The Russians from Avtovaz have presented at the Moscow Motor Show a Lada version of Dacia Logan MCV. The model is still called "Project R90" and is the first car to be built at the factory in Togliatti on the B0 platform, the one that the Romanian model is built. Clearly, this model is only a slightly modified version of Dacia Logan MCV, but there are no problems of copying a model because Nissan owns 25% of AvtoVAZ and decided to introduce this unique model on the Russian market under the Lada logo.

The Project R90 standard version will be powered by an 1.6 liter petrol engine and will have two airbags and a ISOFIX system for attaching child seats. Optionally, the model can be equipped with an ABS, a Radio CD with MP3 and side airbags. As in Romania, the third row of seats is optional. Once launched on the Russian market, the Lada R90 will have a starting price around 350,000 rubles (equivalent to 8.946 euros). For example, a Lada Priora Wagon has a starting price of 320,000 rubles (about 8179 euros), while the Renault Logan model equipped with 1.6 liter engine has a starting price of 365,000 rubles (equivalent to 9.329 euros).

The new Dacia models with automatic gearbox are not the first models that are using the automatic transmission. The Nissan Aprio, the name under which the Logan is sold in Mexico, has a version with automatic transmission that is used by Renault for the  Clio model.
Also, under the Renault brand, the Logan with automatic transmissions is sold in the Arab countries.

Until now, the Dacia Euro5 engines were imported from Renault factories. Dacia produces in the Mioveni factory three Euro4 engines: the 1.4 liter and the 1.6 liter on gasoline and the 1.9 liter diesel. The new engines will be produced in the new production line that was assembled in the Mioveni factory.

Las year, in the Dacia factory were manufactured 273.559 engines of 1.4 liter and 1.6 liter on gasoline and 1.9 liter diesel. Dacia sold 311.282 vehicles last year, more with 20% than in 2008.

Dacia and BMW were surpassed by Mercedes with 838  points in the study that measured the levels of customer satisfaction based on four key criteria: vehicle attractiveness (performance, design, comfort), quality and reliability, the maintenance cost (consumption, insurance policies, costs of repair) and the quality of services by  approved repairers.

Dacia Logan was ranked second in the small class models category with 839 point. In the first place of this top was Nissan Note with 846 points and on the third place was Toyota Yaris with 833 points.

The study was conducted during January and March 2010 and was based by 16.330 online interviews by customers who have owned a car for about two years. The models evaluated came from 25 brands and covered all car classes.

Since the launch on the German market in 2005, Dacia sold 150.000 vehicles in Germany until may 2010.

Dacia is also placed in second place among the brands present in France in terms of number of new cars registered in May, being surpassed only by Volkswagen with 11.752 new registrations, according to the French Committee of Car Manufacturers.

The Romanian car manufacturer is also second among the foreign brands depending on market share, which advanced during the analyzed period, from 1.6% to 5.5%. The first position is occupied also by Volkswagen with a market share of 6.3%.

"We are thinking at a model of 3.5 to 3.6 meters long" said Vincent Carre, the global marketing director of Dacia in the Renault Group.

Dacia-Mini will have four seats and four doors, and will take elements from Logan and the second generation of Renault Clio. The reduced price of the new model is due to the design and the use of components from other models.

"Dacia is not just a brand, is a philosophy. The objective is to obtain low costs at each stage of the production"said Carrie.

Dacia City will be powered by an 1.2 liters engine from the Renault Twingo.

The ranking was determined on the basis of the degree of satisfaction of customer expectations, and other criteria like: manufacturing quality, reliability, problems encountered and the time of immobilization of the car in case of repair. Another important criteria to consider in the French study was that the customer has expressed regret or not that bought the car or if he will buy a new car from the same brand in the future.

In the ranking resulted from the survey leads Honda (92.5% customer satisfaction), followed by Mini (87.5% customer satisfaction) and Dacia (86.1% customer satisfaction). After the Romanian car manufacturer were ranked Audi (85.1% customer satisfaction), Skoda (84.5% customer satisfaction) and BMW (the Bavarian brand fell from second to fifth position from 2009 to 2010). The top 10 brands that have satisfied the French continues with Mazda (81.7% customer satisfaction), Mercedes (74.1% customer satisfaction), Toyota (70.9% customer satisfaction) and Ford (70.3% customer satisfaction).

In the models top customer satisfaction, Sandero has succeeded to be ranked sixth overall, with 87.6% degree of satisfaction of customers. In front of Sandero are: Toyota Prius (1 place, 96.2% customer satisfaction), Honda CRV (second place, 92.7% customer satisfaction), Honda Jazz (third place, 92.3% customer satisfaction), Honda Civic (fourth place, 90.6% customer satisfaction) and BMW 1 Series (88.2% customer satisfaction). The Logan model that helped Dacia to have a real success in France, ranked 18th  (with 82.2% customer satisfaction) in front of other models like Skoda Octavia (ranked 23), BMW X3 (ranked 24) Citroen C5 (26th place), Toyota Avensis (ranked 33), Volkswagen Passat (37th place) and Ford Mondeo (place 42).

The Dacia cars produced  in Romania will be sold exclusively through Irish Renault dealers, that will be selected by the French car manufacturer.

The announcement about the launching of Dacia cars in Ireland came just weeks after the Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall has confirmed it will enter the Irish market with their small budget cars.

Currently, Dacia produces 6 models of cars, Logan, Logan MCV, Logan Van, Logan Pick-up, Dacia Sandero and Dacia Sandero Stepway.

The Romanian car manufacturer, member of the French Group Renault, sold 311.282 cars last year, up 20.5% over 2008, but sales in Romania have decreased by over 50% to 41.862 cars. Dacia still managed to slightly increase its share on the Romanian market.

The strong increase of sales last year was driven mainly by success in Western Europe, where Dacia has sold over 200,000 cars.

On the first positions were the Japanese brand Toyota with a reliability index of 96.2% and Lexus wit a reliability index of 94.13%. Dacia got a reliability index of 92.61%.

Dacia was also placed first among the cars with the lowest costs of maintenance and repair, 130 euros per year, compared Mazda (229 euros per year) and Ford (230 euros per year).