Right-hand drive Dacia Sandero production confirmed for Romania
Dacia’s Mioveni plant will build the right-hand drive Sandero for the UK, increasing output by 30,000 units and targeting early 2013 sales at a sub-£6,000 price.
Renault has selected its Dacia plant in Mioveni, Romania to build the right-hand drive version of the Sandero for the UK market, with production scheduled to begin before the end of 2012. The decision favours Romania over the Tangiers facility in Morocco, which had also been considered for the contract.
The Mioveni plant already produces left-hand drive Sanderos and will now add right-hand drive models destined for the UK. According to Dacia’s plans, this move will increase the factory’s annual output by 30,000 units and generate an estimated €300 million in additional exports to Britain. The first right-hand drive Sanderos are expected to arrive in UK showrooms in early 2013.
UK market focus: price and supply
With a starting price of £5,995, the Sandero will undercut every other new car on sale in Britain. Dacia is targeting value-focused buyers, positioning the Sandero as the UK’s cheapest new car. The company expects to sell at least 30,000 units in the UK during the first year, a figure that would push the Mioveni plant closer to its maximum capacity of 350,000 vehicles annually.
Dacia’s UK push comes as the brand expands its presence in Western Europe. The Sandero joins the Duster SUV, which is already offered to UK buyers but is built in India rather than Romania. Dacia’s production strategy sees the Mioveni plant supplying Europe, while the Tangiers and Casablanca (SOMACA) plants in Morocco focus on North African markets.
Production and export strategy
The decision to keep right-hand drive Sandero production in Romania secures jobs and output at the Mioveni facility. For Dacia, the UK contract is a major export opportunity, with the company aiming to build on the Sandero’s reputation for value and simplicity.
- Mioveni, Romania: builds Logan, Sandero, Sandero Stepway for Europe (including right-hand drive UK models)
- Tangiers, Morocco: builds Sandero for North Africa from Q2 2013
- SOMACA, Morocco: supplies Sandero to Morocco and Tunisia
The Sandero’s arrival in the UK market is set against a backdrop of weak European car sales and cautious consumer spending. Dacia’s low-cost approach offers an alternative for buyers prioritising affordability over premium features. The brand’s UK launch strategy is built around this price advantage, with the Sandero expected to attract first-time buyers and those seeking a new car at used-car prices.
Production of the right-hand drive Sandero in Romania is scheduled to begin before the end of 2012, with deliveries to UK dealers in early 2013. Dacia’s model range for Britain will include the Sandero and the Duster, with the Logan and Sandero Stepway also produced at Mioveni for other European markets.
