Good News! It’s the new Dacia Renault Sandero R.S.

"F10M5" (F10M5)
06/18/2015 at 12:43 • Filed to: Good News, Sandero

It’s the first Renault Sport car to be produced outside Europe. It has a 2-liter naturally aspirated 4-banger with around 150 horsepower (literally twice as much as the base Sandero) and a 6-speed manual. May not sound like a lot, but we don’t have many hot hatches over here, so it’s kind of a big deal. Even more if you consider that it’ll coast half of the price of a GTi.

DISCUSSION (18)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > F10M5
06/18/2015 at 12:44

This has to come to the UK, I’m genuinely interested in this.

Jobjoris > F10M5
06/18/2015 at 12:47

It’s the first Renault Sport car to be produced outside Europe.

How come, is Dacia producing these in the US?

Kookanoodles > Jobjoris
06/18/2015 at 12:52

South America, I think.

carcrasher88 > F10M5
06/18/2015 at 12:52

I wonder what the chances of this coming to the Mexican market are, since they already have the Sandero there, and the Clio RS 200 EDC is already offered there.

Kookanoodles > F10M5
06/18/2015 at 12:53

Doesn’t look too bad actually.

F10M5 > Jobjoris
06/18/2015 at 12:53

Nope. It will be produced in Brazil for South American markets.

Jobjoris > Kookanoodles
06/18/2015 at 12:58

Why, Dacia is Romanian. Romania is a real low-cost country when it comes to labour?

Jobjoris > F10M5
06/18/2015 at 13:01

Ah... Thanks for clearing that out!

Klaus Schmoll > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
06/18/2015 at 14:23

I think that this would be a good move marketing-wise. They have gained good market share by being a no-nonsense low-cost brand. They are somewhat popular among young families, the elderly, and small businesses. A mildly-hot hatch would attract buyers that would otherwise never want to be seen in a Dacia.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Klaus Schmoll
06/18/2015 at 14:25

I just love simple no nonsense hatches that are fun to drive. The Clio has gone a bit too premium and less hot hatchy for my tastes.

Kookanoodles > Jobjoris
06/18/2015 at 15:05

I’m assuming Renault did the math and it must cost more to build the car in Romania then ship it to Brazil than to simply built it there.

pip bip - choose Corrour > F10M5
06/18/2015 at 21:27

want!

Jobjoris > Kookanoodles
06/19/2015 at 03:15

One would assume that indeed, I just never knew Dacia produced outside Romania at all. Actually it’s Renault as these seem to be sold as Renaults after some googling.

Kookanoodles > Jobjoris
06/19/2015 at 08:20

Yeah, Renault’s South American or Indian model ranges are pretty much all Dacias sold as Renaults. The thing is that since the Renault acquisition, Dacia has become completely integrated with Renault. Dacias are mechanically 100% Renaults, the platforms are the same, the tooling required is the same... The Renault Group can build Dusters, Logans and Sanderos pretty much anywhere they have factories, then it’s only an issue of which badge goes on the front.

Kookanoodles > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
06/19/2015 at 08:21

Frankly I think the European Dacia executives must be pleading with the Renault Group to bring this Sandero RS to our shores as a Dacia. But I don’t know if Renault will allow it.

Kookanoodles > Klaus Schmoll
06/19/2015 at 08:22

Yeah, brand it as a Dacia Sandero GT or something to avoid confusion, and it could work.

Kookanoodles > carcrasher88
06/19/2015 at 08:24

You probably have a much better chance of getting it in Mexico as a Renault than we do of getting it as a Dacia in Europe.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Kookanoodles
06/19/2015 at 09:13

I think the main issue is it’s a 2 litre petrol so it’ll be in a rubbish tax bracket herem