An all-new Duster will deliver the Dacia model to Australia in 2025.

But it surely gained’t be referred to as a Dacia right here.

As an alternative, the compact SUV from Romania will likely be badged as a Renault and is meant to deliver a brand new worth stage to the Group Renault lineup down underneath.

“We now have our hand up for the next-generation Duster, underneath the Renault model,” the final supervisor of Renault Australia, Glen Sealey, confirmed to CarExpert.

“Our planning is for the center of 2025. However nothing is locked in till it’s on the boat.

“We wouldn’t get the present automotive. So now we have to attend for the subsequent technology. That’s why it’s 2025.

“And there might be delays in that.”

The introduction of Dacia has been within the works since Ateco, Australia’s largest and most profitable impartial importer, took on the Renault enterprise when the corporate closed its manufacturing facility store right here.

The timing has all the time been sophisticated, as a result of the plan was solely to begin the Dacia deal as soon as there have been new-generation merchandise to spearhead the assault.

Different issues embrace the pricing of Dacia fashions and the chance that automobiles won’t qualify for a five-star ANCAP score in Australia.

“Dacia isn’t a five-star automobile in Europe, however it’s promoting significantly nicely into the non-public market,” stated Mr Sealey.

“It’s a very attention-grabbing factor, how ANCAP is evolving. An important factor is that it has to have integrity in a crash.”

Mr Sealey highlights the excessive price of including the most recent necessities for a five-star rating, together with digital driver aids and high-tech cameras and radar programs.

“After all they add price and complexity. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see how the market responds,” he stated.

He won’t talk about the potential ANCAP rating for the Duster, or some other fashions on the Dacia radar.

Mr Sealey can be reluctant to get into specifics of pricing, though he has a transparent path for the Duster and the fashions to comply with.

“There’s an excessive amount of water to circulate underneath the bridge. There’s nothing prefer it within the UK,” he stated.

“Everybody sees Dacia as an excellent worth automotive within the UK. And it’s positioned as a price providing.

“However the actuality is, for us, if I evaluate to some Chinese language manufacturers . . . there’s a 15 per cent responsibility differential earlier than you begin.

“So the notion that Dacia goes to be this very low-priced European sourced automobile, it simply doesn’t exist.”

He stated evaluating the UK worth towards a possible showroom sticker in Australia may also be deceptive.

“If a automotive is 20,000 Kilos within the UK, meaning the automotive – excluding taxes and freight – could be $33,833 at at present’s charges. So that’s the yardstick,” he stated.

Competing with Chinese language imports in the identical class for compact SUVs could be powerful.

Even so, Mr Sealey believes there’s a place for Dacia fashions in Australia.

“Duster, as a product, we see potential for it. It has good design, drives nicely, is comparatively sensible, and has good off-road means,” he stated.

“We see it as working very well with the Australian way of life.”

Following the Duster, it’s additionally probably the bigger Bigster SUV – set to launch within the UK in 2025 – will be a part of the Australian lineup.

“We’ve bought our hand up for sure merchandise within the Dacia vary. Duster is a type of, and so too is Bigster,” stated Mr Sealey.

However what concerning the determination to promote Dacia fashions as Renaults?

“Our position as importer is to select the merchandise which are proper for Australia. And, in that case, underneath the Renault model,” he stated.

“For those who have a look at right-hand drive international locations, Duster is offered as a Renault in South Africa. And in India.

“So it’s not one thing that’s new.”

MORE: 2022 Dacia Duster assessment