forfour.co.uk
Forum => General Smart Chat => Topic started by: CrazyG on January 10, 2017, 10:18:57 AM
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Much like VW has the 'Up', SEAT and Skoda have their versions,
and now it seems that the same is true with the 4 seat 453......
We have the Smart ForFor, the Renault Twingo, and quietly sneaking
in out of the limelight is the new Dacia Diva !
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7v5EPHmL7Po/Vh-YpPxZlqI/AAAAAAAAAHA/v7FZMW2XZ1o/s1600/dacia%2Bdiva.jpg)
With Dacia, it's a certainty that it will be a far cheaper option than the
overpriced Smart, let alone the relatively cheaper Renault.
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The unpainted black lower front section just looks too imposing on the car. Guess there hasn't been any potential specifications for this yet (though I do note that the red variant appears to have the NightSky option)?
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Needs a lift kit mini SUV style with all that matt black plastic!
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The unpainted black lower front section just looks too imposing on the car. ...
Still has more of a 'smiley' face front than the Smart though...in my humble opinion.
And being plastic it won't rust ;D
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The issue with the W453's grille, for me, is that it is too tall. If it was narrower (like the 454 is), then the front might look better. Perhaps painting the outline of the grille to match the body colour would help slim it down and make a better smile? Just a thought.
The front and rear of the W453 is plastic I thought? It was the roof, doors and boot door I thought was metal (as is the cell, of course).
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shame its so badly photochopped haha
(http://motorspot.es/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/renault59666globalen.jpg)
haha
not sure Renault will launch a product that will look soooo similar yet undercut their own product too quickly - unless its v low spec - but even then they could just market it a base model twingo and it would have the more appealing renault badge
JJ
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I wouldn't rule out a more or less exact copy/rebadge....
In 1984 the Renault 12 was built in Romania badged as a Dacia..
albeit with 4 small round headlights rather than twin oblong ones.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5805/31138794825_566d225907.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5816/31102499676_86a2893e3f.jpg)
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(https://www.4tuning.ro/images/dacia-1300-black-beauty-tuning-cu-aroma-retro/dacia-1300-black-beauty-tuning-cu-aroma-retro-8f95ccf3b9c82076f-0-0-0-0-0.jpg)
The first edition (1300 model) was built with imported French parts until the Romanian production was all tooled up. Some are still around and kicking.
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True, although the Renault 12 was out of production when the Dacia version was produced. Renault sold off the old technology in the same way that Fiat did to Lada. I think.
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They're still doing it today, all the current gen Dacias are based on last gen Clios :)
If they do come out with dacia badged twingo, it will be years down the line when the current twingo and 453 will have morally aged. This way they won't harm renault/smart sales...it will be an old car, end of the line-make the most out of the tooling costs- type deal.
If it comes as a direct competitor, then it will most likely have an older engine,like the 1.2...manual only, no toys...
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Amazing then that the Dacia Duster is selling so well
and being given such good reports/reviews if it's made
out of 'old parts'....so to speak.
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because its still a good engine and its bloody great value
JJ
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I lived in Romania for a few years and can confirm that all the dacias are built of renault designed bits.
I had a few of the dacia logans (04/07) and they were all the bits out of a late 90's clio.
But on the subject of a baby Dacia, you may be quick to dismiss, but it's alot more likely than you'd think.
While dacia is new to the uk, they have been a budget brand in france for over a decade and much like VW have the skoda/Seat/vw/audi development chain. Dacia is a renault development brand that they are looking to build in developing markets, where tech demands are lower and price is the main sales decider.
If you travel to the middle east, southern europe and africa you'll come across loads of Dacias bumping about!
While I agree it may not be sold into the uk, unless imports start arriving on the grey market, the development of the current fortwo/twingo floorplan into a baby Dacia is pretty much inevitable, its a simple mattter of bottom line, the floorplan is there, they have to make parts for the twingo for a while even after they update it, so a Dacia version is the natural next step for the Renault management.
By the way
The dacia logans I had were a genuine giggle, it was basically a clio and as anyone who has had a clio will knows they handle really well. After a set of springs and new wheels they are an absolute riot! I had the 1.5 dci and the 1.4 petrol both had absolutely no creature comforts! Manual everything, no radio as standard, you were buying the bear minimum of a car. But that made em bullet proof and anyone can fix em.
I've often thought they would make a fantastic sleeper car, as I saw what the young lads of romania had managed to do to theres,
hmmmm might add dacia logan to my flea bay searches!