Dacia (car)
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Dacia_logo.png
Dacia Logo
Dacia (pronounced DAH-tchee-ah) is a Romanian car maker which belongs to the Renault group. The two models of cars produced by Dacia in 2004 are the Dacia Logan and the Dacia Solenza. The Dacia Logan is also sold under the Renault brand (Renault Logan).
Dacia is also known for its older models which are no longer being made. The most popular model was Dacia 1300. Dacia 1310, 1400, 1410 were minor improvements of the Dacia 1300, which in turn was based on the Renault 12 of the 1970s.
Dacia had acquired the tooling and basic designs of the 12 from Renault. In export markets it was known as the Dacia Denem. Minor cosmetic changes were made every few years in an effort to increase the public's interest in purchasing a newer model, but the main design features of the car were still the same year after year, rendering it outdated.
The factory was built in 1968, in Colibaşi, near Piteşti. In addition to the sedan and wagon versions of the original Renault 12, there was also a pick-up version, and later a hatchback.
During the communist era, 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. It is common knowledge that many Romanians living near the Hungarian border purchased their Dacia in Hungary and drove it back home.
In the UK, the advertising slogan used for the car was 'The Very Acceptable Dacia Denem', but this proved not to be the case with British buyers, who increasingly opted for more reliable Japanese, South Korean and Malaysian models.
In September 1999, Dacia was bought by the Renault group, with a view to making Romania its hub of automobile development in Central and Eastern Europe.
Dacia sold 53,000 vehicles in 2002, and it holds an almost 50 per cent market share in Romania.
Between 1995 and 2000, along with the 1310, Dacia has also produced a model which was not a Renault 12 derivative, the Dacia Nova. Between 2000 and 2003 Dacia SuperNova (which looked like the Nova) took its place with a Renault engine and gearbox and air conditioning option. Dacia Solenza, which had power steering and driver airbag options followed SuperNova. Solenza will no longer be produced starting 2005.
On July 21, 2004 the last models of the 1300 series rolled out the gates of the Mioveni production facilty. It is the end of an era, the models being removed with just one month ahead of their 35th anniversary. Still, the factory will continue to manufacture the utility versions of the 1300 series (pick-up, drop-side, double-cab, with gasoline or diesel engines). In all its 35 years' existence, Dacia 1300 never had a diesel engine, air-conditioning, power steering, anti-lock brakes or airbags.
Models
- Dacia 1100 (1968-1971)
- Dacia 1300 (1969-1983)
- Dacia 1310 (1983-2004)
- Dacia 500 (-1989)
- Dacia Nova (1995-2000)
- Dacia SuperNova (2000-2003)
- Dacia Solenza (2003-2005)
- Dacia Logan (2004-today)
External links
- The Dacia web site, in English, French and Romanian languages (http://www.daciagroup.com/)
- Dacia brand on Renault site (http://www.renault.com/gb/groupe/dacia_p1.htm)
- Dacia models, very interesting but outdated, does not contain the latest models (http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/downs/4582/dacia.htm)
- A forum of Dacia owners, in Romanian language, also with an English subforum (http://www.daciaclub.ro/)de:Dacia (Auto)
fr:Dacia nl:Dacia (automerk) ja:ダキア (自動車) no:Dacia (bil) pl:Dacia ro:Dacia (automobil)