S.C. Automobile Dacia S.A., commonly known as Dacia (), is a Romanian
car manufacturer that takes its name from
the historical region that constitutes present-day Romania. The company was established in 1966. In 1999, after 33 years, the Romanian government sold Dacia to the French car manufacturer
Groupe Renault
Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of ...
. It is Romania's largest company by revenue and the largest exporter, constituting 8% of the country's total exports in 2018. In 2021, the Dacia marque sold 537,074 passenger and commercial vehicles.
[
From January 2021 onwards the Dacia company became part of Renault's Dacia-Lada ]business unit
A strategic business unit (SBU) in business strategic management, is a profit center which focuses on product offering and market segment. SBUs typically have a discrete marketing plan, analysis of competition, and marketing campaign, even though ...
. In May 2022, Renault sold Lada's parent company AvtoVAZ
AvtoVAZ ( rus, АвтоВАЗ, p=ɐftoˈvas) is a Russian automobile manufacturing company owned by the state. It was formerly named as VAZ ( rus, ВАЗ), an acronym for Volga Automotive Plant in Russian (russian: Во́лжский автомо ...
to Russian state-owned institute NAMI.
History
The first facility in the area was built between 1942 and 1945, as an extension of the IAR aircraft manufacturer. The new factory, built in the Colibași-Pitești area under the order of Marshal Ion Antonescu (''conducător
''Conducător'' (, "Leader") was the title used officially by Romanian dictator Ion Antonescu during World War II, also occasionally used in official discourse to refer to Carol II and Nicolae Ceaușescu.
History
The word is derived from the Ro ...
'' of Romania during World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
), was scheduled to produce up to 600 aircraft engines per month. The building work was completed in 1945. After the war, the facility was taken over by the Romanian Railways, later generating the Dacia plants.
Founding
The Dacia automobile company was founded in 1966 under the name . The main Dacia factory was inaugurated in 1968, in Colibași (now called Mioveni
Mioveni () is a town in Argeș County, Romania, approximately 15 km (9 miles) north-east of Pitești. , it had a population of 31,998. The town administers four villages: Clucereasa, Colibași, Făgetu and Racovița.
History
It was firs ...
), near Pitești. Dacia acquired the tooling and basic designs of the Renault 12. However, until the tooling was ready it was decided to produce the Renault 8
The Renault 8 (Renault R8 until 1964) and Renault 10 are two rear-engined, rear-wheel drive small family cars produced by the French manufacturer Renault in the 1960s and early 1970s.
The 8 was launched in 1962, and the 10, a more upmarket ve ...
under licence; it was known as the Dacia 1100
Year 1100 ( MC) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 1100th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 100th year of the 2nd millennium, the 100th and ...
. From 1968 to 1972, 37,546 cars of model 1100 were produced, with a very minor cosmetic change to the front in early 1970. Also produced in very limited numbers was the ''1100S'', with twin headlamps and a more powerful engine, used by the police and in motor racing.
The first Dacia 1300
The Dacia 1300 () is a medium-sized family car that was built during the Cold War by Romanian auto maker Dacia. The "1300" stands for the engine displacement.
The first Dacia 1300 left the assembly line on 23 August 1969. On 21 July 2004, the l ...
left the assembly line ready for 23 August parade in 1969, and was exhibited at the Paris and Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
shows of that year. Romanians were delighted with the modernity and reliability of the car, and waiting lists were always lengthy. By 1970, there were two variants: the standard ''1300'' and the ''1300L'' (for Lux); in 1974 the ''1301 Lux Super'' was introduced, which had novelties such as a heated rear screen, a radio, windscreen mirrors on both sides and a more luxurious trim. This was reserved for the Communist Party
A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of ''The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. A ...
nomenklatura
The ''nomenklatura'' ( rus, номенклату́ра, p=nəmʲɪnklɐˈturə, a=ru-номенклатура.ogg; from la, nomenclatura) were a category of people within the Soviet Union and other Eastern Bloc countries who held various key admi ...
.
Changes soon followed as export markets opened up. In 1973, the estate variant, ''1300 Break'', was produced. There were ''1300F'' (estate with no rear seats, for carrying goods) and ''1300S'' (ambulance) variants, and in 1975 the Dacia 1302
The Dacia Pick-Up was a range of pick-up trucks manufactured by Romanian auto marque Dacia. The 31 years of production saw the manufacturing of a total of 318,969 vehicles.
The Pick-up was the last of the Dacia models to be based on the Renaul ...
pick-up was developed. 2,000 units were made until 1982.
Dacia also produced the ''Estafette'', a complete knock down
A knock-down kit (also knockdown kit, knocked-down kit, or simply knockdown or KD) is a collection of parts required to assemble a product. The parts are typically manufactured in one country or region, then exported to another country or region ...
version of the Renault Estafette
The Renault Estafette is a light commercial vehicle, light commercial front-wheel drive van, first introduced in 1959 and made by the France, French automaker Renault between 1959 and 1980, initially using the water-cooled Renault Ventoux engine, ...
van, in limited numbers, but given the competition of the Bucharest-made T.V. van, numbers were very limited. In the very early 1980s, the Renault 20
The Renault 20 ''(R20)'' and Renault 30 ''(R30)'' are two executive cars produced by the French automaker Renault between 1975 and 1984. The most upmarket and expensive Renaults of their time, the two cars were almost identical with regard to shee ...
was also assembled as the ''Dacia 2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tendency to group the ...
''; because of the exclusivity of this model numbers were always very limited. The ''2000'' was only available in dark blue or black, and was reserved for the Party elite. In 1978 plans were revealed for the Renault 18
The Renault 18 is a large family car produced by French manufacturer Renault between 1978 and 1989, with South American production continuing until 1994. It formed the basis for the closely related Renault Fuego Coupé, with which it shared its ...
to be assembled by Dacia, but the Renault contract lapsed and Dacia went its own way.
At the Bucharest show in 1979, the restyled 1310 models were presented. These had quad lamps at the front, larger lamps at the rear, re-profiled bumpers, and a new interior. The changes were heavily inspired by Renault's own restyling of its 12 in 1975. After a brief series of "crossover" cars in 1981 (for example, there were no more rectangular headlights available for the ''1300'', so the last models used the quad lamps of the ''1310''), the ''1310'' hit the Romanian market in late 1981. In the UK, where it was known as the ''Dacia Denem'', the top of the range model included such luxuries as a five-speed gearbox, alloy wheels and electric windows. The advertising slogan used for the car was "The Very Acceptable Dacia Denem". Sales were very limited, and the number surviving are not thought to exceed ten, although the Romanian Embassy in South Kensington
South Kensington, nicknamed Little Paris, is a district just west of Central London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Historically it settled on part of the scattered Middlesex village of Brompton. Its name was supplanted with ...
kept a fleet running until the mid-1990s. Sales of the pick-up version, known as the ''Shifter'', continued until the 1990s, and the ARO 10
ARO 10 was an off-road vehicle produced by ARO and manufactured in Romania. It shares List of auto parts, auto-parts with Dacia 1300, from engine to front axle, and was inspired by the Renault Rodeo and Citroën Méhari.
The ARO 24 Series got a " ...
was also sold as the ''Dacia Duster
The Dacia Duster is a family of automobiles produced and marketed jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its Romanian subsidiary Dacia since 2010. It is currently in its second generation, launched in the autumn of 2017. It is marketed as ...
''. Production was stopped in late 1982.
At the same time the ''Sport'' model was produced. At the 1980 Bucharest international trade fair, crowds admired the '' Brașovia'', a prototype of a sports coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
based on the ''1310'' and developed at a service station in Brașov
Brașov (, , ; german: Kronstadt; hu, Brassó; la, Corona; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Kruhnen'') is a city in Transylvania, Romania and the administrative centre of Brașov County.
According to the latest Romanian census (2011), Brașov has a popu ...
. The go-ahead was given for a prestige model, and so from 1983 the two-door Dacia ''1310 Sport'' (and later the ''1410 Sport''), was available for general consumption. These were very popular for rallies, and racing drivers such as Nicu Grigoraș tuned them to extract extraordinary power from the old Renault engine.
1980s
The designers were still coming up with fresh ideas, many of them shrouded in secrecy. Prototypes such as the 500cc Mini-Dacia, as well as Dacia ''1310'' variants, were designed; some, such as the Dacia ''1310 Maxi Break'', are still on the road. These cars are eagerly prized by Dacia enthusiasts, and Dacia web forums are full of evidence about the rarities and oddities produced by Dacia during the 1980s. The Maxi Break was an eight-seater version of the station wagon (also available as an ambulance), stretched by about a half a metre between the doors. 10–12 such cars were actually built, by Dacia Service Pitesti.
In 1982, after the ''1302'' was dropped, the Dacia ''1304'' Pick-up and Drop-side models were introduced. Actually, they had been launched from 1981. These were a commercial success and remained in production, gradually being modified along with the rest of the range, until December 2006. In 1985 were added the ''1410'' was available as a larger-engined variant, while the relatively short-lived ''1210'' was the economy variant until about 1992.
For the 1984 model year, the de luxe MS and MLS models presented slight modifications on the 1310 platform, with a new spoiler and chunkier, rubber mouldings around the front grille and headlamps. In 1985, the rear vent was changed from a narrow horizontal aperture to a rhomboid aperture, much like that of the Renault 12 phase 2. From late 1985 all models had the large rubber mouldings around the front grille and headlamps, plus a spoiler: the line-up was changed to TX and TLX, though other designations were occasionally seen. A five-speed gearbox also became an option. Models destined for Canada (initially called GTL) sported twin fuel tanks. In parallel, work was developing on the ''1320 CN1'' model, which was a hatchback based on the ''1310''. The new front end seen on the ''1320'' also appeared on the top-of-the-range and special-order models from about 1986; these cars were distinguishable by two large headlights, a much plusher interior clad in blue plastic and a new dashboard known as the CN1, and – occasionally – faired-in door handles. Many were owned by senior officials in the Communist Central Committee. While the ''1320'' was the most expensive model in the Dacia range when it appeared in 1988, many were used as taxis. The ''1320'' did not last long, however; as early as 1989 there were prototypes using the front of the ''1320'' and a new rear, with wrap-around tail lights and other (relatively) modern features.
1990s
The ''1320'' model emerged in 1991 as the Dacia ''1325 Liberta'' (after the 1989 revolution, themes of liberty were very much in fashion) and stayed in production until 1996.
The last of the quad-lamped models were produced in 1992, and all the Dacia range received the new front end of the ''1320'', called CN1. An effort was made to rejuvenate the model range: the Sport was dropped, due to lack of sales, and new commercial vehicles were introduced. The ''1307'' was a double-cabbed pick-up; the ''1309'' was an estate with a tarpaulin instead of a boot; the car was a cross-over between estate and pick-up and sold very well on the Chinese market. There were also several prototypes, including:
*the ''1610'' diesel estate, powered by Volkswagen
Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...
, with about 150 units sold
*the Dacia ''Star'', with curved side windows
*the ''1308 Jumbo'', a camper-van, and several attempts to give the ''1310'' a more modern look by grafting the front of contemporary cars such as the Nissan Primera
The is a Mid-size car, large family car which was produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan from 1990 to 2007, for the markets in Japan and Europe. In Japan, it replaced the Nissan Stanza, Auster/Stanza, and was exclusive to ''Nissan Motor Comp ...
onto it.
The cars of 1992 to 1994 are curiosities: although efforts were obviously being made to renew the model range, there were numerous stylistic hangovers from the quad-lamped models. Thus, the last of the 1983-designed dashboards were seen in 1994 although a new dashboard had been seen on some model ranges since 1987. Similarly, although the CN1 restyling eliminated anachronisms such as a kink upwards at the C-pillar and a rubber rear spoiler, it was not applied consistently.
The 1994 facelift was known within the industry as CN2. A reprojected front end was distinguished by a horizontal metal line in the grille. There were new headlamps, a new radiator grille, and front and rear bumpers. Inside, there was a new dashboard for the base models, while the top-of-the-range cars had luxuries such as body-coloured bumpers, rear head restraints, a radio-cassette, hubcaps, and the ever-present CN1 dashboard, this time in black plastic. This model was not to stay in production for very long; in 1995 the CN3 type was introduced. Practically the only differences were those of trim level and the radiator grille.
From late 1994 little attention was paid to the improvement of the 1310 range, as Dacia launched a new model, the ''Dacia Nova
The Dacia Nova () is a subcompact/ supermini car manufactured by Romanian auto maker Dacia from 1995 to 2000.
History
The Dacia Nova was the first in-house developed Dacia model and it was intended to complement the Renault 12-based " Berlina" ...
''. This was a compact saloon/sedan or hatchback with a three-box design. The design was rather outdated, because development work had started in 1983. The ''Nova'' is a 100% Romanian design, started after the end of any French involvement in Dacia. The model was unpopular, due to reliability and rustproofing issues. However, after improvements in 1996, the ''Nova'' became more often seen on Romanian roads. In 1998 a seven-seater prototype was produced using the panels and windows from the standard ''Nova'' saloon.
In 1998, the anniversary year of three decades of production since the first Dacia rolled off the assembly line, vehicle number 2,000,000 emerged from the plant; this year saw the last restyling of the 1310. It was known as CN4 and involved a comprehensive restyling of the front end, new door handles, and a lightly restyled rear view mirror. The estate version was fitted with larger tail lights. Even though the model was over thirty years old, it sold exceptionally well due to a starting price of about 4,200 euro
The euro ( symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens . ...
s and high availability of parts. "Goodies" such as a fuel-injection also helped keep the model relatively modern.
In 1999, a special edition was produced for the first time, known as Dacia ''Dedicație''. This luxury version of the saloon and estate had alloy wheels, body-coloured bumpers, power steering, electric windows, and a far better level of finish. The models were all painted two-tone silver, and sold at a significantly higher price. From 2002, the cars became known as Berlina and Break, with the 1310 lettering being relegated to an insignificant position underneath the side light.
On 21 July 2004, the last models of the 1300 series rolled out the gates of the Mioveni
Mioveni () is a town in Argeș County, Romania, approximately 15 km (9 miles) north-east of Pitești. , it had a population of 31,998. The town administers four villages: Clucereasa, Colibași, Făgetu and Racovița.
History
It was firs ...
production facility, one month before their 35th anniversary. The last Dacia 1310 (saloon version), number 1,979,730, will be kept in the Dacia Museum.
On 8 December 2006, the utility Dacia Pick-Up
The Dacia Pick-Up was a range of pick-up trucks manufactured by Romanian auto marque Dacia. The 31 years of production saw the manufacturing of a total of 318,969 vehicles.
The Pick-up was the last of the Dacia models to be based on the Renaul ...
suffered the same fate. Although many improvements had been made in recent years, such as four-wheel drive, the introduction of a 1.9 diesel engine, the dashboard from the Dacia Solenza
The Dacia Solenza was a subcompact/supermini liftback automobile produced by Romanian auto manufacturer Dacia. It was the last model on Dacia's own platform, but was one of the first models to benefit from Dacia's takeover by the French company ...
(also seen on the last 1310s) and wheels fastened by five studs as opposed to three, Romania's entry to the European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
effectively prevented the continued production of the old models. The assembly lines will be remodelled and expanded to increase production of the Dacia Logan
The Dacia Logan is a family of automobiles produced and marketed jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its Romanian subsidiary Dacia since mid-2004, and was the successor to the Dacia 1310 and Dacia Solenza. It has been produced as a ...
.
In over 34 years of production, and more than 2.5 million units produced, the Dacia ''1300/1310'' easily became the most common car on Romanian roads. A large number of people had become adept at carrying out repairs or home-made modifications. For example, many older cars had newer front ends grafted onto them to make them seem more modern, or purely because newer parts were easier to get. Consequently, original early 1300s are quite rare, with prices steadily increasing for the best-preserved models. Tuning of Dacias is also a popular pastime, although the home-made nature of much of the work casts doubt on the level of quality, safety and reliability of the finished product.
According to popular belief, during the Communist era
A Communist Era is a sustained period of national government by a single party following the philosophy of Marxism–Leninism. Many countries have experienced such a period of Communist rule.
Current communist states China
The Chinese Communist P ...
, in the plant where Dacias were made, there were two assembly lines: one line producing Dacias intended for sale in Romania and the other line producing the same car (albeit from superior parts, and assembled with greater care) for export. Romanians living near the border would commonly purchase their Dacia in neighbouring countries expecting a higher level of quality.
Acquisition by Renault
Meanwhile, work was continuing on the other Dacia models. In September 1999, Dacia became the third brand of the Renault group, with a view to making Romania its hub of automobile development in Central and Eastern Europe, and investment was consequently increased. The first sign of this came in 2000, with the introduction of the SupeRNova
A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or when ...
, an improved version of the ''Nova'' with engine and transmission from Renault. The top-of-the range version had air conditioning, electric windows and a CD player. Sales were very good, although the outdatedness of the concept was striking. Dacia sold 53,000 vehicles in 2002 and it holds an almost 50 per cent market share in Romania.
In 2003, a restyled version replaced the SupeRNova with Dacia Solenza
The Dacia Solenza was a subcompact/supermini liftback automobile produced by Romanian auto manufacturer Dacia. It was the last model on Dacia's own platform, but was one of the first models to benefit from Dacia's takeover by the French company ...
, featuring a new interior, the options for an airbag. This was, however, only meant to be a stopgap model filling the need for a saloon model before the introduction of the all-important Dacia Logan
The Dacia Logan is a family of automobiles produced and marketed jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its Romanian subsidiary Dacia since mid-2004, and was the successor to the Dacia 1310 and Dacia Solenza. It has been produced as a ...
, as well as to familiarise workers with the demands of manufacturing a model acceptable to Western European markets. Production was stopped in 2005.
2004–2011
The Dacia Logan
The Dacia Logan is a family of automobiles produced and marketed jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its Romanian subsidiary Dacia since mid-2004, and was the successor to the Dacia 1310 and Dacia Solenza. It has been produced as a ...
is the most successful model since the original ''1300''. It was introduced after considerable media interest in August 2004, and despite design-related criticism, it became one of the top-selling cars in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Russia. The Logan is sold in many countries, occasionally under the Renault brand. It was awarded 3 (out of 5) stars in NCAP crash testing
The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) is a European voluntary car safety performance assessment programme (i.e. a New Car Assessment Program) based in Leuven (Belgium) formed in 1996, with the first results released in February ...
. It remains by far the best-selling car in Romania, comprising a 43% share of Dacia's total Romanian sales in 2015. A diesel version was also introduced in 2005. Before its launch, it was known as the 5000-Euro car due to its projected launch price. This was never quite the case, although it is one of the cheapest cars for its size on the market.
In 2006, the prototype Logan Steppe was exhibited. This showed a speculative 4×4 estate version of the Logan. The estate version was launched in late 2006. The van, basically an estate with the rear windows filled in and a separate cabin for the driver, was launched in February 2007 after the stopping production of the classic utility vehicle, the Dacia Pick-Up
The Dacia Pick-Up was a range of pick-up trucks manufactured by Romanian auto marque Dacia. The 31 years of production saw the manufacturing of a total of 318,969 vehicles.
The Pick-up was the last of the Dacia models to be based on the Renaul ...
.
The Renault Technologie Roumanie engineering centre was set up in 2006, in Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
, Romania. Employing approximately 2,500 engineers, its main fields of activity are the development, testing and design of the new vehicles in the Dacia range, as well as the marketing and technical support. The following year, the company also set up a styling office, Renault Design Central Europe.
A pick-up model and the Logan-based hatchback Sandero were launched in 2008, the latter at the Geneva Motor Show. This also marked a point of rebranding for the company, which adopted a new logo and later the same year launched the facelifted Logan model.
In 2009, a new concept called the Dacia Duster
The Dacia Duster is a family of automobiles produced and marketed jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its Romanian subsidiary Dacia since 2010. It is currently in its second generation, launched in the autumn of 2017. It is marketed as ...
was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show
The Geneva International Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon is organised by th ...
, signaling manufacturer's intentions of releasing an SUV model. This was reportedly the inauguration of the platform that would be used for the second generation of the Logan and Sandero models, released in 2012.
In 2010, the Dacia Duster was exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show. It is the first crossover SUV
A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a car classification that combines elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive.
There is no commonly agreed-upon definiti ...
built by Dacia since the Renault acquisition, in 4×2 and 4×4 versions. It was revealed on 8 December 2009, and became available in Europe on 18 March 2010.
In September 2010, a testing center was opened in Titu
Titu () is a town in Dâmbovița County, Muntenia, Romania, with a population of 9,658 .
Location
The town in located in the southern part of the county, in the center of the Wallachian Plain. It lies at a distance of from the county seat, T ...
, Romania, as part of Renault Technologie Roumanie. It is intended for developing and optimizing the new vehicles in the Dacia range and has nine types of track with a total length of 32 kilometres and around 100 test benches, used to test the resistance of vehicles and replacement parts to cold, heat and rain.
2012–2020
In 2012, Dacia Lodgy
The Dacia Lodgy was a compact MPV which was unveiled jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its Romanian subsidiary Dacia, officially launched at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.
Overview
Based on a new platform, the Lodgy is front-wheel d ...
, a new compact MPV
Compact MPV (an abbreviation for Compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle) is a vehicle size class for the middle size of MPVs. The Compact MPV size class sits between the mini MPV and large MPV (minivan) size classes.
Compact MPVs remain predominantly a ...
, was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show. It is based on a new platform and is manufactured at an all-new Renault factory in Tangier
Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the cap ...
, Morocco.
The Dokker, released in June 2012, is a slightly smaller leisure activity vehicle
Minivan (sometimes called simply as van) is a North American car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows. The equivalent classification in Europe i ...
, also manufactured in Tangier
Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the cap ...
, sharing the same platform with the Lodgy, available in passenger and panel van variants.
In September 2012, the second generations of the Logan and Sandero were revealed at the Paris Motor Show
The Paris Motor Show (french: Mondial de l'Automobile) is a biennial auto show in Paris. Held during October, it is one of the most important auto shows, often with many new production automobile and concept car debuts. The show presently take ...
. They feature a common front end design and come with improved standard safety features, a new engine and other new comfort equipment.
The following year, the facelifted Duster was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show
The International Motor Show Germany or International Mobility Show Germany, in German known as the ''Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung'' (''IAA'' – International Automobile Exhibition), is one of the world's largest mobility shows. It cons ...
. It received mild modifications to the front and rear ends, the new interior introduced on the new Logan and Sandero models, as well as a new turbocharged petrol engine.
At the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show
The International Motor Show Germany or International Mobility Show Germany, in German known as the ''Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung'' (''IAA'' – International Automobile Exhibition), is one of the world's largest mobility shows. It cons ...
, the second generation Duster model was introduced, bringing new comfort and technical improvements, but retaining similar dimensions and engines.
According to reports, in September 2018, Automobile Dacia gained 14th place in Top 500 CEE companies.
Dacia's CEO from April 2016 until May 2018 was Yves Caracatzanis. He was replaced by Antoine Doucerain, who left after only four months due to "personal reasons". After a brief stint by interim manager Jerome Olive, the position was filled by Christophe Dridi in December 2018.
In 2020, Dacia announced that they would be releasing an electric car which they showcased in March 2020 with the Dacia Spring Electric concept. The Dacia Spring is said to be based on the Renault City K-ZE and is set to become the cheapest electric car in Europe with the price being estimated by Romanian media at around €15,000 to €20,000.
2021–present
In January 2021, Denis Le Vot became the CEO of the Dacia-Lada business unit. As part of a company revamp, Renault said it would integrate the Dacia and the Lada marques into a new business unit. It also unveiled a new Dacia logo and a product offensive for the Dacia marque, widening its market segments coverage.[
In March 2021, the production version of the Dacia Spring EV was shown at the Renault eWays event by Groupe Renault Executive Denis Le Vot. The Spring will be sold in LHD areas of Europe, alongside updated Sandero and Logan models (announced at the end of 2020) and will have a car-sharing version called the Spring Business.
]
Facilities
The company's single plant is located in Mioveni
Mioveni () is a town in Argeș County, Romania, approximately 15 km (9 miles) north-east of Pitești. , it had a population of 31,998. The town administers four villages: Clucereasa, Colibași, Făgetu and Racovița.
History
It was firs ...
, Romania, together with its headquarters, and has a production capacity of 350,000 vehicles per year. It is divided into several sections, such as bodywork, painting, assembly, mechanical and chassis, foundry etc. It works in conjunction with the Renault Technologie Roumanie engineering centre, located in Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
and set up in 2006, which also comprises a styling office, Renault Design Central Europe, and with the testing centre located in Titu
Titu () is a town in Dâmbovița County, Muntenia, Romania, with a population of 9,658 .
Location
The town in located in the southern part of the county, in the center of the Wallachian Plain. It lies at a distance of from the county seat, T ...
that was opened in 2010.
A large logistical centre was also set near the plant in March 2005, the International Logistic Network, from where complete knock down
A knock-down kit (also knockdown kit, knocked-down kit, or simply knockdown or KD) is a collection of parts required to assemble a product. The parts are typically manufactured in one country or region, then exported to another country or region ...
(CKD) kits are exported to other Renault production sites in Russia, Morocco, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Iran and India. It is reportedly the biggest logistic centre of its kind not only in the Renault Group, but in the global automotive industry. In 2012, the total equivalent of the kits sent worldwide from the centre was 920,646 vehicles.
Overseas
Two of the Dacia models, the Lodgy
The Dacia Lodgy was a compact MPV which was unveiled jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its Romanian subsidiary Dacia, officially launched at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.
Overview
Based on a new platform, the Lodgy is front-wheel d ...
and the Dokker vans, are manufactured at the Renault factory in Tangier
Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the cap ...
, Morocco. The Logan and the Sandero are also manufactured in Casablanca, Morocco, the latter also in Tangier.
Innovation
Faced with the growing demand for automatic gearboxes in Europe and significant demand in Russia, South America and India, Renault has decided to develop a specific automatic gearbox, called Easy-R. Innovative, it replaces hydroelectric technologies (hydraulics controlled by electronics) with electromechanical elements. The result is a more reliable and more affordable automatic transmission. Dacia is indeed offering this equipment from 2015 in Europe at a price of 600 euros, which is at least half the price of the competition. The number of parts has been reduced by a quarter, ensuring better reliability and simplified maintenance. Four modes are available on the Easy-R controlled gearbox, also indicated on the dashboard: D/Drive, N/Neutral, R/Rear and M/Manual impulse. This Easy-R gearbox keeps fuel consumption identical to that of the manual gearbox, while offering the advantages of a traditional automatic gearbox.
Sales
The Dacia brand is marketed in most of the Western and Eastern European countries, as well as in some Northern African countries, such as Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. Western European exports began in the late 1970s, entering markets like Belgium and the Netherlands in 1978. Its models have also been produced by Renault in its production sites on other continents (in Russia, Iran, India, South Africa, Colombia and Brazil) and sold under its own brand or other specific local brands (such as Mahindra, Lada or Nissan
, trade name, trading as Nissan Motor Corporation and often shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The company sells ...
for example ).
In 2012, Dacia sold a total of 359,822 vehicles, of which approximately 230,000 were exported to Western Europe, the most of them in France and in Germany. Besides the domestic market, its other key markets have been Algeria, Turkey, Italy and Spain.
For 2014 the company sold 511,465 vehicles in 43 countries, thus breaking another record and exceeding the 500,000 threshold. On 6 May 2014, the main Dacia plant Mioveni
Mioveni () is a town in Argeș County, Romania, approximately 15 km (9 miles) north-east of Pitești. , it had a population of 31,998. The town administers four villages: Clucereasa, Colibași, Făgetu and Racovița.
History
It was firs ...
produced its five millionth car, approximately the three millionth car since Renault owned the brand.
The 3.5 millionth Dacia car, since the Dacia brand revival ten years before, was sold in the UK in November 2015.
In 2015, the company set a new sales record, with a total of 550,920 units marketed.
Dacia cars sales exceeded 700,000 units in 2018 (7% more than in the previous year).
Figures
The historical sales figures of all the models are the following (under the Dacia brand only):
Models
Current
* Dacia Duster II (2017–present)
* Dacia Duster Pick-Up (2020–present)
* Dacia Logan III (2020–present)
* Dacia Sandero III (2020–present)
* Dacia Sandero Stepway III (2020–present)
* Dacia Spring Electric (2021–present)
* Dacia Spring Cargo (2021–present)
* Dacia Jogger
The Dacia Jogger is a car produced and marketed jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its Romanian subsidiary Dacia. Its nameplate was revealed in August 2021 as a successor to the Logan MCV and Lodgy in the compact MPV market segment. ...
(2022–present)
Future
Dacia will launch two new models, after the Bigster, by 2025.
* Dacia Duster III (2024)
* Dacia Bigster (2025)
Former
* Dacia 1100
Year 1100 ( MC) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 1100th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 100th year of the 2nd millennium, the 100th and ...
(1968–1972)
* Dacia 1300
The Dacia 1300 () is a medium-sized family car that was built during the Cold War by Romanian auto maker Dacia. The "1300" stands for the engine displacement.
The first Dacia 1300 left the assembly line on 23 August 1969. On 21 July 2004, the l ...
(1969–1979)
* Dacia 1301 (1970–1974)
* Dacia D6 Estafette (1974–1976)
* Dacia 1302
The Dacia Pick-Up was a range of pick-up trucks manufactured by Romanian auto marque Dacia. The 31 years of production saw the manufacturing of a total of 318,969 vehicles.
The Pick-up was the last of the Dacia models to be based on the Renaul ...
(1975–1982)
* Dacia 1210/1310/1410 (1979–2004; ''Dacia Denem'' in the United Kingdom)
* Dacia 1304 Pick Up (1979–2006)
* Dacia 2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tendency to group the ...
(1980–1982)
* Dacia Duster
The Dacia Duster is a family of automobiles produced and marketed jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its Romanian subsidiary Dacia since 2010. It is currently in its second generation, launched in the autumn of 2017. It is marketed as ...
(1983–1990s; rebadged ARO 10
ARO 10 was an off-road vehicle produced by ARO and manufactured in Romania. It shares List of auto parts, auto-parts with Dacia 1300, from engine to front axle, and was inspired by the Renault Rodeo and Citroën Méhari.
The ARO 24 Series got a " ...
in the United Kingdom)
* Dacia 1310 Sport/1410 Sport (1983–1992)
* Dacia 1320
The Dacia 1320 (), was a car manufactured by Romanian auto marque Dacia.
History
The Dacia 1320 was a hatchback made from 1987 until 1990. It was actually the hatchback version of the second generation Dacia 1310 (1983–1989), but with new fro ...
(1985–1989)
* Dacia 1305 Drop Side (1985–2006)
* Dacia 500 Lăstun (1988–1991)
* Dacia Liberta (1990–1996)
* Dacia 1309 (1992–1997)
* Dacia 1307 King Cab (1992–2003)
* Dacia 1307 Double Cab (1992–2006)
* Dacia Nova
The Dacia Nova () is a subcompact/ supermini car manufactured by Romanian auto maker Dacia from 1995 to 2000.
History
The Dacia Nova was the first in-house developed Dacia model and it was intended to complement the Renault 12-based " Berlina" ...
(1994–1999)
* Dacia SuperNova
The Dacia SupeRNova () was a subcompact/ supermini car manufactured by Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to t ...
(2000–2002)
* Dacia Solenza
The Dacia Solenza was a subcompact/supermini liftback automobile produced by Romanian auto manufacturer Dacia. It was the last model on Dacia's own platform, but was one of the first models to benefit from Dacia's takeover by the French company ...
(2003–2005)
* Dacia Logan I (2004–2012)
* Dacia Logan I MCV (2006–2012)
* Dacia Logan Van (2007–2012)
* Dacia Logan Pick-Up (2008–2012)
* Dacia Sandero I (2008–2012)
* Dacia Sandero Stepway I (2008–2012)
* Dacia Duster I (2009–2017)
* Dacia Logan II (2012–2020)
* Dacia Logan II MCV (2012–2020)
* Dacia Sandero II (2012–2020)
* Dacia Sandero Stepway II (2012–2020)
* Dacia Logan II Stepway (2019–2020)
* Dacia Dokker
The Dacia Dokker is a panel van and leisure activity vehicle (LAV) built at the Renault factory in Tangier, Morocco. It was officially launched at the 2012 Casablanca Auto Show, and initially went on sale in Morocco in June 2012. It has been ...
(2012–2021)
* Dacia Lodgy
The Dacia Lodgy was a compact MPV which was unveiled jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its Romanian subsidiary Dacia, officially launched at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.
Overview
Based on a new platform, the Lodgy is front-wheel d ...
(2012–2022)
Prototypes
* Dacia Braşovia coupé (1980)
* Mini-Dacia (1980s) – prototype made from cut-down Dacia 1310 panels and easily changeable from hatchback to pick-up to convertible according to removable panels
* Dacia Jumbo highrise van (1990)
* Dacia Nova minivan (1998)
* Several prototypes of the 1310 with diesel, LPG or smaller engines, throughout the model history
* Dacia Star (1991)
* Dacia 1310 convertible (1987; three produced)
* Dacia 1306 saloon-derived pick-up (1994/5; very small series)
* Dacia 1310 Break Limousine (late 1980s) – stretched estate with seven seats, several produced in normal-roofed and high-roofed variants
* Dacia D33 (1997) – prototype made by IDEA design house in Turin
Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...
, one model only
* Dacia 1310 4x4 / Aro 12 (late 1980s) – estate-derived 4x4, very small series
* Dacia Duster
The Dacia Duster is a family of automobiles produced and marketed jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its Romanian subsidiary Dacia since 2010. It is currently in its second generation, launched in the autumn of 2017. It is marketed as ...
concept car (2009)
Marketing
Sponsorships
From the 2008–09 season, Dacia was the sponsor of Italian Serie A
The Serie A (), also called Serie A TIM for national sponsorship with TIM, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and the winner is awarded the Scudetto and the Coppa ...
football club Udinese Calcio
Udinese Calcio, commonly referred to as Udinese, is a professional Football in Italy, Italian association football, football club based in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, that currently plays in Serie A. It was founded on 30 November 1896 as a ...
and Stadio Friuli.
Dacia became the official car partner of the Rugby League
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
Super League
The Super League (officially known as the Betfred Super League due to sponsorship from Betfred and legally known as Super League Europe), is the top-level of the British rugby league system. At present the league consists of twelve teams, of wh ...
and the Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, with the exception of 1915–1919 and 1939–1940, due to World War I and World War II respectively. It involves am ...
in February 2016 and then deepened their support of the sport by becoming the main sponsors of the men's, women's
A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...
and wheelchair England teams in June 2017. They also became the principal partner of the Great Britain Rugby League Lions in 2019 for the team's four match tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
Notes
References
Further reading
*
Rediscover the history of Dacia 50 years
External links
*
Official brand website
{{Romanian automobile brands and manufacturers
Renault
Dacia
Dacia (, ; ) was the land inhabited by the Dacians, its core in Transylvania, stretching to the Danube in the south, the Black Sea in the east, and the Tisza in the west. The Carpathian Mountains were located in the middle of Dacia. It thus r ...
Romanian brands
Privatized companies in Romania
Car brands
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1966
1966 establishments in Romania
1999 mergers and acquisitions
Companies of Argeș County