The Vampire Car That Refused to Die: Škoda 110 Super Sport 'Ferat'

Feral Elegance - There’s something fascinating about the way cars sometimes slip beyond their role as mere machines and end up living a second life in culture, film, or even folklore. Some of the most striking examples started as wild concept cars—built more for imagination than production—and then somehow escaped obscurity. One such survivor is the Škoda 110 Super Sport, a car that not only embodied the design daring of its era but also became immortal thanks to a vampire twist straight out of cinema.

The Škoda 110 Super Sport 'Ferat,' a car that not only embodied the design daring of its era but also became immortal thanks to a vampire twist straight out of cinema. (Picture from: BelowTheRadar)

Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Škoda was not the kind of brand most people associated with flashy concept cars. Yet, while many automakers behind the Iron Curtain focused on practicality, Škoda was willing to dream. Among its experiments was the 110 Super Sport, unveiled in 1971 with styling that looked like it had been drawn with a ruler in the age of geometric, origami-inspired car design.

The Škoda 110 Super Sport unveiled in 1971 with styling that looked like it had been drawn with a ruler in the age of geometric, origami-inspired car design. (Picture from: BelowTheRadar)

Its wedge-shaped body sat low and sharp, and instead of doors it had a dramatic one-piece canopy that lifted upward, almost like a fighter jet. At the rear, sixteen circular lights were arranged to mimic the afterburners of a rocket, while up front a bank of pop-up headlights kept it in line with the most futuristic machines of the day.

The Škoda 110 Super Sport' wedge-shaped body sat low and sharp, and instead of doors it had a dramatic one-piece canopy that lifted upward, almost like a fighter jet. (Picture from: BelowTheRadar)

Unlike many concept cars, the 110 Super Sport was more than just a shell. It was a working prototype, initially fitted with an 1107cc engine before receiving an 1147cc unit borrowed from the 110 L Rallye. There were whispers it could go into small-scale production, but as often happened with concepts of that time, those talks never materialized. The car did, however, make a splash at home and abroad, debuting locally in late 1971 and then at the Brussels Motor Show the following year. It could easily have ended its story there—an admired prototype consigned to memory—but fate had something stranger in store.

The Škoda 110 Super Sport 'Ferat' found its way onto the big screen in a Czech sci-fi comedy in 1977. (Picture from: BelowTheRadar)

In 1977, the 110 Super Sport found its way onto the big screen in a Czech sci-fi comedy. Just a few years later, in 1981, it would undergo a transformation that cemented its legacy. Artist and costume designer Theodor Pištěk—who would later win an Academy Award for his work with director Miloš Forman—reshaped the car for the cult horror film Ferat Vampire.  

The Škoda 110 Super Sport 'Ferat' takes center stage, filmed in real rally action alongside Ford Escorts, Opel Asconas, Renaults, and other competitors. (Picture from: BelowTheRadar)

Out went the pop-up headlights, replaced by fixed lamps, and in came new rear clusters borrowed from the then-upcoming Škoda 120. Stylish BBS wheels were bolted on, a sinister black finish was applied, and pinstriping gave it an otherworldly presence. The result was no longer just a futuristic prototype; it was a machine reborn for cinema.

The Škoda 110 Super Sport 'Ferat' today resides in Škoda’s museum, serving as a permanent reminder that concept cars can sometimes live far beyond their original purpose. (Picture from: BelowTheRadar)

Renamed the “Ferat,” the car became a character in its own right, portrayed as a supernatural vehicle that fed on the blood of its drivers through the throttle pedal. In the film’s darkly comic storyline, an ambulance driver is recruited to race for the mysterious Ferat rally team, only for his doctor friend to uncover the car’s deadly secret. 

The Škoda 110 Super Sport 'Ferat' featured with a new rear clusters borrowed from the then-upcoming Škoda 120, stylish BBS wheels bolted on, a sinister black finish applied, and pinstriping added, giving it an otherworldly presence. (Picture from: BelowTheRadar)

Amid all this, the Škoda takes center stage, filmed in real rally action alongside Ford Escorts, Opel Asconas, Renaults, and other competitors. The movie itself may not have been particularly terrifying, but the imagery of the Ferat burning across stages remains unforgettable.

Škoda revived the Ferat look in 2016 when it ran a Fabia R5 rally car in full Ferat livery at the Bohemia Rally, a nostalgic nod to the legend. (Picture from: BelowTheRadar)

This unusual blend of design innovation and cinematic myth has ensured the Škoda 110 Super Sport never faded into obscurity. Today, the very same Ferat car resides in Škoda’s museum, a permanent reminder that sometimes concept cars can live far beyond their original purpose. Its influence has even reached modern times—Škoda revived the Ferat look in 2016 when it ran a Fabia R5 rally car in full Ferat livery at the Bohemia Rally, a nostalgic nod to the legend. | dB8RpdHuGuo |

What began as an experimental wedge-shaped prototype has since become a cultural touchstone, known not just to car enthusiasts but to generations who grew up seeing it on screen. The Škoda 110 Super Sport ‘Ferat’ is proof that cars can be more than transportation; they can turn into icons, storytellers, and even vampires—at least in the right hands. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BELOWTHERADAR ]

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