Renault & Dacia’s History
It is called Renault Bucharest Connected and finally unites the disparate Dacia facilities Renault bought 20 years ago in one modern complex. This includes an ultra-modern design centre with state of the art resources. There are digital design and modeling facilities and 30 designers and model makers from around the world.
But how do Renault and Dacia fit in? Fact is, they have a long history together.
Renault bought Romanian car manufacturer Dacia in 1999 as a way to access the lucrative markets of newly liberated Central and Eastern Europe and Russia. It was a natural acquisition, as these companies share a long history.
Fifty-one years ago the first Dacia rolled off the assembly line in Romania. It was the Dacia 1100, a Renault 8 built under license. This modern car, in 1968, was an instant success in the Soviet Bloc countries and production was brisk. Over the next 20 years, Dacia built several more Renault models under license, modifying and adapting them as needed. There were racing and rally cars, ambulances and delivery vans, bakkies, and of course lots of three-box sedans. Dacia often produced special models with radios and heated rear window for the Communist elite, based on the maxim that some are more equal than others.
Dacia did move into Western markets in the ‘80s, but it was rather uncertain of how good it was compared to its competition. The most luxurious model sold in Britain had the slogan: “The Very Acceptable Dacia Denem”.
That is all in the past, however. Today the Dacia part of the operation is an integral cog in Renault’s global operations, including its very successful partnership with Nissan and Mitsubishi.
The Renault/Dacia Duster is a notable example of this. It was developed by Renault and Dacia and launched in 2010, with significant collaboration with Nissan in the Qashqai. More than 2.8 million Dusters have been sold worldwide since its launch.
The Dacia Duster 2015 concept was the first concept car designed and produced by the Romanian operation and became the Duster II in 2017.
The name Renault Bucharest Connected was chosen by the people who work there and it very much reflects the dominance of Renault in the partnership. However, the Dacia brand is strong in certain markets and cars there are sold under the Dacia badge. So in much of Eastern Europe and North Africa, you will buy a Dacia Duster or Sandero.
South Africa is firmly Renault territory and offers a range of excellent vehicles. View the range of new Renault cars and arrange a test drive them!
