The Duster is one of Dacia’s best-selling models, while also being the automaker’s range-topper.
In fact, it’s so popular, that Dacia made sure not to mess with a winning recipe, which is why the new generation model looks pretty much the same as the older one. As of earlier this month, it’s also the brand’s most powerful model ever, thanks to a Renault-Mercedes 1.3-liter petrol engine. In its most powerful form, it produces 150 PS (148 hp / 110 kW) and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque.
Sure, the Dacia Duster won’t break any speed records, not in stock form at least. But according to Renault’s chief designer, Laurens van den Acker, this budget-friendly crossover is as important and defying for the brand as the Mustang is for Ford. We kid you not, the following is an official’s statement, as quoted by Autocar.
“The Duster for Dacia is a little bit like the Mustang for Ford”, he said, underlining his statement by adding: “It’s an iconic model, with a big identity that’s stronger than the brand.”
That’s a very bold statement to make, but if we were to read between the lines, then we might have a clear indication of what we could expect from future iterations of the Romanian budget SUV.
The car could maintain its current form even as a next-generation model, and since it’s being considered an “iconic model” for the company, could we one day see Dacia drop the brand logo in favor of a ‘Duster’ badge on the grille? It definitely worked out well for the Mustang, which, by the way, is one of the best-selling sports cars within the segment.
Correction: The original title (“Renault Exec Thinks Dacia Duster Is Similar To The Ford Mustang”) has been changed for better clarification as we see how it could be interpreted by some as the French boss thinking it looks like the Mustang