100,000th Logan earlier than expected

Automobile Dacia has manufactured its 100,000th Logan car within just over a year from when it began production.

“Since we began manufacturing the Logan in June 2004 production at the Mioveni plant has risen continuously: from 21 units on the first day of production to 300 units a day in October 2004 and 500 in March 2005,” say representatives of the domestic car maker.

Since last month, the Logan has been manufactured at a rate of 640 units per day, the company says, allowing for record sales of over 17,200 cars last month.

The growth in production is above initial expectations and comes at a time of high demand for the Logan, which was launched officially mid last year. Demand has been significantly higher than expectations, both in Romania, where it soon became the best selling car on the market, and on other markets in the region.

The Logan was launched in the wake of a high level of demand from Western European markets, including France, Germany and Spain. Results for these markets were also way beyond Renault”s expectations, with all 5,000 cars allotted to the French market being sold in less than two weeks. Performance in Spain and Germany confirmed the reaction of the French company.

“The bad results from impact tests and the early car recall problems did not bother buyers,” said the German publication Handelsblatt in its Monday online issue.

However, the German publication also said that around 500 of the 3,000 Logan cars destined for Germany had already been signed for by customers, with a similar situation being seen in Spain.

The other Western countries where the Logan will be launched toward the end of the year are Belgium, Switzerland, Holland, Italy and Austria.

Automobile Dacia estimates to make 175,000 vehicles this year, 60,000 units of which will be exported. This will allow Dacia to exceed one billion euro turnover and make profit for the first time since Renault took over.