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Dacia Manifesto Is Brimming With Cool Ideas for Outdoor Adventures, Shows Big Ambitions

If you’re familiar with the Romanian brand Dacia you know it’s the maker of some of the best no-frills vehicles in Europe. Dacia is known for its “baby-step” approach to advancing the automotive food chain, but it doesn’t lack ambition. The Manifesto concept car proves as much.
Dacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventures 14 photos
Photo: Dacia
Dacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventuresDacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventuresDacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventuresDacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventuresDacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventuresDacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventuresDacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventuresDacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventuresDacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventuresDacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventuresDacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventuresDacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventuresDacia Manifesto is brimming with cool ideas for outdoor adventures
Once derided for its lack of innovation and spartan vehicles, Dacia is fast at gaining a foothold in the European market and is expanding quickly on other continents. Based on the first eight months’ registration figures, Dacia is close to overpassing Ford in Europe (307k vehicles sold vs. 327k, according to ACEA). This is a feat nobody thought possible 10 years ago. And it will sure leave Ford in the dust soon, considering its strong and young range of vehicles. Now, it’s time for Dacia to think big, and the Manifesto concept car shows the Romanian brand is doing just that.

We know that few (if any) concept cars still feature combustion engines under the hood, but Dacia is different in this regard. The Manifesto boasts about sustainability and eco-smartness, but for other reasons than electrification. The concept is compact and lightweight and is built with recycled materials. It’s a budget brand we’re talking about, and extravagance is inappropriate. But that doesn’t matter much because the Manifesto will never enter production. Instead, it’s meant as a concept lab for ideas that will be used in existing and future Dacia cars.

The concept offers the bare essentials to be still called a vehicle, which means four wheels, a steering wheel, two seats, and a propulsion system of some sort. The wheels are intriguing as they are supposed to be wrapped in puncture-proof airless tires. There are no doors, windows, or windshield to separate the occupants from the environment. There’s no infotainment system onboard, either. However, the smartphone integrates seamlessly with the car, offering both an interface and a touchscreen. The system is already available on several Dacia models.

YouClip is a straightforward system to secure various handy and modular accessories. On the outside, there’s a single headlight, which can be detached and used as a powerful torchlight. The Manifesto is an adventure vehicle, so it’s envisioned as a sturdy and competent offroader. It sports a four-wheel-drive system, high ground clearance, and a body built to withstand the most challenging terrain.

Best of all, the Manifesto’s interior is waterproof, so you can clean it with a water jet. The removable seat covers can be turned into sleeping bags in seconds. And to power it all up, there’s a removable battery generator at the rear, offering household outlets. As you see, the Manifesto concept car shows big ambitions for a small brand, with clever ideas we want to see implemented in a production vehicle as soon as possible.
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About the author: Cristian Agatie
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After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
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