With a lot of help from its parent company, the Renault-Nissan Alliance, Romania's low-cost Dacia brand is picking up the pace with the launch of its sixth model, the Duster that was officially presented at the Geneva Motor Show this week.
The compact off-roader uses the firm's low-cost Logan platform that has spawned several car and small-van models over the past few years. At 4.31 meters long and 1.82 meters wide, the generic but somewhat tough-looking Duster is similar in size to the recently facelifted Nissan Qashqai crossover.
Dacia says that the Duster can comfortably seat up to five adults offering both front and rear occupants the same amount of space as the Logan saloon while the SUV's boot has a capacity of up to 475 liters (depending on version).
The Duster will be available in both front- and four-wheel drive configurations, with the latter featuring a different rear suspension steup (MacPherson-type multi-arm system instead of an H-beam).
The 4x4 version employs a Nissan-derived all-wheel drive system with four modes: Auto, where the front/rear torque split is calculated automatically as a function of available grip; Lock, whereby 50 per cent of torque is consistently fed through the rear axle, and 4x2 ,which locks the car in front-wheel drive for maximum fuel efficiency.
In Europe, the Duster will be available with a choice of three powerplants for both the 4x2 and 4x4 versions: one petrol engine (1.6 16V 110hp) and two diesel engines (1.6-liter dCi with 85HP or 110HP).
So, what does all this 'low-cost' talk translate to money-wise? According to Dacia's parent company Renault, the Duster will go on sale in Europe at tax-paid prices starting from €11,900 for the two-wheel drive version, and from €13,900 for the 4x4 version (equal to US$16,200 and $18,900 respectively at today's exchange rates).
The company said that the Duster will be launched with Dacia badging this spring in Europe, Turkey and the Maghreb region (Algeria,Morocco.).
From June 2010, Duster will also be available as a Renault in the Ukraine, the Middle East (Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt) and other African countries.
The Pitesti factory in Romania will supply all these markets, whether Dacia- or Renault-badged.
Starting from 2011, it will also be sold as a Renault in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Russia and the Gulf states. The North/South American market version will be built alongside the Logan, Sandero and Sandero Stepway in Curitiba, Brazil, the Russian at the Avtoframos plant in Moscow while the version distributed in the Gulf States will be supplied from the Pitesti factory.
