Romanian carmaker launches first Dacia a la francaise

During Dacia’s long history, more than just a few buyers found the backseat covered in snow, after the first snow of the year. No window was broken and no door was open.
This made the car’s permeability into a source of jokes and annoyance, but also a nice source of income for the shops that took care of the problem. Well, Dacia seems determined to fight the tradition of a car that even gives in to rain.
“The Solenza model parts with the traditional Dacia range and inaugurates a new brand identity that Dacia will adopt in the next few years. Moreover, this is the first time when we can safely say there will be no more problems with water in the trunk,” says Constantin Stroe, the company’s vice-president.
And it didn’t even cost much. The Solenza project, known under the code name W40 or X40, entailed investments worth 40 million euros, according to Stroe.
“The design was made in France by a Romanian-French team and accounts for the training we needed for Renault’s most ambitious project at Dacia, the 5,000-euro model.” Code named X90, the project is now in an advanced stage.
“The target for Solenza is the traditional Dacia buyer. Solenza will account for 50% of Dacia sales this year, similar to last year’s Supernova sales,” Stroe added.
Furthermore, Solenza should also boost the exports of the Pitesti-based carmaker, the Dacia VP adds. According to Stroe, at least 10,000 units are aimed at export this year. This means that Solenza should exceed the level of 40,000 units, as Dacia aims to increase it sales by 12,000 cars on the Romanian market this year, up from the 57,000 it sold in 2002.
The auto will be made by 2007, when cumulated sales will reach 200,000 units (25% of which exported), according to Dacia officials.
But how is Solenza any different from Supernova (except the name that should suggest the sun – “sole”)?
The engine and the gearbox have not changed a bit. The JH3 gearbox is also included in two of Renault’s most recent models – Laguna II and Megane II. The engine – E7J (1.4 litres and 75 horsepower), the same that was premiered with Supernova, after having geared the first Clio model.
The novelty (beyond the looks) lies with the equipment. Dacia has a new variant – Scala, which includes electronic antiskid control and fog lights. What about ABS? Or a diesel engine? “Not yet,” the Dacia vice-president says.