A new design of chassis with backbone tube and all-around independent suspension was developed under the leadership of chief engineer Vladimír Matouš and derived from the one introduced by Hans Ledwinka in Tatra.

First used on model Škoda 420 Standard in 1933, it aimed at solving the lack of torsional stiffness of the ladder frame.

[4] In 1934 a team of seven Czechoslovaks including Dr Zbislav Peters, Baron Jan Nádherný z Borutína and racing driver Zdeněk Pohl drove four Škoda Popular convertibles from Czechoslovakia to India.

They left Prague on 12 May, drove 14,900 km (9,300 mi) through Turkey, Syria, Afghanistan and India and reached Calcutta on 10 September.

[5][6] Production of the 418 did not continue after 1934, and only 200 were made, but Škoda applied the "Popular" name to subsequent versions of the 995 cc model 420.

[11] In January 1936 Zdeněk Pohl and Jaroslav Hausman drove a Popular in the Monte Carlo Rally, coming second in the 1,500 cc class.

[13] In 1937 Škoda applied overhead valves to the 995 cc engine to create the Popular OHV model.

This produced 27 horsepower (20 kW)[9] and had a top speed of 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) but was as economical as the sidevalve.

In 1940 Škoda gave the 1,089 cc model the same body as the 995 "Liduška", increased its power to 32 horsepower (24 kW) and called it the Popular 1101.