Skoda's current vehicle lineup includes three hatchbacks, two sedans, and three SUVs. It's far from spectacular, but that's what Skoda has been about (mostly) since its inception more than 100 years ago.

But the Czech automaker just rolled out a concept that proves it can design dynamic and emotive two-door cars. It's called the Slavia and it's an exciting roadster version of the Scala hatchback.

The Skoda Slavia is inspired by a 1950s race car

Skoda may be famous for no-nonsense, affordable road cars, but the Czech automaker designed a few race- and rally-spec vehicles back in the day.

Skoda's foray into open-top motorsport began in 1949 with the Skoda Sport, which was followed in 1950 by the Supersport. These cars were designed on the chassis of the Skoda 1101 road car, but the 1100 OHC was a true sports prototype.

A sleek roadster with a low windscreen and a big fin behind the driver's seat, the 1100 OHC resembled iconic sports prototypes of the era, such as the Jaguar D-Type and the Ferrari 375 Plus. It tipped the scales at just 550 kg and was capable of top speeds of almost 200 km/h.

The 1100 OHC raced and won a few local events, but due to the political situation in Czechoslovakia in the late 1950s, Skoda wasn't allowed to compete outside socialist countries. Only two 1100 OHC roadsters were built and both survived. One is displayed in the Skoda Museum in Mlada Boleslav, while the other one is owned by Skoda U.K.

The Skoda Slavia is the cool-looking Scala we deserve

However, the grille now features a black frame, while the vertical slats feature thin chrome strips at the top. We can also see a sporty, black-painted splitter at the bottom of the front bumper.

The profile looks notably different since Skoda removed the rear doors and added sporty five-spoke wheels. Above the waist, there's a shorter, more angled windscreen and a pair of flying buttresses on the rear deck. A black-painted rear spoiler adds more drama to the profile. However, the Slavia boasts its own degree of weirdness, mostly because the wheelbase feels a tad longer given the proportions. Or maybe Skoda should have created longer doors.

The Slavia's rear section is also decidedly different with the hatchback-style roof out of the way. The decklid boasts a convex shape toward the fascia, while the spoiler is concave, resulting in an oval-shaped airway between them. The taillights, the center fascia and the bumper remain identical to the Scala, but the Slavia comes with a sporty diffuser with four vertical fins flanked by wide exhaust outlets.

Granted, it's not an overly spectacular design since it's heavily based on a production model, but a speedster-style convertible with race-inspired features is a solid out-of-the-box design exercise.

The interior is also based on the Scala, but with just two seats and added premium features. Both seats are wrapped in perforated black leather with white decorative seams and feature four-point safety harnesses. Power comes from a familiar 1.5-liter TSI engine rated at 148 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The engine is identical to the one in the Scala and mates to a stock seven-speed automatic transmission.

Skoda Slavia Concept specifications

The Skoda Slavia isn't going into production

Yes, that's the sad part. Skoda isn't planning to put the Slavia into production. It will remain a design study developed by students of the Skoda vocational school and a tribute to the company's 125th anniversary. The Slavia name revives the brand under which company founders Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement sold their bicycles back in the early days.

Skoda Slavia Concept exterior dimensions