It may be dark, but...

It may be dark, but how"s this for a Fab night out? Skoda"s all-new Fabia has made its first public outing - and our undercover spies were there to capture the moment on film.

They snapped the top-selling five-door virtually undisguised on the road, and it"s clear the next Fabia will continue Skoda"s trend for stylish new models.

The nose will be virtually identical to the larger Roomster supermini-MPV and inspired by the Joyster concept. And the rear end"s distinctive appearance is revealed here for the first time. The upswept waistline at the C-pillar creates a chunky, high-quality appearance, while the tail-lights resemble those of the existing car. But sharper lines make the Fabia look more modern, ready to take on Renault"s latest Clio and Vauxhall"s top-quality Corsa.

As with the current model, only five-door and estate variants are likely to be sold, but both will offer generous seating for five. The new car is also going to be charged with helping to establish Skoda as a brand for style-conscious buyers, and will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March before going on sale in the UK in the autumn. While most sales will be made up by FSI petrol-engined variants and TDI oil-burners, the car maker is also expected to adopt the TSI supercharged and turbocharged technology which first appeared under the bonnet of VW"s Golf GT.

In addition, hot hatch fans can look forward to a successor to the hugely popular vRS version, which is likely to retain a diesel powertrain. For all versions, buyers should expect no more than a small increase in price over the current range.