LET'S SKO TO MARS
Skoda mocks Elon Musk’s Tesla SpaceX launch in new TV ad as it sends a car to Mars – a tiny French village
Skoda has become the first motor manufacturer to send a car to Mars - but it's not the place you're thinking of
SKODA has become the first car company to complete a successful mission to Mars - but it's not the kind of interplanetary trip you're thinking of.
Unlike Tesla, the Czech car manufacturer didn't have to launch one of their motors into space to complete the trip.
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Instead, Skoda has spectacularly mocked Elon Musk's SpaceX mission to Mars with their new TV ad that sees them send a Superb sedan to a tiny French village of the same name.
Created as a marketing stunt for their French audience, the advert features the 2015 family car preparing to take on the ground-breaking mission.
Complete with space-suited pilot, launch sequence and a shiny red motor, you'd be forgiven for mistaking the opening scenes of the ad for footage of the Tesla Roadster preparing to shoot into space.
Skoda even go as far as including the "Don't Panic" message on the Superb's touchscreen display; the same mantra Musk set on the dashboard of his electric sports car.
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Commentating on the "very important moment in history, an announcer says: "Skoda is about to overshadow his competitor with the launch of a Skoda Superb towards Mars.
"Skoda Superb is configured for flight. 3, 2, 1... Ignition."
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But once the motor has taken off, it becomes clear their mission isn't exactly on the same scale as Tesla's.
Cruising through the French countryside, the red Superb hits top speeds of not much more than 60mph before it reaches its destination - the tiny village of Mars in the southern French region of Rhone-Alpes.
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Greeted by hoards of locals, the driver is met with the same kind of welcome you'd expect following a complete mission to a new world.
And as they note as the end of the video, Skoda's trip to the town of less than 300 people was an overwhelming success.
Because after all, they did manage to prove that there is life on Mars.