Dacia exports, eight times the entire domestic market

Dacia, the strongest Romanian brand, in January sold almost
17,300 cars on European markets, worth 160m euros, compared with
200 cars registered on the Romanian market. Dacia’s sales in
Romania stood at around 800 units, according to the company’s
representatives, with the gap represented by clients who postponed
registration amid the pollution tax reintroduction. While in Europe
Dacia’s sales surged by 70%, in Romania, January was seen as one of
the most disastrous months for the Romanian car market, with a 85%
plunge in registrations, to almost 2,100 cars. Thus, Dacia’s
European exports were over eight times higher than the number of
cars registered in Romania by all automotive players in January.
While Dacia feared the end of European old car scrappage schemes,
which in 2009 drove its production to almost 300,000 cars, January
figures show the Romanian brand is still boasting rising exports.
“In 2010 exports will stabilise at around 85%. Still, we’ll rely on
the Romanian market, particularly after the start of the scrappage
scheme,” stated Constantin Stroe, Automobile Dacia vice
chairman.