Duster, Dacia’s 1bn-euro bet, has waiting lists as long as Ferrari

Duster, the most hyped-up model in the history of Dacia, a company that last year accounted for 10% of Romania's exports, will generate up to 1 billion euros in revenues for the domestic maker in 2010. The production of the SUV will exceed 60,000 units this year. One in four Dacia models to come out of the Mioveni plant this year will be an SUV.

Whereas all that was known about Logan in 2004 was that it would be a low-cost car, Duster, the first low-cost 4x4 SUV, has been awaited by clients since 2008, during which time Dacia also presented a concept based on the SUV at the Geneva Auto Show last year. Dacia fans on discussion forums or potential clients have already opened thousands of topics, while Western Europe even has unofficial Duster websites, with news and spy images. Dealers in Germany and Romania have even put ads on specialised websites announcing Duster at 13,000 to 16,000 euros, even though the car will not go on sale any sooner than April or May.

While waiting for the SUV to arrive, the Dacia dealers on the local market are drawing up waiting lists of people interested to buy one. This is usually done only for luxury cars like Ferrari, Rolls Royce and Bentley. Tens or even hundreds of clients have already paid 5,000 RON in advance to be among the first to drive a Duster.