Surpassing expectations Dacia

suRPassInG ExPECTaTIons

Dacia is a leading automotive manufacturer that was founded in Romania in 1966 and today is at the forefront of the European automotive industry. Philip Yorke follows the strategic path that led to the company’s remarkable success and also explores the innovative engineering strategy that has led to its growing market share, currently enjoyed by its award-winning new models that have surpassed all expectations.

Dacia is the main car maker in Romania and in 1968 the first Dacia1100 car was produced under licence from Renault. The company’s consistent success has resulted in Renault purchasing 51 per cent of the company’s share capital following its privatisation process. Today Renault holds 99.43 per cent of Automobile Dacia’s equity. Recently the company was subject to a thorough modernisation programme that upgraded its industrial installations in Romania, reorganised its supply chain and rebuilt its commercial network. This comprehensive modernisation programme resulted in the company being awarded three top quality management standards including one in the area of environmental management and protection.

To date the total investments made by Renault at Automobile Dacia in Romania exceed €2.2 billion, which has contributed greatly to its position as one of the major companies in the Romanian economy. In 2014 Automobile Dacia became the company with the highest turnover in Romania. Dacia’s mission is to produce an excit-

ing range of robust, reliable and accessible vehicles for the domestic and overseas markets to the highest Renault quality standards.

The quality of Dacia products enjoys international recognition: according to surveys carried out by specialised institutions and trade magazines, Dacia clients also declare themselves particularly pleased with the quality of Dacia Cars and this has made a significant contribution to improving Romania’s image abroad.

Dacia’s success can be explained by its unsurpassed ratio of innovation, price, quality, modern facilities and reliability. More than 93 per cent of the output of the Mioveni Vehicle plant in Romania is exported to over 30 countries worldwide.

Four of the best

In the fourth quarter of 2016, Dacia launched its four much heralded new models at the Paris Motor Show. This meant the unveiling of the new Sandero, the Sandero Stepway, the Logan and finally the Logan MCV models. All these distinctive models have been significantly redesigned to meet the express desires of its customers’ expectations.

The design of the front-end panels on all four models was reconfigured to give them a more ‘same family’ look. The front bumper, grille and air vents go further in order to confirm the robust nature of Dacia’s latest vehicles. The new lighting utilises smart LED technology and conveys a more elegant and modern look.

They form four triangles, which come together to underscore the new Dacia lighting signature. The rear light clusters on the Sandero, Sandero Stepway and the Logan have all been redesigned in the same spirit. On the interiors there have also been major changes to design features on these four models, including the use of new materials, improved ergonomics and increased storage areas.

In addition the company’s new entry-level three-cylinder petrol engine – the 1.0 litre SCe75 – is a modern, more economical and Euro 6 compliant unit. Furthermore, for the first time Dacia is offering

its Efficient Dual Clutch (EDC) automatic transmission on the Duster model for an even smoother and more enjoyable ride. At the end of August 2016 Dacia set a new sales record with over 550,000 vehicles sold worldwide.

Innovative engineering

Thanks to its ground-breaking and innovative engineering the TCe90 unit weighs 15kg less than a motor of equivalent power. This ensures supple and energetic re-starts and accelerations, thus blending together the pleasure of driving with low fuel consumption and emissions.

Dacia’s mechanical and chassis plant covers 18 hectares on the Mioveni industrial platform and together with the Dacia vehicle plant is the first mechanical plant within the Renault Group worldwide in terms of its manufacturing diversity. The huge Mioveni plant in Romania has almost 4000 employees, of which 27 per cent are women. The four modern production plants at this site manufacture aluminium parts, motors and gearboxes. In addition, the front and rear bridges, axles and frames are installed for other vehicles in the Dacia, Renault and Nissan ranges.

In another move to increase investment in production capabilities, improve efficiency and respond to the on-going success of Dacia’s Global Access Range, the Renault Group will start producing the Logan MCV in a second plant. The Mioveni plant has had to respond to the resounding success of the Duster model, for which the volume of orders is only second in its segment in Europe. In order to make more room for its Duster model, the Renault Group will also assemble the Logan MCV in its Tangier plant.

The group’s manufacturing forecast is confidential, however today the manufacturing capacity of the Mioveni plant is being utilised at its highest level. n For further details of Dacia’s latest range of innovative passenger vehicles visit: www.daciagroup.com