Being positioned as the Aldi or Lidl of the motor industry certainly works for Dacia; its pricing structure has enabled it to produce the second best-selling car in Europe in the shape of its Sandero model - a car only narrowly outsold by the Tesla Model Y.
Another of Dacia's cars - the Duster - has been around for 14 years and Dacia has already sold 2.7 million of them. Underpinning the success of both cars is price and that strategy is unlikely to change, even with the arrival of a new Duster here in September. The car is currently listed at just €24,440 in Ireland - quite a price, especially when almost every other comparable car is heading well north of that figure.
The new Duster is built on a new platform that has allowed engineers and designers to squeeze more interior room out of a car that remains at 4.34 metres in length. There’s more legroom in the rear - a welcome development - and boot space has also improved.
It’s still no mini Land Rover Defender, but the exterior doesn’t stop it being at least a pretender. Note the wheel arch guards, for example. Other touches give it a reasonably rugged look and add to its outdoor profile - there is even a bed kit you can buy for it, so you can catch the waves before others even get to the beach.
There will be two versions on sale in the autumn. The first is a 1.6 litre petrol hybrid for which the engine has been tweaked by Renault to deliver a claimed 20% improvement in mixed driving conditions. There are two electric motors to aid this saving.
The second is a 1.2 petrol three-cylinder car and there is also a version that can run on a mixture of LPG and petrol.
Dacia is promising a more digital experience with a 10.1" digital infotainment screen.
There is also a good suite of safety equipment, with features such as auto emergency braking and detection of other cars, cyclists and pedestrians.
Prices have not yet been agreed but the Aldi and Lidl business model should ensure that they are unlikely to increase all that appreciably.
In the meantime, Skoda has finalised its pricing for the new Superb model. This is a car renowned for its interior and boot space - the Combi estate model even more so - and has been a taxi workhorse for years with very good reason.
The Superb is now 40 mm longer and comes with two engines - a 1.5 petrol TSI and a 2.0 litre diesel. Both have an output of 150 horse power. There won’t be any manual gearbox option, only VW’s proven DSG automatic system.
The petrol version costs from €48,325 and the diesel starts at €48,825. The Combi estate version costs an extra €2,000 and delivers a whopping 690 litres of boot space, which can be almost trebled with the rear seats folded.
Again, the digital experience is a main focus, with an infotainment screen of up to 13". New "smart dials" have also been introduced.
New high intensity LED headlights are also a new feature. The entry level version has keyless entry and an electrically-operated boot door.
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