the wheels.