Dacia Duster, the Affordable Off-Roader - VIDEO ENHANCED

Assertive all-wheel drive styling with genuine go-anywhere ability

PITESTI, Romania - April 15, 2010: Today’s all-terrain vehicles are often synonymous with bulk, but Dacia Duster is an antidote to that idea. With a length of 4.31 metres and a width of 1.82 metres, Dacia Duster is very compact. Its Megane-size proportions ensure that it is as at home in built-up areas as it is off the beaten track. While it clearly belongs to the world of all-terrain vehicles, Dacia Duster’s lines are not ostentatious.

Click PLAY to watch video

Dacia Duster is unmistakably a 4x4.
From the front, it exudes an impression of toughness: the wide wheelarches, the imposing lines of the chrome grille and the sump guard clearly emphasise the 4x4 DNA of Dacia Duster. Seen from the side, the high ground clearance, clearly defined wheelarches and protective mouldings encourage the driver to tackle even the toughest roads and tracks.

With the Look Pack, owners of Dacia Duster can enhance the vehicle’s good looks. This pack includes 16- inch aluminium alloy wheels, roof bars, extra-tinted rear glass, and satin-finish chrome exterior mirrors, front and rear skid plates, and sills. A comprehensive range of accessories (including wing extenders, broad side protectors for doors, lateral bars…) will complete this unique look.

Inside
The elevated driving position provides a better view of potential hazards and improves the driver’s ability to anticipate problems. The interior echoes the core values of the Dacia brand: the dashboard is modern, uncluttered and functional. Its design varies according to version, and several areas can be modified with different colours or surface finishes. Dacia Duster introduces a new Brown trim, while a Leather Pack (seats, steering wheel, gear lever knob) is also available. Particular attention has been paid to its ergonomics to ensure that the controls are conveniently positioned and that driving data is easy to read: the well-placed, intuitive 4x4 control button is a perfect example of this.

Dacia Duster was designed to cope with all types of road and track, all over the world. In order to meet these wide-ranging needs, Dacia Duster will be available in both 4x4 and 4x2 form. The 4x2 version has been designed for customers who want good ground clearance and a reassuring elevated driving position, as well as loose-surface ability, but who don't have a real need for all-wheel drive.

The strengthened underside of Dacia Duster is suitable for loose-surfaces and all-terrain use thanks to: - ground clearance raised by 210mm, - short overhangs (822mm at the front, 820mm at the rear), - big clearance angles (30 degrees for approach angle; 23 degrees for ramp breakover angle 36 degrees for departure angle).

Dacia Duster is a vehicle that is easy to use. It is lightweight for its size: 1,160kg for the 4x2 version and 1,250kg for the 4x4 version1. Combined with compact dimensions, this ensures Dacia Duster is particularly agile.

Dacia Duster is built on the B0/Logan platform which is widely acclaimed for its strength, reliability and durability.

At the front, the pseudo MacPherson-type suspension with wishbones is identical to the layout employed by Logan and Sandero, although strengthened for off-road use.

At the rear, the 4x4 version's rear multi-arm arrangement was specifically developed for Dacia Duster, while the programmed-deflection flexible H-beam favoured for the 4x2 versions is strong and permits a large boot, which is a key consideration for Dacia customers. Both solutions deliver a comfortable ride and allow high ground clearance To confirm Dacia Duster's strength and reliability, Dacia Duster covered the equivalent of four million kilometres in a wide range of climates and in particularly punishing conditions.

Dacia Duster 4x4 is equipped with a new six-speed gearbox with a short first ratio (5.79kph per 1,000 rpm) which allows the vehicle to travel at very slow speed on uneven terrain, and improves performance as you pull away from standstill with heavy loads or on steep slopes. This simple, efficient and economical solution was favoured in order to meet the needs of Dacia Duster customers. The TL8 gearbox offers:

- optimized output thanks to a single gearbox and module architecture which limits the number of gears engaged, and thanks to the use of a low-viscosity lubricant;

- compactness: gearbox and gearshift module are positioned alongside each other with a view to freeing up cabin space and keeping interior roominess.

- controlled mass: on the TL8 gearbox, the short first gear, instead of a transfer box, optimizes the number of gears engaged (and thus the mass) for a maximum level of performance;

- a solution to keep the cost down : the TL8 gearbox is derived from the TL4 gearbox which is a high production volume organ within the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

The TL8 gearbox is manufactured at the Pitesti plant in Romania.
The 4x4 control located on the lower part of the centre console allows drivers of Dacia Duster 4x4 to easily adapt the vehicle’s configuration to their needs. This control permits three modes:

- In AUTO mode, the front/rear torque split is calculated automatically as a function of available grip. This mode has been developed to provide the best compromise between road holding and traction, no matter what the level of grip may be. In normal conditions, the torque is transmitted through the front wheels only. If traction is lost, or when grip is at a premium, some of the torque is transferred to the rear wheels. This split is performed by an electromagnetic torque converter supplied by Nissan.

- In LOCK mode, the driver electronically locks the transmission in 4x4 mode. In this mode, throttle control and braking are also adapted for 4x4 use. This mode is recommended when grip is low (snow, mud, dirt, sand) and at low speed.

- In 2WD mode, the transmission is locked into two-wheel drive. This mode is suited to driving on good roads and reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.