The 5k Dacia With Va Va Voom

The current issue of Auto Ecpress magazine features a spy image of Renault's Romanian experiment, the all-new Dacia X90, which is expected to go on sale in the UK early next year.

Auto Express Car Reviews

07th June 2004

The French firm bought a controlling share of the Romanian car maker in 1999, and after investing heavily in modernising production and re-training, Renault is nearly ready to bring the range to Europe.

It will be marketed as a budget model, and is tipped to cost no more than 5,000 Euros (΂£3,400) in some foreign markets. However, the extra safety kit required by EU regulations means the Dacia is likely to weigh in at nearer ΂£5,000 in Britain.

Its tall, boxy shape should result in plenty of interior space, but the cabin is expected to be fairly basic. Under the bonnet, the newcomer will initially have a 1.4-litre Renault petrol engine, but a more capable 1.6 unit is expected at a later date.

Dacia was last seen in the UK in the Nineties with its Duster 4x4. It makes about 105,000 cars a year, but this will increase to 200,000.