Dacia Logan

Dacia Logan

Manufacturer	Dacia
Also called	Renault Logan Nissan Aprio Mahindra Renault Logan Renault Tondar 90
Production	2004—present
Assembly	Mioveni, Romania São José dos Pinhais, Brazil Envigado, Colombia Moscow, Russia Casablanca, Morocco Nashik, India Tehran, Iran Pretoria, South Africa
Predecessor	Dacia 1310
Class	Small family car
Body style(s)	4-door sedan 5-door station wagon 5-door van 2-door pick-up
Layout	FF layout
Platform	Dacia B0 platform
Engine(s)	1.0 L I4 (gas/ethanol) 1.2 L I4 1.4 L I4 (gas/LPG) 1.5 L Diesel I4 1.6 L I4 (gas/ethanol)
Transmission(s)	5-speed manual 4-speed automatic
Wheelbase	2,630 mm (103.5 in) (sedan) 2,905 mm (114.4 in) (station wagon & pickup) 2,900 mm (114.2 in) (van)
Length	4,288 mm (168.8 in) (sedan) 4,473 mm (176.1 in) (station wagon) 4,450 mm (175.2 in) (van) 4,496 mm (177.0 in) (pickup)
Width	1,740 mm (68.5 in) (sedan, station wagon & van) 1,735 mm (68.3 in) (pickup)
Height	1,534 mm (60.4 in) (sedan) 1,640 mm (64.6 in) & 1,674 mm (65.9 in) (station wagon & van) 1,554 mm (61.2 in) (pickup)
Curb weight	1,090 kg (2,400 lb) - 1,360 kg (3,000 lb)
Related	Renault Clio Mk.III Nissan Tiida/Versa Nissan Note Nissan Cube³

The Dacia Logan is a 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, Russia, Morocco, Iran, India and South Africa. It is also marketed as the Renault Logan, Nissan Aprio or Tondar 90 depending on the existing presence or positioning of the Renault brand.

History

Designed at Renault’s Technocentre near Paris, the Logan was the end result after four years of development of Project X90, announced by Renault in 1999 after the buyout of Dacia in 1998.^[1]

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." However, the cheapest version of the car is priced at €5,900, and can reach €11,200, 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 1310 series of Renault 12-based cars.

It was officially launched in September 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 April 2007 as a collaboration with Mahindra, who helped Renault cut costs by 15%.^[2] India was the first right-hand drive market for the Logan. It was almost an instant success with impressive sales in the first few months ^[3] and is the best-selling car in its class.

Facelift

On the 1st of July 2008, almost four years after the release of the first Logan, a facelifted version, called the Dacia New Logan, was announced.^[4] The new version features a more contemporary design, as well as a more attractive and more comfortable interior.^[5]

Features

Dacia Logans waiting to be shipped on the river Danube at the Passau port

The no-frills cockpit of the Logan MCV

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.

Some parts are also much simpler than those of its competitors. For example, rear-view mirrors are symmetrical and can be used on either side 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 supermini cars 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 the temperature several degrees (temperatures above 40°C are common in the Middle East and the Mediterranean Sea).

Safety

Dacia New Logan MCV

In June 2005 the car achieved a 3 star rating at the EuroNCAP crash tests.^[6] This result confirms initial expectations stated earlier by Renault.

Depending on equipment level, standard on some variants and optional on others, Dacia New Logan comes with up to four airbags. In terms of active safety, all versions of New Dacia Logan features the latest-generation Bosch 8.1 ABS which incorporates EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) and EBA (Emergency Brake Assist).

Engines

Marketing and production

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

Nissan Aprio (Mexico)

The Logan, vital to increasing sales of the Renault group to the 4 million mark by 2010, is manufactured in nine production and operational assembly centres: Romanian, the pilot plant of the Logan Programme, Russia, Morocco, Colombia, Iran (two assembly plants), India, Brazil, South Africa. Located in Romania, near the Mioveni plant, the International Logistics Network, the official name of the CKD center, is the biggest logistic center of its kind not only in the Renault Group, but in the entire world automotive industry.^[1]

In markets where Renault has an existing presence, such as European, African and Asian countries (i.e. Romania, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia, Morocco, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and many others) it is sold as the Dacia Logan.^[7] Exceptions are South Africa, Argentina, Russia, Ukraine, Colombia, Egypt, Brazil, Chile, and Venezuela where it is marketed as the Renault Logan.

In India, the Logan is marketed as the Mahindra Renault Logan.^[8] In 2005, Renault partnered with the Indian utility and commercial vehicles manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra Limited (M&M). In April 2010 it was announced that the M&M bought out Renault's 49% in the Mahindra Renault joint venture. The new agreement give M&M more flexibility in engineering the car to suit the needs of the Indian consumer. M&M will continue to manufacture and market the Logan in India and Renault will continue to support the car through a license agreement and supply key components. The Logan will be marketed with the Mahindra-Renault logo until the end of 2010, and then, M&M will rename the car which will bear only the Mahindra logo. M&M also holds the license to sell the Logan in India, Nepal and South Africa. Launched in 2007, Logan could not make the mark in the Indian market, selling just over 44,000 units since then, and over 2,600 units in Nepal and South Africa.^[9][10]

In Mexico, the Logan is sold as the Nissan Aprio, given the better reputation of the Japanese brand in the Mexican market. The Nissan Aprio has a 1.6-litre 16 valve inline-four engine with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.^[11]

In 2007, Iran also began selling Logan models as Renault Tondar 90^[12] by Renault-Pars Co. manufactured in Pars Khodro and Iran Khodro.^[13] After a mere month of production, more than 100,000 Tondar 90 have been ordered, even though deliveries will start only in May 2007.^[14] Renault Pars is a joint venture, 51 percent of which belongs to Renault of France. Forty-nine percent of Renault Pars' shares is jointly held by Iran's Industrial Development and Renovation Organization, IKCO and Saipa. The company was established in 2003.^[15]

Dacia sales for 2006 were over €1.5 billion, 19.6% up in comparison with 2005. Annual production have almost reached 250,000 cars, half for exports.

Production began with a 4-door sedan, followed by a wagon in September 2006. Four other models, a pickup truck, a hatchback, a Van and a new sedan version followed in 2007 and 2008.

As of March 2009 more than 1.3 million vehicles on the Logan platform have been sold worldwide.^[16] On September 3, 2009, it was announced that one million Dacia cars on Logan platform X90 have been produced at Mioveni plant: 576,887 Logans, 246,869 Logan MCVs, 144,931 Sanderos and Stepways, 19,897 Logan VANs and 11,416 Logan Pick-Ups.^[17]

One of the reasons of rise in sales is the dependability of Dacia cars. In a recent survey conducted by a French magazine, Dacia cars were voted one of the safest car in France. Another reason for rise in sales is the low maintenance and repair cost of Dacia cars. According to the survey, Dacia cars were the cheapest car to maintain and repair.^[19] In Germany, Dacia was placed on the second position in the 2010 Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study released by J. D. Power and Associates in June 2010.^[20]

Models

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.^[21] 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.^[22] An important improvement is the availability of side airbags. Sales began in October 2006 on the Romanian market with prices ranging between €8200 and €12,550.^[23] Sales to other countries began in early 2007. A revised version, with the new lights and bumper from the New Logan saloon, was released in late 2008.

As of June 2010, Dacia produced 300,000 Logan MCVs.^[24]

Logan VAN

The van variant of the Logan was launched on January 23, 2007 in Bucharest.^[25] It is a small business oriented vehicle, with 2500 litre loading space and 800 kg payload. The Logan VAN / Express 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, and now the prices ranging are between €7100 and €9700.

Logan Pick-Up

Dacia Logan Pick-Up

The pickup version of the Logan, also based on the MCV, was introduced on September 10, 2007^[26] and replaced Dacia Gamma. Sales have begun in Romania in 2008 and now the prices ranging are between €7300 and €9450.

Starting October 2008 the Logan Pickup is sold in South Africa as Nissan NP200. Visually it resembles a mildly facelifted Logan bakkie and it is being built in South Africa alongside the Renault Sandero.

Dacia Sandero

The Sandero, a five door hatch based on the B0/Logan platform, was first 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 since December 2007, being exported to other countries as well (it is also assembled in Colombia, where it has been in the market since late 2008). A version of the Sandero was launched in Europe on June 3, 2008, it is built and commercialized in Romania, badged as a Dacia vehicle.^[27] It is meant to be a "young car" as its main customers are supposed to be young people.

Dacia Duster

The Dacia Duster, a five door crossover SUV based on the B0/Logan platform, was officially revealed on 8 December 2009, and started to be offered in Europe from March 2010.^[28][29]

Concept cars and projects

Dacia Logan Steppe

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.

Logan S2000

The S2000 was a short lived project for a racing version of the Logan.^[30][31]

• Dacia Logan S2000 Test

Duster

A concept called Duster was unveiled at 2009 Geneva Motor Show. The concept features a crossover-style body and is a collaboration between Renault Design Central Europe in Bucharest, Romania, and Renault Design Technocentre in Guyancourt, France.^[32]

Notes

References

• James Ruppert. Not for U.S. Sale: 2005 Dacia Logan. AutoWeek, January 31, 2005.
• Gail Edmondson and Constance Faivre. Got 5,000 Euros? Need A New Car? BusinessWeek, July 4, 2005.
• Bucharest Daily News
• Molly Moor. France's Renault Takes a Detour. The Washington Post, January 26, 2006.

External links

• Dacia
• Dacia brand worldwide
• Dacia forum in Romania - largest fanbase
• Dacia Logan
• DACIA Logan MCV 1.5 dCI (85 hp) Test drive by Autoevolution.com
• dacia-logan.pl Tests and photos
• Portuguese site about Renault Logan
• Dacia turkey club

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