Click to enlarge.

Dacia has released the first images of its new MPV called the Lodgy, which will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The vehicle’s name is derived from the English word ‘lodge,’ and refers directly to the model’s ability to comfortably accommodate a family and its luggage, so goes Dacia.

The vehicle, which is set to come into the European market later this year, will be available in both five- and seven-seater forms, though the decision on commercialisation of the vehicle in right-hand drive form has yet to be finalised.

Click to enlarge.

The company isn’t saying much about the upcoming vehicle, beyond the point that the 4.5 metre-long Lodgy promises a roomy interior catering to everyone on board, even third-row passengers, as well as an exceptionally large boot. More on it when the Swiss show comes, undoubtedly.

It’s called the Dacia Lodgy Glace, and it’s set to compete in the Trophée Andros 2011/2012 ice-racing series, which kicks off next month with the first round in Val Thorens, France.

Two Lodgy Glace entries are set to be on the grid for every race, with Alain Prost behind the wheel of one, and the other shared by his son, Nicolas Prost and Evens Stievenart. The Trophée Andros cars are custom-prepared by Tork Engineering (design, production, assembly) and Sodemo (engine), with technical expertise provided by Renault Sport Technologies.

Of note is the fact that the ice-racer MPV essentially gives an insight into the new family road car that’s set to make its debut in Geneva next March – one can assume that the road-going compact people mover will bear the same name, minus the Glace suffix, as Lodgy as that one sounds. Then again, the Duster wasn’t exactly conventional, with its name conjuring up images of an agricultural aircraft filled to the gills with DDT or a vacuum-cleaner to the uninformed.

The new Dacia Duster is an econo-4WD, probably designed on the same platform as the Logan, Sandero, Logan Van, Logan MCV and Logan pick-up. It will be manufactured in Romania for the European, Turkish and Maghreb markets, and will eventually be available in worldwide markets as either a Renault or a Dacia. When we talk about worldwide, it isn’t worldwide in the sense that you’ll see it in ASEAN – countries mention to offer the Duster eventually include South America, Russia, the Middle East and Africa.

Three engines are available – two of them turbodiesels making 85hp and 105hp. The petrol engine is a 1.6 litre unit making 110hp. The 4WD system is optional, so you only buy it if you need it, otherwise you can just opt for a 2 wheel driven version, which combined with a turbodiesel engine will emit less than 140g/km of CO2. The 4X4 versions don’t do so bad either, putting out less than 150g/km of CO2.

The 4X4 system has three modes – AUTO, LOCK and 4X2. I believe the last mode is self-explanatory. AUTO means the front to rear axle torque split is varied on the fly. By default the AUTO mode only drives the front wheels and only transfers power to the rear axle when it is needed. LOCK mode forces a 50:50 split, designed for low speed low grip conditions.

The Duster is quite small, being just slightly wider than a Kia Sportage but shorter. We used to have an economical 4WD like this in our country. It was called the Perodua Kembara, but that has since been replaced by the rather expensive Perodua Nautica. Now that void is pretty much empty save for the CKD Chery Tiggo, but I’ve yet to see one on the road. Perhaps TC Euro Cars could bring this baby in as a Renault.

Look after the jump for more pix of the Duster.
[Read more...]