DACIA 1310 Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

The last reminiscence of the Renault 12 was found in the last series of the Romanian car, the Dacia 1310. It was manufactured since the beginning of '70s and along the road there were different variations. But the 1999 model was the last before its retirement in 2005.

The three-box vehicle kept the same basic shape, but some aesthetic changes were made on the outside. There were new headlights and a different grille like a smile. The Romanians gave the car the nickname “Iliescu's smile”, Iliescu being the president of the country when the car appeared and was known for his large smile. The bumper was made out of plastic and had foglights offered as an option. In the rear, bigger lamps were installed and a third brake-light was available as an option.

Some dealers started to install different aftermarket features to make the car more appealing such as radio-CD player, central locking and light-alloy wheels.

Inside the cabin, the instrument cluster was simpler than before, featuring only tachometer, speedometer and fuel level. For the oil pressure a big red lamp was installed.

The car featured a 1.6-liter single-point fuel injected that increased the power output. But since the basic engine architecture was since 1970, it didn't make too much of a difference. The gearbox was a 5-speed manual only. It had independent suspension on the front and semi-independent in the rear.

It was another refresh for the old Dacia 1310, which was a sort of updated version for the even older Renault 12, built under license by the Romanian automaker since 1969.

While Romania was still struggling to get back on its feet after almost half a decade of the communist regime, Dacia offered the cheapest car on the market: the 1310. It was not on par with any other Western European vehicle, but it could provide cheap transportation for five and was easy to repair and cheap to maintain. Yet, the automaker tried to find a way to improve it before launching a new model, which was already in an advanced development stage.

For the 1994 model, the 1310 received new rectangular headlights with vertical, corner-mounted blinkers. Instead of the older, slatted grille, the 1994 model got a completely new one, with a mesh grille surrounded by a body-color rim. Yet, the plastic bumper was still unpainted, and the carmaker didn't even offer an option for a color other than black. The same went with the exposed door handles fitted with push buttons and the door mirrors.

Inside, the automaker added a few upgrades. For starters, the front seats received new, adjustable plastic headrests. In addition, the dashboard sported a new design with a center stack extended downwards that sported a new ventilation system that was more efficient than its predecessor. In addition, a dealer-installed radio-cassette player was on the options list. Yet, the car still featured manual adjustments for everything and no power windows.

But the most significant change was under the hood, where the automaker offered an option for a naturally-aspirated, fuel-injected powerplant. Even if it was a single-point injection system, that was much better than the Solex carburetor used before. Yet, that version was still available as a base model.

In 1984, the old Renault 12 built under license by the Romanian carmaker Dacia received another refresh to make it more appealing to the market.

While other countries already forgot how the Renault 12 was looking, the Romanians kept producing that vehicle, with various upgrades. But it was like a botox injection into an old person's lips. The Romanian designers and engineers worked hard to get just a few points for the car's look.

The 1984 model featured a new front fascia, a plastic addition over the already existing four-round headlights from the previous facelifted model. That was extended on the bottom and on the sides to mimic a more aerodynamic profile. The headlight's googles actually damaged the aerodynamic factor. Since the chromed, metallic bumpers were already out of the automotive trend, Dacia installed a new version made out of plastic materials. It was black and extended in the lower part to mimic an apron. The only aerodynamic improvement was a rubber duck-tail glued on the sloped trunk lid. Its effect on the fuel-efficiency was minimal, but at least the big taillights remained clear for a longer time.

Inside, there were just a few differences on the dash panel, where a pair of dials were mounted on the passenger side for oil-temperature and charging status. For the seats, the manufacturers installed adjustable headrests for the front passengers.

Under the hood, there was the same 1.3-liter engine advertised to produce 54 hp. It was mated to a 4-speed manual as the only option.

In 1979, Dacia released a restyled and improved version of the 1300 model based on the Renault 12, the Dacia 1310. The model was unveiled to the public at a Romanian exposition in Bucharest.

The Dacia 1310 came with a refreshed exterior design and an updated cabin.

The front fascia was completely redesigned, with the new model featuring a new grille and four round headlights. At the rear, the headlights were also redesigned and the trunk lid featured new styling ornaments.

With the upper trim levels, the Dacia 1310 featured a radio, rear glass defrosters, a right-side exterior mirror and head restraints.

The top-of-the-range trim level included power windows, alloy wheels and a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Mechanicals featured over 56 updates including a slightly more powerful engine with an improved fuel consumption. The 1.3-liter unit developed 56 hp.

The Dacia 1310 was considered a transition model to what was going to become the Dacia’s flagship model, the Logan.

With a total of 2.278.691 units were produced between 1979 and 2004, the updated version was of great success. The Dacia 1310 was sold in other countries under the nameplate of Dacia Denem.

Later on, other few versions appeared such as Dacia 1210, Dacia 1410 and they were lated updated in 1983 for the 1984 model year.