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Here's some news to warm the cockles of James May's heart. Dacia, Renault-owned bargain-bucket manufacturer of the, er, legendary Sandero hatchback, is officially launching in the UK in 2010.
But at first it won't be selling the Sandero. Pants.
The first model will be the Duster crossover. This is actually rather good news, for the Duster is a fine thing. It's a conspicuous bargain at about £12,000, and has none of the pointless pretensions that blight so many of the breed.
As Renault's chief operating officer Patrick Pelata says: "It's a modern day Renault 4. Cheap, roomy, practical, and you don't mind getting it dirty." Given you still see ancient Renault 4s driven by French farmers to see their sheep at the top of mountain tracks, he's got a point.
Dacia is doing especially well in Germany, the country where, in the normal run of play, being ‘premium' counts for everything. But apparently there's a new breed of people who could easily afford, say, a BMW X1, but don't want to the flash. They want simple things and a materially simple life.
Which just happens to be just the kind of honest cheap-car philosophy our James keeps going on about.
And the Sandero? It arrives about a year after the Duster. But it will be the Mark 2 version. Let's hope it retains the charm of the original.
Paul Horrell, Consultant Editor of Top Gear magazine
Open Car Bar
What do you think?
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scottneal commented on this article
at 12:26 pm on 03 March 2010
Dacia in the UK. Yes. Wow. I'm filled with excitement.
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sonyx commented on this article
at 12:36 pm on 03 March 2010
please make the new reasonably priced car a left hand drive sandero, and when Mk2 arrives in the uk u can swith it to that
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Takk commented on this article
at 01:39 pm on 03 March 2010
The Duster. Right. What's next, the Y-front family sedan? The Speedo roadster?
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StigsIrishCousn commented on this article
at 01:54 pm on 03 March 2010
What is with this dreadful paint colour?! I've seen it on a few other show cars and it is akin to looking down the jacks after emptying your bowels.
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AshHorne commented on this article
at 04:02 pm on 03 March 2010
£12k for what is quite a handsome 4x4 (albeit in any colour BUT the one shown!)? Let's hope it's not powered by a wet fart (as cheapo 4x4s tend to be), and give it something meaty enough to be worth driving. :)
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