Starting	In order to reduce the time needed before starting a serial production, it was considered necessary to begin by making an automobile under license. A license invoice for a medium class automobile with a 1,000-1,300 cc engine, for a production series of 40-50,000 cars/year was launched. Renault, Peugeot, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Austin companies made bids. Also, tests were made with the following cars: Renault 10, Peugeot 204, Fiat 1100D, Alfa Romeo 1300, Austin Mini Morris. From technical and economic reasons, the offer made by Renault company for the automobile Renault 12 was retained. The car was in the prototype testing phase, and its production was due to begin in France, in the second half of 1969. But the contract was signed in September 1966. The Renault authority allowed the Romanian side to begin earlier the assembling and a partly integration of another type of automobile from the same range, until Renault 12 was ready for production. Renault 16 was chosen for the beginning. But, motivated by the necessary foreign currency effort, it was decided that Renault 8 be assembled. Pitesti Motor-Car Plant was built in a record time of just an year and a half, and on July 1, 1968, the idling tests of tools and installations begun. After going through the 217 working stations of the assembling lines, the first control motor-car was completed in August 3, 1968, and in August 20, 1968, the plant was inaugurated and the serial production of Dacia 1100 motor-cars begun (its name - Dacia - was the oldest name of Romania).
Dacia 1100	The production of 1100 motor-car (Renault 8), according to the license contract, actually consisted in assembling the bodywork brought from France, painting the bodywork, general assembling, running track trials, reception and delivery, as all parts came from import. Compared to the Renault 8 types, Dacia 1100 showed no basic changes. A chrome plated rod containing the mark of Pitesti Automobiles Plant, an eagle, was placed between the head-lights. Type 1100S, made especially for racing, was produced in a small series. That had the engine prepared for racing, a 4 head-lights battery, wider tyres. The motor-cars Dacia 1100 had been produced until the end of 1971, and some 37,546 cars took to the Romanian roads. First Dacia 1100 ever made was offered to Ceausescu family by Autovehicle Factory Pitesti being the first autovehicle made in Romania. In the rear engine, there is a platinum plate with homages inscriptions. Technical data: 4 doors, 5 places, rear engine, 4 cylinders, watercooled, 46 HP, maximum speed: 133 km/h, consumption: 6.8 l/100km.
Dacia 1300	Starting from August 1969, Dacia 1300 begun to be assembled. The car was simultaneously exhibited in October 1969, at EREN, Bucharest, and at the Auto Show in Paris (as Renault 12). At the beginning, this type was produced with parts imported from France, which were due to be implemented in the domestic industry up to 100%. The type was a berline with four doors, five places, front traction, longitudinal frontal engine, 1289 cc, 54 HP, 144 km/h, consumption: 9.4 l. Types: Already from 1970, Dacia 1300 had three endowment alternatives: 1300-Standard, 1300-Super, and 1301. Type 1301 was aimed only for comrades in the Romanian Comunist Party(PCR). In 1973, the production of type 1300 Break begun. Light motor truck Dacia 1302 was introduced into production in 1975. That was a pick-up type, with or without a tarpaulin, and had a 500 kg load, and a platform area of 2.25 m. The mechanical part was identical to that of type 1300, and differences appeared only at the rear suspension. A relatively small number of such cars were produced until 1982 (1,500), most of them being exported to Algeria. Also, the type Renault 20 was assembled in Romania, named Dacia 2000, especially for the nomenklatura. This type was painted only dark blue or black. Dacia Factory also assembled the Renault Estafette van. The reshaped Dacia types were exhibited at EREN'79. At the same event, the prototype Dacia Sport-Brasovia was presented. Starting from that point, Dacia types will have the indicative 1310. Those were a reshaping of the old 1300, with the following changes: a new front mask with four round head-lights, new stop lights, redrawn dashboard. Those types were built in the following equipping alternatives: Standard, MS, MLS, S, TL, TX. During 1983, and in the following years, the 1310 type had been reshaped. Also, 1397 cc(Dacia 1410) and 1185 cc(Dacia 1210) engines, and the five speeds gearbox were introduced. Those had the following equipment levels: TLE, TX, TS, TLX, GT, GTL. Type 1310 was exported in South America, UK and in Canada Dacia 1310 continues to be manufactured today, berline(types TL, TLX, S, L, R, CR) with new head-lights, break with new stop-lights(types CL, L, FT), and pick-up (type 1304). After the 1989 Revolution it went through a rejuvenation treatment, and imported parts begun to be used. Also, from the Break type, an open boot alternative emerged (type 1309). Dacia-Sport - was built in two types. The first, emerged from 1310 type with shorter doors, and the second emerged from 1410 type with longer doors. Dacia Sport was based on the berline type, and had a reshaped coupe bodywork with two doors. Its back side was 200 mm shorter than at the basic model. The engine was the same as in a Dacia 1410 (1,4 liter). Production stopped after 1989. The serial production of light motor truck 1304 begun in 1983. That was a 4x2 back forecarriage traction type. That type was built in different versions: pick-up(1304), platform, shutter platform(1305), four doors(double cab - 1307), King Cab, 4WD, tank or coachworked. 1320 CN1 - that automobile type begun to be produced in 1988, emerging from 1310 berline. Its bodywork had five doors, and was built as a coach type, in 2 volumes. The car had a completely new board and climatizing equipment. The engines were taken from 1300 and 1410 types. 1325 Liberta - Emerged directely from 1320 type. It was produced in a relatively small series. Liberta differed from 1320 type at the back side, which was shorter and reshaped.
Prototypes	At EREN'79 the prototype Dacia Sport-Brasovia was presented. From this prototype, the new Dacia Sport emerged. The difference between Brasovia and Sport was at the side-rear windows. Also, a 4x4 break prototype was made especially for the army. This car had bigger wheels and was higher than Dacia Break type (Audi Allroad or Volvo Cross Country style). At TIB'90 was presented Dacia Jumbo. This prototype was a Dacia pick-up with hardtop and big windows, (like Renault Express) - a very good holiday car for familly. At TIB'91 was presented Dacia Star. This was a prototype of a berline with 4 doors and 5 places. This prototype emerged from Dacia 1410, and had new head-lights and curved windows. In 1997 was made a prototype of berline, Dacia D33. The design is Made in Italy, by IDEA Torino. The car is a berline with 4 doors and 5 places. After the 3 volumes version, Nova will have a new brother: monovolume. Currently a prototype, it was noticed by editors of Auto Mondial Magazine.
Dacia 500	Also named Lastun, was a cost-effective car for urban transport. It showed the following characteristics: 2 cylinders air-cooled engine, 499 cc, 22.5 HP, consumption 3.3 l/100 km, maximum speed 106 km/h. Lastun was built in Timisoara. Lastun was manufactured in a very small series, and after 1989 the production was abandoned due to low quality. An enhanced bodywork prototype 500 Lastun was also made.
Dacia Nova	Nova is the first car designed in Pitesti (Lastun was made in Timisoara) by Romanian experts. The time needed for that car to be completed was long, which explains the slightly outdated design of the coachwork. The car is a berline in 2,1/2 volumes with hayon, 5 doors, 5 places (type R523). The 1,557 cc engine is transversely placed, leading to a 72 HP power. Performances: 160 km/h speed, 1-100km/h in 15.9 sec acceleration. At the Bucharest Motorshow SAB'96, the type Nova in three volumes (type R524 with hayon) was also shown. From 1998 Nova has new dashboard and Bosch fuel injection. SupeRNova is the new type for year 2000. This car was developed by Renault and has the new 1.4 l engine and gearbox from Renault Clio.
Renault again	In 1991, after holding preliminary discussions with a number of global producers, Dacia announced that they were engaged in negotiations with Peugeot, part of the French based PSA Peugeot-Citröen Group, for the production of a new passenger car. Rather ironically, PSA was Renault's own domestic archrival, just as Oltcit was Dacia's. Moreover, PSA, via its Citröen division, had originally help establish the Oltcit brand of automobiles via a licensing agreement back in mid-1970s. Unfortunately talks between Dacia and Peugeot soon ended as the French firm was only interested in setting up an assembly deal involving its 'Peugeot 306' model with output limited to around 10,000 units annually. Yet, providing a cheap source of labor for PSA would not help Dacia solve its significant problems. In 1997 Dacia announced that it had signed a license agreement with Hyundai (South Korea). The terms of the agreement called for Dacia to produce 50,000 units annually of Hyundai's 'Accent' passenger car model, as well as 100,000 Hyundai engines for use in Dacia's own vehicles. However, during the first half of 1998 Hyundai pulled out of the proposed deal citing uncertainties in the global market. At the time, the Asian economic crisis was also having an adverse affect upon Hyundai's domestic base of operations. Yet again, the Romanian State and the Dacia's management continued their quest to find a suitable partner for Romania's flagship automotive producer. In 1998, despite its difficulties, Dacia still had some reasons to celebrate. The year marked the company's 30th Anniversary as an automobile producer. Another milestone was reached that same year when production unit number 2,000,000 rolled off the Pitesti-Colibasi assembly line. BUCHAREST, July 2 (1999) - Romania takes another step to embellishing a patchy privatisation record when France's Renault returns to the ex-communist country to acquire a stake in carmaker Dacia. A signing ceremony, to be brodcast on prime time evening television, will give Renault 51 percent of Dacia. The deal amounts to a comeback for the French firm, which first came to Romania in 1966 when it allowed Dacia to produce cars under licence. That deal, which allowed Romanians to purchase affordable cars, was a landmark similar to Fiat's production of cars in the Soviet Union in the 1970s. The new agreement was clinched after six months of tortuous negotiations, with Prime Minister Radu Vasile personally involved in what has become a project of considerable importance for the economy. Renault has announced a multi-million investment in its Romanian brand, Dacia, aiming to emulate VW's success with Skoda. Renault is planning to invest 356 million euros ($316 million) over the next three years to produce 500,000 vehicles a year for export. That sum does not include the costs of developing a new cut-price Dacia model, codenamed X90, which is set for launch in 2004; Renault hopes this will be the breakthrough car for Dacia's revival. The X90 will be built at the Dacia factory in Mioveni, Romania, a plant which needs substantial rebuilding and updating. Renault is expected to spend 156.5 million euros this year in renovations, and besides the production-line improvements, staff will be trained, new computer networks installed and logistics systems implemented that will bring Dacia's operations up to Renault standards. The X90 will also be built at a new factory in Russia and a third, as yet unconfirmed, site.
	Address: Automobile Dacia S.A., Uzinei Street, nr.1, 0401 Colibasi, Pitesti, Arges county, Romania. http://daciaweb.iguanaconsulting.com/ - Dacia International Pages Official Website