Duster, an iconic model that reaches many geographies from the cold of Siberia to the Moroccan desert and brings SUV vehicles to large masses, has achieved sales success of 60 million units in nearly 2 countries.
Introduced by Dacia in 2004 after Logan, which started to hit the roads in 2010, Duster became the second generation Dacia to carry the brand to the future. Accessible, stylish and reliable, Duster was born in 2010 as a model that meets the needs, and quickly became an iconic model for the brand and the entire industry. It has achieved a great success by reaching 2 million sales units to date. Turkey is the 152th country with the highest number of Duster sales with 406 thousand 4 units.
Helsinki-Ankara line
While more than 2 football fields are required for 2 million Dusters, a round-trip route between Ankara and Helsinki can be created when they are lined up in a row. An average of one thousand Dusters are produced per day, while an average of one Duster descends from the production line every 100 seconds. When 63 million Dusters are stacked, it reaches the height of more than 2 Mount Everest.
Indispensable as a way of life
Duster customers around the world have one thing in common: they see indispensable things as a way of life. Some of the prominent features about users are as follows;
Across all markets, the proportion of women among Dacia Duster users in the UK is higher than that of men.
Turkey has the youngest Duster user, with an average of 42 years old. Most of them live with their families. (62 percent live with children)
Duster owners in France, Germany, England, Spain and Italy; 23 percent likes walking and hiking, 12 percent likes cycling and 9 percent likes to travel outdoors.
In the same five countries, 44 percent of users live in rural areas, 30 percent in small towns, 10 percent in medium/large cities and 11 percent in suburbs.
The main reasons for the decision to buy Duster are price (56%), design (20%) or brand loyalty (16%).
Duster, a global cause
At the birth of H1, code for Duster 79, the task given to the product teams was to come up with a vehicle that was not yet on the market. It had to appeal to use by people around the world and therefore had to be compatible with freezing cold and high heat. All of this had to be offered at a price that challenged any competitor. In summary, a robust, reliable and versatile vehicle such as a 4WD vehicle had to emerge. It should have included a 6-speed gearbox, clutch drivetrain, bulky wheels and more. Crews remember many details even today. For example, the 'creeping' feature is one of them, in which the car moves at a speed of 1000 km/h at 5,79 rpm. Duster 1 Product Manager Loïc Feuvray followed a similar protocol during the war as soldiers marching alongside jeeps to clear the road: “I would walk next to the car to make sure we were as fast as an all-terrain 4WD.” Duster has proven itself on countless off-road journeys since its launch. This shows that the designers are successful in their tasks.
Snorkel symbolizing Design-Cost benefit in Dacia
While the first generation Duster managed to become the best-selling model, it went beyond this success with its renewed form. After nearly seven years, the design was renewed in 2017; it offered even better by building on the past while preserving the original DNA. After numerous in-house design competitions and some exciting sketches, Duster stood out from the proposals; it stood out with a more muscular design, higher shoulder line and a more assertive front grille. Despite its structure that focuses on economical and reliable solutions, the car impresses with its extremely attractive design. Snorkeling is an important example in this regard. This black add-on, which also includes the signals, is one of the distinguishing features of Duster. David Durand, Head of Exterior Design, tells the story behind the piece, “We had to do this design due to a technical constraint. The lines of the wheels and the doors are quite balanced and we did not want to disturb this balance. So we created a plastic snorkel that fills in between the fenders and the doors. It is very functional as it provides ideal protection against gravel and mud stains. It also gives the Duster a solid look. We saved money while creating a unique design.” Also, the Duster 2 is the only Dacia model to have not two but three ventilation grilles in the middle of the dashboard. Visual aesthetics and passenger comfort guided this choice.
Awarded 40 times!
While designers and engineers did everything to create such a unique vehicle, the production teams overcame this challenge. The Pitesti (Mioveni) plant, located 200 km from Bucharest, has been upgraded for Duster production. Integrated platforms, dedicated kiting areas for part preparation, AGV trolleys and ergonomic workstations adapted to each operation support production efficiency. Duster has become a source of national pride in Romania. Apart from law enforcement, including police and soldiers, health institutions also preferred Duster as an ambulance. Apart from government organizations, large companies have also adopted Duster. Dacia Duster has won over 40 awards since its launch. Awards such as Car of the Year in Romania, Best SUV in the UK, Best Family Car in Germany and Belgium prove how successful this unique and iconic model is.
Pikes Peak, the Great Alpine Pass… 16 Duster achievements
Here zamThe extraordinary memories of Duster, a car that offers more than ever, are as follows;
Duster has been part of many adventures, from the Aïcha des Gazelles Rally in Morocco to the famous climbing Pikes Peak and the Andros Trophy in the United States.
He had many successes in Poland, including the National Rally Championship and the Dacia Duster Motrio Cup.
In France, he appeared in 4WD endurance racing and the Great Alpine Pass.
The Duster convoy, with its special equipment, including the roof tent, made expeditions in the geography of Greece.
Different Duster solutions were presented with many special kits and limited series, including Crawler Duster, ambulance Duster, police car Duster, Popemobile Duster.
Dacia also produced and marketed 400 reversible Duster Pick-ups.
Be the first to comment