Photo: Renault
When Dacia first launched the Duster a little over four years ago, nobody would have ever thought that turning a Clio platform into a crossover SUV would be a good idea. It was the right car built at the right time, and many European buyers saw the no-nonsense Romanian car as being perfect for their family needs.
Its success quickly turned global, Renault adopting the Duster as its own model and selling it across the world. Even Nissan saw its potential and rebadged it as the new Terrano, but that's a different story.
The one millionth Duster model was made today by a Renault factory in Brazil. The crossover is one of the main driving forces behind the French brand's lineup there, but also in markets like Russia and India.
“Duster is a truly global success story,” explains Arnaud Deboeuf, the Renault Group’s Entry Programme Director. “With Renault branding, it perfectly meets the demands of our international customers and is contributing to Renault’s expansion in emerging markets. At the same time, the Dacia-badged version sold in Europe and our Mediterranean Basin markets has succeeded in attracting a new clientele to the brand thanks to the styling and genuine all-terrain capability it delivers for an affordable price. Duster is definitely a model that is winning us new customers.”
Renault and Dacia make Dusters in five different factories across the world: Pitesti (Romania), Curitiba (Brazil), Envigado (Colombia), Moscow (Russia) and Chennai (India). Production of the model first began in Romania, where Dacia-badged units were made, followed in June the same year by Renault units for the Middle-East, Egypt and other African markets.
If you live in Britain and wonder where your right-hand drive models are from, know the Indian factory which opened in May 2012 makes them.
According to numbers revealed today by Renault, Russia has been the biggest Duster market so far, with 151,633 units sold since December 2011. France comes in a close second with 145,612 units sold. Brazil, India and Germany make up the rest of the top 5 market list.
Its success quickly turned global, Renault adopting the Duster as its own model and selling it across the world. Even Nissan saw its potential and rebadged it as the new Terrano, but that's a different story.
The one millionth Duster model was made today by a Renault factory in Brazil. The crossover is one of the main driving forces behind the French brand's lineup there, but also in markets like Russia and India.
“Duster is a truly global success story,” explains Arnaud Deboeuf, the Renault Group’s Entry Programme Director. “With Renault branding, it perfectly meets the demands of our international customers and is contributing to Renault’s expansion in emerging markets. At the same time, the Dacia-badged version sold in Europe and our Mediterranean Basin markets has succeeded in attracting a new clientele to the brand thanks to the styling and genuine all-terrain capability it delivers for an affordable price. Duster is definitely a model that is winning us new customers.”
Renault and Dacia make Dusters in five different factories across the world: Pitesti (Romania), Curitiba (Brazil), Envigado (Colombia), Moscow (Russia) and Chennai (India). Production of the model first began in Romania, where Dacia-badged units were made, followed in June the same year by Renault units for the Middle-East, Egypt and other African markets.
If you live in Britain and wonder where your right-hand drive models are from, know the Indian factory which opened in May 2012 makes them.
According to numbers revealed today by Renault, Russia has been the biggest Duster market so far, with 151,633 units sold since December 2011. France comes in a close second with 145,612 units sold. Brazil, India and Germany make up the rest of the top 5 market list.
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