Dacia Starts Production Of 140-hp Duster Version For Export

05.11.2011 By Ioana Tudor

Romanian carmaker Automobile Dacia has started the production of a new Duster model exclusively for export, Renault Romania director of communications Anca Oreviceanu said Wednesday.

The new SUV has a 2-liter gasoline engine with 140 hp.

Dacia, owned by French group Renault, invested over 57 million lei (about EUR14 million) last year to produce an engine block for a new family of engines.

Dacia representatives told MEDIAFAX last year its car plant in Mioveni would start the production of Euro 5 engines (H4 and H5 engines) for car brands Dacia, Renault, Nissan and Renault Samsung.

In 2009, Dacia produced 273,559 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter gasoline engines and 1.9-liter diesel engines.

Dacia's sales increased by 12% last year to 348,723 cars from 311,426 units and its market share in Europe increased by 0.3 percentage points to 1.6%. Dacia sold 36,730 cars in Romania, down 20% compared to 2009.