Dacia is undergoing a brand overhaul that will revamp its design and reinforce its focus on active lifestyle needs while remaining a “leader for affordable mobility”.

The Manifesto concept provides a ‘lab’ for showcasing elements that will be used on future Dacia production car

Following the Renault Group’s new ‘Renaulution’ corporate strategic plan announced January 2021, the brand says it’s looking to bolster its appeal and desirability without letting go of its value-for-money proposition.

Its new premise is based on three core values: ‘essential and cool’, ‘robust and built for outdoor adventure’ and ‘eco-smart: economical and ecological’.

The first mantra is underpinned by its new identity, logo, revamped dealerships, updated, sharper design and new colours introduced in recent months.

Dacia is also taking customer interactions up a notch, building on its new dealerships with physical and virtual experiences, in particular using augmented reality on smartphones.

Its strive for robustness and outdoor adventure draws on the brand’s reputation for dependability and sturdiness, while also stepping up the focus on buyers seeking vehicles to support outdoor activities. The carmaker will continue to offer all-wheel-drive systems while introducing equipment designed for outdoor activities, such as the 2023 arrival of a kit that can set up a proper double bed in minutes in the Jogger seven-seater MPV without encumbering the boot. It will also debut a tent that can be hitched to the passenger compartment to enable families to camp.

And for the final ‘eco-smart’ pillar, Dacia says it will continue to leave out “superfluous technology or merely cosmetic features”, thereby making cars lighter, while also using more recycled plastic in its models. The target is for 20% recycled plastic in the new-generation Duster and it will use a new recycled plastic compound, dubbed Starkle and said to be environmentally friendly and robust.

Dacia has also unveiled a new concept car, designed to embody all these values and due to debut at the Paris Motor Show next month.

Essentially an all-terrain buggy, the Manifesto doesn’t preview a single model but rather provides a ‘lab’ for showcasing elements that will be used on future Dacia production cars.

Design features support the ‘essential but cool’ motto with a lack of doors, windows and windscreen, plus the use of a single headlamp that can be detached as a torch and Dacia’s Bring-Your-Own-Device approach, which means a smartphone can be fully integrated into the dashboard and on-board computer.

It also debuts a new YouClip system to secure a variety of handy and modular accessories, which will be built into future Dacia models.

The outdoor focus is reinforced by four-wheel drive, generous ride height, large wheels and a body built to withstand the toughest terrain, plus removable seat coverings that convert to sleeping bags in seconds

And full waterproof credentials mean you can clean the inside with a jet washer.

For extra practicality, the modular roof rack can be configured to carry different types of loads, while a dedicated and removable battery supplies power through a household outlet, turning the concept into an energy source for any outdoor activities requiring power.

Showcasing the Eco-smart focus, the Manifesto Concept’s main plastic body parts contain a significant portion of the Starkle recycled material, while the interior is fitted with natural materials such as the cork covering the dashboard. And the concept airless tyres are focused on environmental friendliness as well as savings.

Lionel Jaillet, product performance director, said: “We want to build a range of products that strengthens our brand promise, focusing on the essentials and adapting our vehicles for outdoor activities. Beyond our models, we are also working on innovative features that match our customers’ need and lifestyles even more closely. Manifesto Concept is a ‘lab’ to try out and mock up new ideas. The version you can see today will keep on evolving as we keep on exploring! So don’t miss the next models: they will be ever smarter, ever more tailored to outdoor activities and ever more Dacia!”