Dacia Posts 20.5 Percent Growth in 2009

While other carmakers are complaining that 2009 was a difficult year and post extremely disappointing sales figures, Renault's Romanian brand Dacia keeps growing. And we're not only talking about its domestic market but the global one, as the company posted an increase of 20.5 percent in new car sales in 2009.

The company delivered a total of 311,282 cars and curiously, Romania wasn't Dacia's largest market. 84,708 of the cars sold last year were purchased by Germans, while French buyers bought a total of 65,956 cars. According to official figures provided by Dacia, exports grew by 56 percent last year.

In Europe, sales of the Dacia brand grew by 91 percent and accounted 1.3 percent of the market. However, Romania fell 53 percent to 41,862 units. Dacia is among the top-ten brands in France, in terms of sales, while Dacia’s passenger cars sales rose 83%, totaling 214,500 units of the Logan, Logan MCV (estate) and Sandero hatchback in Europe.

Dacia is also expecting a growth in 2010 as it will officially introduce the brand's first SUV, a model that will be sold in several markets around the world, including those in South America and Russia.

The SUV will go on sale this year and will be offered in either 4x4 or 4x2 versions. There will be three engines available across the range, two diesels and one petrol. The gasoline configuration is a 1.6l 16V unit, developing 110 hp, while the diesel ones come with the promise of 85 or 105 hp.

Production will be handled by Dacia's only plant in Pitesti, Romania plus a series of other assemblies in various countries.