Wednesday 3rd March 2010
DACIA CONFIRMED FOR UK LAUNCH IN 2012
British buyers will be able to see, drive and own a Dacia from the end of 2012, following confirmation at the Geneva motor show yesterday, that the fast-growing brand will launch in the UK.
Bought by Renault in 1999, Dacia (pronounced ‘Dat-ch-a’), has been transformed over the last decade, to the point that it has become a global automotive phenomenon, selling 1.25m vehicles in the last five years.
With the unveiling of its new Duster compact off-roader in Switzerland this week, Dacia now offers a six-model range, appealing to a wide cross-section of buyers. Thanks to an unbeatable cocktail of price, space and equipment, in recent times, the brand has appealed to thrifty drivers in every country in which the brand is on sale.
Dacia has already taken many markets by storm within months of launch, so the arrival of the new value brand in the UK, is certain to shake up the market.
Just as a guide to how competitive the new models could be when they come to the UK, the new compact off-roader, Duster, will sell from just 11,900 euros in 4x2 guise (around £10,800 based on a 1.10 exchange rate) in Europe at launch.
Dacia: a force to be reckoned with
Originally intended largely for emerging markets, the first completely new Dacia model was the first 5,000 euro car, the Logan saloon. However, following an unpredecented clamour for its release in Western Europe too, the four-door model and its subsequent siblings have gone on to become arguably the biggest motor industry success story of the last decade.
In fact, 2009 was Dacia’s fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth, having more than tripled sales from 100,000 to 311,874 over the last five years alone. In Europe particularly, even against a gloomy automotive industry backdrop, Dacia posted an impressive 91 per cent sales increase in 2009. Canny French and German buyers topped the list of export markets, snapping up more than 150,000 versions of the Dacia range alone (Sandero hatchback and Logan family: saloon, MCV - seven-seat estate, pick-up and van) just last year, making the Romanian marque a top-ten brand in France in the process.
With right-hand drive production of Duster now confirmed for 2012, plans have been confirmed to make the UK the final piece of the key European vehicle market jigsaw.
Commenting on the news of Dacia’s impending arrival on British shores, Renault UK’s Managing Director, Roland Bouchara, said, “We’ve been watching Dacia’s remarkable success closely over the last few years, so naturally I’m thrilled that we’ll soon be able to start showing the British public what all the fuss has been about across the water. With value-for-money, downsizing, fuel economy and emissions all becoming increasingly important, we want to show that Dacia can appeal to the head, the heart and the wallet.”
Offering a great package of proven technology, impressive reliability and an unrivalled blend of space and equipment for the price, the countdown to one of the UK’s most exciting automotive brand launches begins today.
Further details regarding Dacia’s arrival in the UK, including pricing and dealer network will be announced at a later date. In the meantime, potential customers wishing to be kept abreast of all the latest developments in the lead-up to launch, should go to www.daciacars.co.uk or call 08000 723372.
ENDS
Press enquiries: Contact Mike Gale on 01923 697653 or Jeremy Townsend on 01923 697592 at the Renault UK Press Office. E-mail is firstname.surname@renault.co.uk. This Press release, photos and videos are available to download from the Dacia section of www.press.renault.co.uk