Dacia chooses Morocco for the next models

Dacia is set to launch two new models in 2012, a family car and a new light commercial vehicle, according to Renault group, as part of the French company’s strategy of launching 44 new cars by 2013 and another 48 by 2016.

As Dacia plant of Mioveni has reached full capacity, with six models and 350,000 vehicles annually, the next two models to be launched by Dacia will start being produced at the new plant of Tangier, Morocco, where Renault will invest 1bn euros, thus becoming the first models of the domestic brand to be imported in Romania.

Jerome Olive, general manager of Automobile Dacia, said last year that for Renault it is more efficient if the western area of Europe is covered by the plant of Morocco, and the northern or central one by Romanian production, with costs being smaller than in the case all production were carried out in Mioveni.

Constantin Stroe, Dacia vice-president, said in 2010 that domestic salary hikes, doubled by the lack of infrastructure will be a minus for Romania, in the context where Morocco salaries are steady.

The concept of the future MPV is likely to be presented during this year’s edition of the Geneva Motor Show and the series version after a year.