CEO Denis le Vot talks about the future of the brand: What’s next for Dacia

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Small brand, big look: Dacia and its parent company Renault are the only European manufacturers to showcase their new products at the Geneva International Motor Show (until March 3) at the Geneva Palexpo. Most importantly, the 2022 strategy seen in the new logo has accelerated Dacia. Last year, 658,000 cars were sold in Europe; This represented an increase of 14.7 percent compared to 2022 and placed the brand in second place in sales to private individuals, excluding fleet customers.

Unlike many brands, these are not Dacia’s focus; Fleet customers want discounts on their large orders and Dacia does not want to give these discounts due to the low price level. Instead, one in three customers in Europe choose top-end equipment; In Switzerland, this figure goes up to 80 percent. This pours money into Dacia’s coffers.

Hybrid is the new diesel

The third generation of the SUV Duster, which will be available in Switzerland in the summer from 24,290 francs, and an upgraded version of the economical electric car Spring are now celebrating their general debut in Geneva. But Dacia CEO Denis le Vot (59) is already thinking ahead: “We want to make better and wider use of our technological possibilities,” he said at the Geneva Motor Show. This means that models for the widest possible range of customers must be built on existing, cost-effective platforms: “We will launch two more models based on Duster, but they will appeal to completely different customer groups.” The important thing is the hybridization of drives as a form of electrification for small wallets. Diesel engines? “We only use it for the Moroccan and commercial vehicle versions,” says Le Vot. Hybrids are the new diesels.

Still, according to le Vot, it’s clear: “The next Sandero will be electric.” The successor to the current model, launched in 2021, will not yet lack a gasoline engine; According to de Vot, many of the models currently sold in 300,000 units a year will continue to go to customers who are not yet ready for electromobility. Target price for the Sandero electric car: equivalent to around 19,000 euros in Europe. But this means that Spring or its successor would then have to be priced at 15,000 euros; which is much lower than today (from 19,990 francs in Switzerland). “Will we be able to do this, given the prices of energy and raw materials?” le Vot asks: “I don’t know. Nobody knows that today.”

The biggest one is coming at the end of the year

So how does it continue? At the end of the year, de Vot plans to unveil its new brand flagship called Bigster, a concept car of the 4.60-meter SUV introduced last March. Dacia then steps into motorsport for the first time and starts the Dakar desert rally at the beginning of 2025 with the Sandrider, which was also shown in Geneva. At the wheel of two cars: experienced Spanish driver Cristina Gutiérrez Herrero (31) and nine-time world rally champion Sébastien Loeb (49). A V6 running on synthetic fuel from collaboration partner Nissan provides propulsion in the Sandrider.

The price-performance ratio is still important for Dacia customers; Does the brand now spend its revenues from motor sports? “Dakar is not Formula 1,” grins Le Vot. The commitment can be financed, especially since Dacia has already stopped all other sponsorship activities to obtain more funds. Dakar is ideal for Dacia to demonstrate durability and longevity; “It’s a good investment,” says le Vot.

Also survive against new competition from China? “To achieve high sales figures, they target completely different segments than us,” says Le Vot. Dacia is focusing on small and compact cars and is able to keep prices low thanks to the internal combustion engine technology available on the company’s shelves. Unlike new Chinese brands. Because initially they would have to develop their electric drives at high cost.

Source: Blick