Dacia Logan

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Dacia Logan
Dacia Logan
Manufacturer Dacia
Parent company Renault
Also called Renault Logan
Nissan Aprio
Mahindra Renault Logan
Renault Tondar (Iran)[1]
Production 2004—present
Assembly Mioveni, Romania
São José dos Pinhais, Brazil
Medellín, Colombia
Moscow, Russia
Casablanca, Morroco
Nashik, India
Tehran, Iran
Predecessor Dacia 1300
Dacia Solenza
Class Small family car
Body style(s) 4-door sedan
4-door station wagon
2-door van
2-door pick-up
Layout FF layout
Platform Nissan B platform
Wheelbase 2630 mm (103.5 in)
(sedan)
2900 mm (114.2 in)
(station wagon)
Length 4250 mm (167.3 in)
(sedan)
4450 mm (175.2 in)
(station wagon)
Width 1735 mm (68.3 in)
Height 1525 mm (60 in)
(sedan)
1640 mm (64.6 in)
(station wagon)
Related Nissan Micra
Renault Clio
Renault Modus
A dealer's lot full of Dacia Logans
A dealer's lot full of Dacia Logans

The Logan is a no-frills car produced jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its subsidiary Dacia of Romania. It is manufactured at Dacia's automobile plant in Mioveni, Romania, in Colombia, Brazil and many other sites. Whether the car is marketed as Dacia, Nissan or Renault in a country depends on the existing presence of the Renault brand in it.

Contents

[edit] History

The Logan was the end result of Project X90, announced by Renault in 1999 after the buyout of Dacia in 1998. During a visit to Russia by French President Jacques Chirac, Louis Schweitzer noted that at Lada and Renault dealerships the €6,000 Ladas were selling very well, while the €12,000 Renaults stayed in the showroom. "Seeing those antiquated cars, I found it unacceptable that technical progress should stop you making a good car for €6,000." (He later revised this target to €5,000). "I also drew up a list of specifications in three words – modern, reliable and affordable – and added that everything else was negotiable."[citation needed] However, the cheapest version of the car is priced at almost €6,000, and can reach €8,500, depending on equipment and customs duty (the base model for Western Europe, where it is badged as a Dacia but generally sold in Renault dealerships, is somewhat more expensive). As it was designed from the outset as an affordable car, the Logan has many simplified features to keep costs low.

The car replaces many older cars in production, including the Romanian Dacia 1300 series of Renault 12-based cars.

It was officially launched in 2004. Renault originally had no plans to sell Logan in Western Europe, but began importing a more expensive version of the car in June 2005, starting at around €7,000. It became an unexpected success with people wanting an inexpensive, no frills car they could repair themselves. The Logan was launched in India in June 2007 as a collaboration with Mahindra, an established automobile manufacturer with countrywide presence. (India was the first right hand drive market for the Logan,) It was almost an instant success with zooming sales within the first few months.[2]

[edit] Features

The Logan is based on the B platform that is used by the third generation Renault Clio, Renault Modus and the latest version of the Nissan Micra. It has 50% fewer parts than a high-end Renault vehicle and has a limited number of electronic devices. In addition to making the car less costly to produce, this also makes it easier and cheaper to repair. As with many low-cost vehicles, a large amount of soundproofing was omitted, meaning that road vibrations, engine sound and wind noise are noticeable for the passengers.

Some parts are also much simpler than those of its competitors. For example, rear-view mirrors are symmetrical and can be used on either sides of the car, the windshield is flatter than usual, and the dashboard is a single injection-molded piece.

The developers have taken into account several differences between road and climate conditions in developed and developing countries. The Logan suspension is soft and strong, and the chassis sits visibly higher than most other superminis to help it negotiate dirt roads and potholes on ill-maintained asphalt roads. The engine is specially prepared to handle lower quality fuel, whereas the air conditioning is powerful enough to lower temperature several degrees (above 40°C are common in the Middle East and Mediterranean Sea).

[edit] Safety

In June 2005 the car achieved a 3 star rating at the EuroNCAP crash tests, lower than most other cars of its age. This result confirms initial expectations stated earlier by Renault. The car was equipped with dual frontal airbags, which are optional in many markets. The Logan does not have seatbelt pretensioners.

In July 2005, a test conducted by the German ADAC motoring club claimed that the lack of an Electronic Stability Program by Dacia Logan makes it roll over while suddenly turning at 65 km/h. More pictures here. Later that month, the Romanian version of Top Gear repeated the test and, according to the results published on their website, the Logan passed the test at speeds of 72 km/h, 84 km/h and 87 km/h. Article in Romanian [1]. However, the test performed by Top Gear was a standard slalom test, significantly different from the ADAC procedure. Top Gear falsely claimed that the test was identical to the one performed by the ADAC.

Later, on September 9, ADAC published the results of further incident investigation, showing that the rollover was actually caused by faulty tires and not by improper car design. It was later admitted by the German testers that the car failed after an unusually high number of slalom tests that had worn down the tires of the test car.

[edit] Engines

Name Capacity Type Power Torque Top speed Consumption
1.4 MPI 1390 cc 8 valves SOHC 55 kW (75 PS) @5500 rpm 112 N·m (83 ft·lbf) @3000 rpm 162 km/h (101 mph) 6.9 L/100 km (34 mpg–U.S. / 41 mpg–imp)
1.6 MPI 1598 cc 8 valves SOHC 64 kW (87 PS) @5500 rpm 128 N·m (94 ft·lbf) @3000 rpm 175 km/h (109 mph) 7.3 L/100 km (32 mpg–U.S. / 39 mpg–imp)
1.6 16v 1598 cc 16 valves DOHC 77 kW (105 PS) @5750 rpm 148 N·m (109 ft·lbf) @3750 rpm 183 km/h (114 mph) 7.1 L/100 km (33 mpg–U.S. / 40 mpg–imp)
1.5 dCi 1461 cc 8 valves 50 kW (68 PS) @4000 rpm 160 N·m (118 ft·lbf) @1700 rpm 158 km/h (98 mph) 4.7 L/100 km (50 mpg–U.S. / 60 mpg–imp)
1.5 dCi 1461 cc 8 valves 63 kW (85 PS) @4000 rpm 200 N·m (148 ft·lbf) @1900 rpm 167 km/h (104 mph) 4.6 L/100 km (51 mpg–U.S. / 61 mpg–imp)


[edit] Marketing and production

Renault Logan, manufactured at the São José dos Pinhais factory of Renault Brazil.
Renault Logan, manufactured at the São José dos Pinhais factory of Renault Brazil.

In markets where Renault has an existing presence, such as European, African and Asian countries (i.e. Romania, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia, Morocco, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and many others) it is sold as the Dacia Logan.[3] Exceptions are Argentina, Russia, China, Colombia, Africa, Brazil, Chile (Colombian made), and Venezuela where it is marketed as the Renault Logan. The Logan is vital to increasing sales of the Renault group to the 4 million mark by 2010. In India, the Logan is marketed as the Mahindra Renault Logan;[4] Renault partnering with the Indian utility and commercial vehicles manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra Limited. In Mexico, the Logan is sold as the Nissan Aprio, given the better reputation of the Japanese brand on the Mexican market.[citation needed]

In 2007, Iran also began selling Logan models by Renault-Pars Co. manufactured in Pars Khodro and Iran Khodro [2]. After a mere month of production, more than 100,000 Tondar-90, as it's called there, have been ordered, even though deliveries will start only in May 2007 [3].

Dacia have plans to produce CKD versions for assembly in various target markets.

2004 2005 2006 2007
Car production (units) 28,592 150,433 196,708 230 473


Since the beginning of production in 2004 and up to the end of 2006, a total of 321,284 Dacia Logans were sold.[4].

Dacia sales for 2006 were over €1.5 billion, 19.6% up in comparison with 2005. Annual production have almost reached 200,000 cars, half for exports.

Production began with a 4-door sedan, followed by a wagon in September 2006. Four other models, including a pickup truck and hatchback are to follow, starting in 2007 with a light commercial model.

The factory employs 12,532 workers at an average salary of €428 a month. [5].

[edit] Models

[edit] Logan MCV

Dacia Logan MCV
Dacia Logan MCV

The Logan MCV (Multi Convivial Vehicle), launched at the 2006 Paris Motor Show, is the station wagon version of the Logan [6]. It has five or seven seat versions, with a luggage space that varies between 200 and 2350 litres depending on how many seats are folded, as well as numerous storage spaces for smaller objects.

It uses the same engines as the sedan version [7]. An important improvement is the availability of side airbags. Sales began in October 2006 on the Romanian market with prices ranging between €8200 and €11600. [8], and extended to other countries in early 2007.

[edit] Logan VAN

The business version of the Logan was launched on January 23 2007 in Bucharest [9]. It is a small business oriented vehicle, with 2500 litre loading space and 800 kg payload. The Logan VAN is more or less an MCV without the rear side windows and therefore has the same safety features and uses the same engines as the other models (except the 1.6 16v engine). Sales have started in Romania, with prices ranging between €6700 and €8800.

[edit] Logan Pickup

Dacia Logan pick-up
Dacia Logan pick-up
 This article contains information about a scheduled or anticipated future automobile.
It may contain preliminary or speculative information, and may not reflect the final version of the vehicle.

The pickup version of the Logan, also based on the MCV, was introduced on September 10 2007 [10]. Sales will begin in Romania in early 2008.

[edit] Sandero

Main article: Dacia Sandero

The Sandero, a five door hatch based on the Logan, is to be launched for the South American market. Compared to the 4-door saloon, it has a smaller wheelbase; it is built in Brazil and sold there under the Renault brand from December 2007, being export for other countries as well. A version of the Sandero will be launched in Western Europe, badged as a Dacia vehicle, in 2008/2009.

[edit] Concept cars and projects

Dacia Logan Steppe
Dacia Logan Steppe

[edit] Logan Steppe

In 2006, a station wagon concept car, the Dacia Logan Steppe was presented at the Salon International de l'Auto in Geneva. The car was built by noted concept car builders DC Design in India as a forerunner of the Logan MCV.

[edit] Logan S2000

The S2000 was a short lived project for a racing version of the Logan [11],[12].

[edit] References

  1. ^ Renault Tondar. renault.co.ir. Retrieved on 2008-02-05.
  2. ^ "EU-inträde ger extra fart åt rumänsk bil", Dagens Nyheter, 2006-12-19.  (Swedish)
  3. ^ Distribution of Dacia throughout the world
  4. ^ Mahindra Renault Logan website

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
v • d • e
Dacia (subsidiary of Renault Group since 1999) car timeline, 1960s–present
Type 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
City car 500
Small family car 1100 1310
1410
1320 1325
Nova Solenza
SuperNova Logan
Sandero
Large family car 1300
Executive car 2000
Coupé 1410 Sport
Mini MPV Logan MCV
Pickup 1302 1304
1305
1307
1309
Logan Pickup
Van D6 Logan Van
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Flag of France Renault S.A.
Current:
Twingo • Clio • Mégane • Laguna • Vel Satis • Kangoo • Modus • Scénic • Espace • Koleos • Logan
Numeric:
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1970 – 2005:
Alliance/Encore • Fuego • Medallion • Premier • Torino • Rodeo • Safrane • Avantime
1945 – 1970:
4CV • Caravelle • Colorale • Dauphine • Dauphinoise • Floride • Frégate • Ondine
Between wars:
Celtaquatre • Juvaquatre • Monasix • Nervastella • NN • Primaquatre • Reinastella • Viva Grand Sport • Vivaquatre • Vivasix • Vivastella
Pre-WWI:
10CV • 12CV • 35CV • 40CV • L/M • N(a)/N(b)/S • N(c)/Q/U(a/e) • R/T • U • AS/V • Taxi de la Marne • Towncar • Voiturette • X/X-1 • Y
Alpine:
A106 • A108 • A110 • A305 • A310 • A440 • A441 • A442 • A443 • A610/GTA
Renault Sport:
Concept vehicles:
Alpine 210 RS • Altica • Argos • Be Bop • BRV • Ellypse • Espace F1 • EPURE • Evado • EVE • Egeus • Etoile Filante • Fiftie • Fluence • Initiale • Koleos • Laguna • Mégane • Nepta • Next • Racoon • Scénic • Steppe • Talisman • VESTA 2 • Wind • Zo • Zoé • Zoom
Vans and trucks:
Estafette • Fourgonette • Kangoo • Express • Kerax • Magnum • Mascott • Master • Midlum • Trafic • 50-series • Renault B90 et B110 Version 4x4
Dacia:
Gamma • Logan • Solenza
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SM3 • SM5 • SM7
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