Dacia (IPA: ['da.ʧi.a]) is a Romanian car maker which is a subsidiary of Renault group.

History
The beginnings
Dacia started to cooperate with Renault in 1966 and the main Dacia factory was built in 1968, in Colibaºi (now called Mioveni), near Piteºti.
Dacia 1100.
Dacia acquired the tooling and basic designs of Renault 12. However, until the tooling was ready it was decided to produce the Renault 8 under licence; it was known as the Dacia 1100. From 1968 to 1971, some 37,000 were produced, with a very minor cosmetic change to the front at the end of 1969. Also produced in very limited numbers was the 1100S, with twin headlamps and a more powerful engine, used by the police and in motor racing. None are thought to survive.
The first Dacia 1300 left the assembly line ready for the 23 August parade in 1969, and was exhibited at the Paris and Bucharest shows of that year. Romanians were delighted with the modernity and reliability of the car, and waiting lists were always lengthy. As early as 1970, there were several variants: the standard 1300, the 1300L (for Lux) and the 1301 Lux Super, which had novelties such as a heated rear screen, a radio, windscreen mirrors on both sides and a more luxurious trim. This was reserved for the Communist Party nomenklatura.
Changes soon followed as export markets opened up. In 1973, the estate variant, Dacia 1300 Break, was produced. There were 1300F (estate with no rear seats, for carrying goods) and 1300S (ambulance) variants, and in 1975 the Dacia 1302 pick-up was developed. 1500 examples were made until 1983, the vast majority going to Algeria. Dacia also produced the D6, a CKD version of the Renault Estafette van, in limited numbers, but given the competition of the Bucharest-made T.V. van, numbers were very limited. In the very early 1980s, the Renault 20 was also assembled as the Dacia 2000; because of the exclusivity of this model numbers were always very limited. The 2000 was only available in dark blue or black, and was reserved for the Party elite. In 1978 Renault's licence expired, and the 1300 was completely Romanian. Soon the designers began to explore new ways of improving the ageing design, for example introducing small rear indicators under the tail lights for the 1979 model year.. At the Bucharest show in 1979, the restyled 1310 models were presented. These had quad lamps at the front, larger lamps at the rear, re-profiled bumpers, and a new interior. The changes were heavily inspired by Renault's own restyling of its 12 in 1975. After a brief series of "crossover" cars in 1981 (for example, there were no more rectangular headlights available for the 1300, so the very last models used the quad lamps of the 1310), the 1310 finally hit the Romanian market in the autumn of 1981. In the UK, where it was known as the Dacia Denem, the top of the range model included such luxuries as a five-speed gearbox, alloy wheels and electric windows. The advertising slogan used for the car was "The Very Acceptable Dacia Denem", but this proved not to be the case with the British buyers, who increasingly opted for the more reliable Japanese, South Korean and Malaysian models. Sales were very limited, and only one (estate) is known to survive, although the Romanian Embassy in South Kensington kept a fleet running until the mid-1990s. Sales of the pick-up version, known as the Shifter, continued until about 1990, and the Aro 10 was also sold as the Dacia Duster. The plug was pulled on the Denem, however, in early 1984.
At the same time the 1310 Sport was produced. At the 1979 show crowds admired the Braºovia, a prototype of a sports coupé based on the 1310 and developed at a service station in Braºov. The go-ahead was given for a prestige model, and so from 1983 the two-door Dacia Sport 1410 was available for the gilded youth of the period. These were very popular for rallies, and racing drivers such as Nicu Grigoraº tuned them to extract extraordinary power from the old Renault engine.

The 1980s
The designers were still coming up with fresh ideas, many of them shrouded in secrecy. Prototypes such as the 500cc Mini-Dacia, as well as Dacia 1310 variants, were designed; some, such as the extraordinary Dacia 1310 Limousine, are still on the road. These cars are eagerly prized by Dacia enthusiasts, and Dacia web forums are full of evidence about the rarities and oddities produced by Dacia during the 1980s.
In 1983, after the 1302 was dropped, the Dacia 1304 Pick-up and 1305 Drop-side models were introduced. These were a commercial success and remained in production, gradually being modified along with the rest of the range, until late 2006. From the 1980s, also, the 1410 was available as a larger-engined variant, while the relatively short-lived 1210 was the economy variant until about 1992.
In 1985, there were more slight modifications, with a new horizontal rear vent and chunkier, rubber mouldings around the front grille. Work was developing on the 1320 CN1 model, which was a hatchback based on the 1310. The new front end seen on the 1320 also appeared on the top-of-the-range models (known under Dacia brand nomenclature as MLS) from about 1987; these cars were distinguishable by two large headlights, a much plusher interior clad in blue plastic and known as the CN1 dashboard, and often a proliferation of aerials to indicate the owner's status. Most were owned by senior officials in the Communist Central Committee. While the 1320 was the most expensive model in the Dacia range when it appeared in 1988, most were used as taxis until the mid-1990s. The 1320 did not last long, however; as early as 1989 there were prototypes using the front of the 1320 and a new rear, with wrap-around tail lights and other modernities.

The 1990s
The 1320 model emerged in 1990 as the Dacia 1325 Liberta (after the 1989 revolution, themes of liberty were very much in fashion) and stayed in production until 1996.
The last of the quad-lamped models were produced in 1992, and all the Dacia range received the new front end of the 1320, called CN1. An effort was made to rejuvenate the model range: the Sport was dropped, due to lack of sales, and new commercial vehicles were introduced. The 1307 was a double-cabbed pick-up; the 1309 was an estate with a tarpaulin instead of a boot; the car was a cross-over between estate and pick-up and sold very well on the Chinese market.
The cars of 1992–1994 are curiosities: although efforts were obviously being made to renew the model range, there were numerous stylistic hangovers from the quad-lamped models. Thus, the last of the 1983-designed dashboards were seen in 1994 although a new dashboard had been seen on some model ranges since 1987. Similarly, although the CN1 restylisation got rid of anachronisms such as a kink upwards at the C-pillar and a rubber rear spoiler, it was not applied consistently. One wonders about the techniques used on the production lines of the era.
The 1994 facelift was known within the industry as CN2. A reprojected front end was distinguished by a horizontal metal line in the grille. There were new headlamps, front and rear bumpers, and the shape of the front wings was accordingly different. Inside, there was a new dashboard for the base models, while the top-of-the-range cars had luxuries such as body-coloured bumpers, rear head restraints, a radio-cassette, hubcaps, and the ever-present CN1 dashboard, this time in black plastic. This model was not to stay in production for very long; in 1995 the CN3 type was introduced on the European market, followed by the Latin American market in 1996. Practically the only differences were those of trim level and the radiator grille.
From 1995 little attention was paid to the improvement of the 1310 range, as Dacia launched a new model, the Dacia Nova. This was a saloon or hatchback with a 3-box design. The design was rather outdated, owing to the fact that development work had started in 1982. Urban myth in Romania suggests that it was a version of the Renault 9 or the Peugeot 309; this is incorrect, as the Nova is a 100% Romanian design, started after the end of any French involvement in Dacia. The model was initially unpopular, due to reliability and rustproofing issues, one rumour suggesting that when it rained outside, it also rained inside. However, after improvements in 1997, the Nova became more often seen on Romanian roads. In 1998 a seven-seater prototype was produced using the panels and windows from the standard Nova saloon.
In 1998, the last restyling of the 1310 was introduced. It was known as CN4 and involved a comprehensive restyling of the front end, as well as new door handles and a lightly restyled interior mirror. The estate version was given larger tail lights. This restyling soon became popularly known as "zâmbetul lui Iliescu" (Iliescu's smile) after wits likened the front end to the presidential grin. The load-carrying models followed suit in 1999. It must be stressed that, even though the model was over thirty years old, it still sold exceptionally well due to a starting price of about 4200 Euros and high availability of parts. Goodies such as an engine with injection also helped keep the model relatively modern. By this stage the export market had all but petered out, although some saloons made their way to Latin America, and the utility models were available in countries such as Poland, the Ukraine, Germany and the Czech Republic.

In 2000, a special edition was produced for the first time; it was known as Dacia Dedicaþie. This luxury version of the saloon and estate had alloy wheels, body-coloured bumpers, power steering, electric windows, and a far better level of finish. The models were all painted two-tone silver, and sold at a significantly higher price. From after about 2000, also, the cars became known as Berlina and Break, with the 1310 lettering being relegated to an insignificant position underneath the side light. On July 21, 2004 the last models of the 1300 series rolled out the gates of the Mioveni production facility, just one month before their 35th anniversary. The very last Dacia 1310, number 1,979,730, will be kept in the Dacia museum. On 8 December 2006, the utility vehicles suffered the same fate. Although many improvements had been made in recent years, such as four-wheel drive, the introduction of a 1.9 diesel engine, the dashboard from the Dacia Solenza (also seen on the very last 1310s) and wheels fastened by five studs as opposed the the archaic three, Romania's entry in the European Union effectively prevented the continued production of the old models. The assembly lines will be remodelled and expanded to increase production of the Dacia Logan.
In over thirty-four years of production, the Dacia 1300/1310 became easily the most numerous car on the Romanian roads. Almost everybody owned one and became adept at carrying out repairs or home-made modifications. For example, many older cars had newer front ends grafted onto them to make them seem more modern, or purely because newer parts were easier to get. Consequently, original early 1300s are quite rare, with prices steadily increasing for the best-preserved models. Tuning of Dacias is also a popular pastime, although the home-made nature of much of the work has implications for the quality of the finished product.
During the Communist era, in the plant where the Dacias were made, there were two assembly lines: one line producing Dacias intended for sale in Romania and the other line producing the same car (albeit from superior parts, and assembled with greater care) for export. It is common knowledge that many Romanians living near the Hungarian border purchased their Dacia in Hungary and drove it back home.

Acquisition by Renault
Meanwhile, work was continuing on the other Dacia models. In September 1999, Dacia was bought by the Renault group, with a view to making Romania its hub of automobile development in both Central Europe and Eastern Europe, and investment was consequently increased. The first sign of this came in 2000, with the introduction of the SupeRNova, an improved version of the Nova. The top-of-the range version had air conditioning, electric windows, and a CD player. Sales were very good, although the outdatedness of the concept was striking. Dacia sold 53,000 vehicles in 2002, and it holds an almost 50 per cent market share in Romania. In 2003, a comprehensively restyled version replaced the SupeRNova with Dacia Solenza, featuring a completely new and modern interior, the options for an airbag, and more modern looks trying to develop a Dacia brand style. This was, however, only meant to be a stopgap model filling the need for a saloon model before the introduction of the all-important Dacia Logan, as well as to familiarise workers with the rigour needed to manufacture a model acceptable to Western European markets. Production was stopped in 2005.

Models
Dacia 1100 (1968–1971)
Dacia 1300 (1969–1983) / Dacia Denem (in the United Kingdom)
Dacia 1310 (1983–2004)
Dacia 1301 (1970–?)
Dacia 1302 pick-up (1975–1983)
Dacia 1304 pick-up (1983–2006)
Dacia 1305 drop-side (1985–2006)
Dacia 1307 double cab (1992–2006)
Dacia 1307 king cab (1992–1999)
Dacia 1309 estate-derived pick-up (1992–1997)
Dacia Sport 1310 coupe (1983–1992)
Dacia 2000
Dacia D6 (1974–1977)
Dacia Duster / ARO 10 (1985–2005)
Dacia 500 (Lãstun) (–1989)
Dacia Gamma
Dacia 1320 hatchback (1988–1991)
Dacia Liberta Hatchback (1990–1996)
Dacia Nova (1995–2000) – (Peugeot 309 based)
Dacia SuperNova (2000–2003)
Dacia Solenza (2003–2005)
Dacia Logan (2004–today)
Dacia Logan MCV (2006-today)
Dacia Logan VAN (2007-today)
Dacia Logan Pickup (2008)
Dacia Sandero (2008)

Prototypes
Dacia Braºovia coupè (prototype only), 1981
Mini-Dacia prototype of an economy car made from cut-down Dacia 1310 panels, and easily changeable from hatchback to pick-up to convertible according to removable panels, (prototype only) 1980s
Dacia Jumbo Highrise van(prototype only), 1990
Dacia Nova Minivan (prototype only), 1998
Several prototypes of the 1310 with diesel, LPG, or smaller engines, throughout the model history
Dacia Star (prototype only), 1991
Dacia 1310 convertible(three produced), 1987
Dacia 1306 (saloon-derived pick-up, very small series), 1994/5
Dacia 1310 Break Limousine (stretchd estate with seven seats, five produced), late 1980s
Dacia 1310 4x4 / Aro 12 (estate-derived 4x4, very small series, late 1980s)

I haven't seen:
Dacia Gamma
Dacia Braºovia coupè (prototype only), 1981
Mini-Dacia
Dacia Jumbo Highrise van(prototype only), 1990
Dacia Star (prototype only), 1991
Dacia 1310 convertible(three produced), 1987
Dacia 1306 (saloon-derived pick-up, very small series), 1994/5

Does anyone have pictures of those?

Or Go here for the same info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dacia_(car)

Well found MCV-Rulez

I have missed you mate
the forum is just about dead so help liven it up eh

Stu

I've noticed...

Theres approx one or two posts each day

Did your father buy a MCV ?
I am off to UK in two weeks ..AGAIN
Stu

Not yet..
we're waiting for next year, I don't know why....

How long is that drive to the UK? Just out of curiosity.

@Boris
It takes about 7 hours nice driving to get to Calais .Then into the Eurotunnel and out onto the English side .We then Have about 5 hours drive up north to Grimsby
where I come from
I used to drive through Germany and Belgium and Holland BUT It is no fun to drive in Germany because you are expected to drive fast . So we drive all the way through France at a steady 130kmh
So all in all with stops and stuff 14 to 16 hours
Stu

>> all the way through France at a steady 130kmh

anyone knowing stu knows what that means: 65km/h for him, and 65km/h for
the wife. france is ready for you ...

greetings - heinz-

Hi Baked Beans
Nice to hear from you again
We where getting worried .
Its true though as you well Know Germany is not nice to drive through anymore
Ok in the 70s and 80s it was OK but now the Autobahns have outdone themselfs
and are too small for the ammount of traffic that it has to Carry
.............................................
FRANCE !!! Ok I have to Pay but i can sit at one speed between Toll Stations
that are well worth paying for
VIVA LA FRENCH Motorways
Stu

True. It does worth paying the "autoroute" in France at least because beeing relatively expensive very few use them. I drove 5 weeks ago from Forbach to Paris and I seen aproximatively 30 to 40 cars for the first half of the journey. A delight

you've missed Dacia 1210

stew, its not 'baked beans', its the '57 varieties' that count!

and yes, i am worried about me too: to much autobahn these days. fully agree they can be a pain. the last one only a week ago (and i
am not kiddin'): 6 hrs from birmingham to stansted. two roadclosures, a 40 miles deviation (thru gainsborough, with some luck we wld
hv almost made it to grimsby), and two accidents, the last one (M4 closed for 1 full hour) only 15 miles out of stansted.

hoppla: wrong country, same issue?

but i need your advise: how can i use a french motorway when travelling from duesseldorf to munich and on to vienna?

many greetings, and wishing you a good trip - heinz -

but i need your advise: how can i use a french motorway when travelling from duesseldorf to munich and on to vienna

Ok you have got me there
Wooo that Autobahn by Stanstead is a NO NO next time go down the AI/M till you hit London then you go onto the M25 (or were you going to the Airport?)
The Stanstead one is a real Ballsache if it backs up and it often does
Gainsborough is not to Far from Good Ol Grimsby

Hope you enjoyed the UK
have a good winter
Stu

>> Ok you have got me there

finally, for once.

>> Wooo that Autobahn by Stanstead is a NO NO next time go down
>> the AI/M till you hit London then you go onto the M25 (or were
>> you going to the Airport?)

stansted (spelling, my dear brit) IS the airport, yes. and the way around the M25 (+40 miles anyhow)
was tried once too, 2 hrs for 25 miles on the M25 alone.

>> Gainsborough is not to Far from Good Ol Grimsby

the way it looked to me, end of the world. specially when you are 40 miles away from your route and
already 2 hrs behind schedule.

it was fun.

when are you actually setting out?

greetings - heinz -

Hey Beano you are right about the Stansted but tip Stanstead in Google and you get there just the same hahah
Why the hell were you going to the Airport ??
Robin hood airport is right next to Doncaster and you can use Easyjet
ok to Barcelona but that is another story LOL
ETD is Sunday 11 Nov 1800 hrs
cu
Stu and Wife