Dacia intends to become an off-road brand, its competitor in Europe will be Jeep

The Romanian brand, owned by the Renault Group, is about to expand into larger segments of the car market. One of Dacia's main tasks will be to fight the wave of Chinese cars being shipped to Europe.

The Dacia brand ended last year in positive territory: for example, in 2022, dealers sold a total of 573,800 vehicles, which is 6.8% more than a year earlier. As Kolesa.ru reported in the spring, Dacia's operating margin for the year exceeded 10% (a good figure for a brand that produces budget cars), this was helped by the fact that Dacia has to spend minimal money on the development of new models, since platforms, power plants and the electronics are supplied by Renault. By the way, in the first half of 2023, the brand’s car sales grew by 24%, the market share in Europe was 8.4%.

» /> In the photo: the current crossover Dacia Duster

As previously reported, Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo expects Dacia's operating margin to rise to 15% by 2030, in line with premium brands. The current brand development strategy will obviously allow us to achieve our goals. According to the British Autocar, citing Renault Group head of design Laurens van den Acker, Dacia is planned to become an off-road brand that can compete with Jeep in Europe.

Dacia Bigster big crossover concept

It is assumed that Dacia will become a brand that produces cars that will be appreciated by lovers of road trips and outdoor activities outside the city. According to Laurens van den Acker, Jeep currently has no «serious competitor» in the European market. He suggested that Dacia could become one, while the brand would provide the segment with relatively affordable cars. Pictured: Dacia Jogger Hybrid

Renault Group Chief Designer noted that the first car to be developed as part of Dacia's new development strategy will be the next generation Duster. It is known that the production of a new crossover, produced in Europe under the Romanian brand, will start in 2024. The second, in 2025, will be a larger and more expensive SUV — Bigster, which the company defines as a family car.

Laurens van den Acker added that the Bigster will be more expensive than the new Duster, but the upcoming model will not go into the premium segment. According to him, Dacia will continue to create models in the C segment without losing its competitive advantage — an affordable price tag. Dacia models

The «biggest challenge» the Renault Group is currently facing, the head of design says, is the wave of Chinese cars heading to the European market. Lawrence van den Acker also noted that Dacia is the most suitable to lead the fight against the new «heavenly» brands arriving in the Old World. of the year, he will organize the assembly of Jogger at a plant in Moroccan Tangier, which is shared with Renault: Dacia Sandero and the Renault Express “heel” are now being produced here. It is assumed that the release of the Jogger in Romania will continue, however, if the demand for Duster and Bigster exceeds expectations, then the site will be left to them, and the Jogger will be produced only in Africa.