Dacia

Dacia is largest Rumanian car manufacturer . Its name corresponds to the Rumanian form of the name of the old occupied territory by the traditional ancestors of the Rumanian , the Dacie.

The company

Dacia was created in 1968 and produced since mainly derivatives of the range Renault. The model emblematic of the Rumanian manufacturer is the Dacia 1310 , simply called Dacia , which is an improved and better gauged version Renault 12, without major contribution of technology.

It belongs since 1999 to the group Renault, which undertook a modernization of the factory of Piteşti and vehicles manufactured. The new models are less expensive than the old Dacia , but the bad quality of the components make that many are those which still make confidence with the old Dacia , the most widespread car in Romania since 1969 (more than 30 years of service).

So the company is focused on two objectives: one is as well as possible to modernize the line production to be able to sell in other countries, and the other is to continue to produce spare parts for the old Dacia , because the majority of the Roumanians never resell their vehicle and prefer to pay maintenance.

On this second sector (spare parts), there are many competitors, which make old Dacia , the car with the most important life cycle and of maintenance.

The Logan era

History

In the Years 1960, Romania made the decision to manufacture its own car for the Rumanian population. The choice was that to take a license, economically more interesting and technically easier to set up. An invitation to tender was launched, which answered FIAT, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Morris and Ford. The choice made on Peugeot was called into question by the lack of professionalism of the commission. New tests took place, and the choice was made on the Morris firm; but the negotiations failed. In 1966, Alfa Romeo, Ford and Peugeot was found vis-a-vis Renault, also entered the race. The negotiations with Renault related to a prototype, future R12. It was tested by the Roumanians with the airport of Baneasa under the name Utranel (anagram of Renault). Renault gained the race, giving to the Romania the possibility of producing a car modern, family, mechanically simple, with a contractual system of license over 8 years envisaging the total integration of manufacture in Romania. The contract was signed in 1966. The place chosen for the factory was Colibaşi, close to Piteşti. August 3rd, 1968, first R8, model chosen to test and finalize the adjustments, left the factory under the name of Dacia 1100. In August 1969 began manufacture from Dacia 1300 on the R12 license, which was presented to the public in October. At the end of the 8 years, the license was not maintained and it was the failure of the negotiations for that of the R18. Thus, Dacia 1300 became a car 100% Rumanian, but it plunged during one time of technological opposition to progress. On the physical level, there were several evolutions and versions: the station-wagon, the record player and more anecdotic, the version 5 doors and sport.

Notons also that the manufacturer, always undertaken nationalized, licensed product a small series of Renault 20 TS at the beginning of the Années 1980, called Dacia 2000. These cars were reserved for the secret police (Securitate) and to the dignitaries of the mode Communiste chaired by Nicolae Ceauşescu.

more recently, in the Years 1990, Dacia launched the Nova, a car with the not very elegant lines but which was sold, owing to the fact that the Rumanian market was then hyperprotégé.
1999 was the year of the acquisition of Dacia by Renault. Indeed, after the failure of the repurchase of Škoda, which passed under the cut of Volkswagen, the French manufacturer which always wished to assemble the car with 30.000 francs for the emergent countries, put the hand on the Rumanian manufacturer. It is to some extent a return to the sources for Dacia.

the September 29th 1999, Renault acquired 51% of the capital of Dacia for an amount of 50 million dollars. This participation passed to more than 73% at the end of June 2000. In the investment plan, it is envisaged a contribution of 220 million dollars over five years in Dacia to give on level its site on the technical plan and productive. Objective with the advent of the Euro: to develop a modern vehicle with 5.000 euros.

As of 2001, the Nova underwent a restylage to become the SupeRNova. It always takes again the base of the Renault 9 and 11.

Although having a share of 80% of the automobile market in Romania at the time of its repurchase, Dacia hard underwent the fall of the customs duties on the imported vehicles; its market share fell to 40% as of 2002. Having Dacia SupeRNova of the lines vieillottes is quickly exceeded on its own market.

Dacia proposed a new model at the beginning of the year 2003. It is about the Dacia Solenza. It is acted in fact of a deep replanning of the Dacia SupeRNova, but it raises more fluid lines and more recent motorizations thanks to the membership of Dacia to the Renault Group.

According to the automobile specialized press a model 4x4 would be marketed in 2010. A Fourgonnette would be also in study.

The most significant models

1100 (derivative of the Renault 8) - known under the name of Dacia .
1300,1310 and Pick-up (derivative of the Renault 12) - known under the name of Dacia .
Nova (derivative of the Renault 9 and 11)
Supernova (restylage of Nova)
Solenza (replanning of the Supernova)
Logan (replacing of Dacia 1310; Logan will be also sold by the network of dealers Renault) Appelé Renault logan and not Dacia in Russia.

External bond

Site in New French
of the Caradisiac site concerning the German-speaking mark
the Community the enthusiastic ones of Dacia

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