‘Shockingly affordable’ Duster reaches showrooms

DACIA has chosen the Goodwood Festival Of Speed to showcase its Duster model in the UK at the same time as the public can get to see it in the showroom.
The Romanian carmaker has appointed 127 retailers to sell its cars, all of which at the present time are Renault dealerships.
They hope interest for the Duster SUV will be high because of the “shockingly affordable” prices, which start at £8,995 for the 4×2 version and  £10,995 for the 4×4 variant in Access trim.
Moving up the range brings value-seekers to Ambiance. Prices for the likely second best-selling trim level in the UK start at £11,495, rising to £13,495. Naturally, the £2,500 price walk gives customers a heightened specification as well as the enhanced performance and economy of a diesel powerplant. Among its biggest draws are a 4x20W radio/CD with AUX, Bluetooth, USB connectivity and steering-column mounted fingertip controls, plus body coloured bumpers, 60/40 split folding rear seats, front fog lights and height adjustable driver’s seat.
The flagship of the Duster range in the UK, and the expected best-seller accounting for around two thirds of orders, will be Lauréate, although costing only £12,995 to £14,995, buyers could be forgiven for thinking that it’s a pricing error.
Although factory option complexity is deliberately toned down, unsurprisingly as an SUV, Duster lends itself to plenty of customisation. Customers seeking to enhance its rugged looks can choose from a set of four accessory packs.
The first pack, Adventurer, includes door sill protective mouldings and front and rear wheel arch protectors, at £445 including VAT. The second, Styling, costs £655 and brings daytime running lights and chrome for the side and front bars and exhaust tailpipe. The penultimate, Protection, as befitting its name and undoubtedly a boon for city dwellers, pet owners or the odd mud-plugging adventure, offers an alarm, rear parking sensors, tailgate protection, bootliner and front and rear mudguards at £575. The last, Touring, costs £555 and should prove ideal for outdoor types, boasting a towbar and transversal roof bars, plus a front centre armrest for increased comfort on the longer journey.
Dacia, Europe’s fastest-growing car brand for the last eight years, is hoping to educate the British car buying public and change their habits with the slogan “You Do The Maths”.
If you can’t get to the festival, the Duster is on display in showrooms now. Potential buyers eager to locate their closest retailer are invited to visit www.dacia.co.uk or call 0800 99 11 99.
Following a successful launch in Italy and Netherlands, the UK will be the third subsidiary to offer customers the option of pre-ordering a Dacia online. The hassle-free approach of the newly opened ‘Dacia Store’ will mean that not only can customers configure their preferred Duster on www.dacia.co.uk, they will also be able to pre-order it with just a £100 deposit to ensure they are one of the first to receive theirs when deliveries commence in January 2013.
Pre-orders through the Dacia Store can be made 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with payment processed via credit and debit card. At the end of the transaction, customers can simply select a Dacia Retailer to fulfil their order. Closer to delivery, the chosen retailer will then invite the purchaser in to accept delivery of the car and answer any questions they might have, including finance or after-sales.