Riding in the 5,000 euro Dacia

“The X90 project, that is the 5,000 euro Dacia project, does exist; I’ve seen it, and I will even take a ride in it at the end of this week,” says Christian EstA„?ve, the general manager of Romanian carmaker Dacia.
EstA„?ve seems happy. Renault’s most ambitious project, set after taking over the main stake in the Pitesti-based company (in September 1999), has become a reality. EstA„?ve will test the 5,000 euro Dacia today in Paris, the home of Technocentre Renault – the “brain” of the French carmaking plants.
“The Renault Group aims to sell four million cars annually in 2004, with Dacia accounting for 700,000 units. Besides the Pitesti-based plant and the factory held by Renault in Moscow, we are also in talks on another six locations where the Dacia cars may be made,” EstA„?ve stated.
The plant in Pitesti will make 200,000 Dacia autos every year, with the rest to be manufactured outside Romania. The 5,000 euro model will be aimed both at the Romanian market and at other emerging markets, such as Turkey, eastern and central European countries, China, India and other countries from the northern part of South America.
The car, code-named X90, will be launched in the second half of 2004 and, according to EstA„?ve, it will help the Romanian manufacturer log profit as of 2005. After Renault bought the majority stake in Dacia, the Pitesti-based plant posted losses every year, Last year, losses amounted to 80 million euros, more than expected, with turnover standing at 266 million euros.
The company estimates to cut losses down to 56 million euros this year. 
“After the first nine months of the year, we are not on schedule with the losses,” EstA„?ve added, without specifying whether this period’s losses were bigger or smaller than initial forecasts.
In the first ten months of 2002, Dacia sold more than 43,000 cars on the Romanian market, accounting for an 11% increase as compared to last year. Dacia officials expect to sell 52,500 auto this year, slightly more than last year’s level.