Pickup Dacia Duster will go into mass production! Will it be a toy or a workhorse?

There are things in the world that are hard to explain rationally - crop circles, the movie "Bachelor Party", and now the Dacia Duster pickup. Of course, for me, a person with an inexplicable love for crate cars, this is very good news, but the average European is not able to understand the existence of such a car.

And why is it to whom?

Let's be honest, pickup trucks in Europe are definitely a fashionable effect that has nothing to do with tradition. Only a small part of these cars are used because of their, let's not be afraid to say, appearance. However, most of them drive on the roads of Europe due to fiscal incentives for owners of this type of car or their utility. This mainly applies to large type pickups. Nissan Navara, its exceptional variety in the form Mercedes X-Class or bestseller as it is Ford Ranger. A somewhat separate category are light pickup trucks with a payload capacity of around 500 kg, which were once offered by European manufacturers such as Volkswagen with Caddy, Fiat Fiorino or the slightly more modern Skoda Felicia. We had such representatives of the genre as the Warsaw 200R series, the Fiat 125r Pickup or the Siren R20, which I was lucky enough to ride many times in my childhood both in the cabin and in the cargo compartment - oh, this dust and the unforgettable smell of exhaust gases from a two-stroke engine ...

However, a brand that also has a long tradition in the development of pickups is Dacia, and the story began almost 45 years ago with the release of the Dacia 1300 with this body. However, this is an old story, a different quality, a different approach, and it is better to leave a veil of silence over this. In our time, when Renault's commitment to Dacia has increased and it was brought to European "salons", the first small pickup truck was the first generation Logan, which was a typical SUV. The second generation of the model, presented in 2012, was completely devoid of universal versions, and their role was taken over by a new model called Dokker, which, however, did not have a body with a cargo compartment.

Changes, changes, changes… Dacia Duster gains popularity

New version Docker The pickup was presented only last year, in September, at the Hannover Commercial Vehicles Show. Front wheel drive prototype with 1.5 dCi engine producing 75 hp. cost 11 euros. However, this version was not prepared by the Romanian brand, but by the Italian company Focaccia, which deals with various types of specialized car conversions.

However, the real highlight was anther a second-generation pickup truck that, unlike the "working" Dokker, is a stylish recreational vehicle. At the same time, the Romanian company Romturingia took up the modernization. production of bodies for delivery vans, so you can say that these are people from the “industry”.

Interestingly, this is not the company's first contact with Dacia Duster, because already in 2012 the first generation Duster Pickup prototype appeared, which was warmly received by the public. Unfortunately, in 2014 the car went exclusively into small-scale production and replenished the machine park of the Romanian oil company in the amount of 500 copies.

However, this is not the end of the story. Duster with the “pack”, because in 2015 the Renault Duster Oroch debuted on the Argentine market, which is based on the first generation of the facelift model with a wheelbase extended by 155 mm and a body length of 4,7 m and is a small pickup truck with a double cab and two doors - therefore practical, fashionable and affordable, but ... not for us.

The practical Duster pickup…

New pickup Duster. – similar to its cousin from Argentina – unlike the Dokker Pickup, which is a working “suck”, this is a typical recreational vehicle that would be a pity to use for transporting, for example, bags of cement or heavy tool boxes. Picnic baskets and bicycles are definitely more suitable here, and in extreme cases, cardboard boxes with furniture for self-assembly.

According to Romthuringia, 60% Duster Pickup this is the work of Dacia, which supplies partially finished cars, devoid of eg. rear doors and sofas. Inside is a standard cab and front seats that adjust and slide like a "full" Duster. Immediately behind them is a partition with glass separating the passenger compartment from the transport compartment. The space required for its assembly was created by cutting away body parts behind the B-pillar. Its surface is made of Romturingia plastic, as are the rear fenders and rear wall made of fiberglass and resin. Thus, we got a cargo compartment with a length of 170 cm and a width of 137 cm (99 cm between the wheel arches), in the design of which there are drains for draining water, as well as a moisture-resistant 12V socket, a railing system and luggage handles and LED lighting for the entire transport compartment, which " withstands "450-500 kg.

… I'm a lifestyle Duster Pickup

There was a procedure for cutting half of the body Duster to the benefit. The length of the car is 4,34 m, which is equal to "full". anther, and, as befits a pickup truck, it has acquired a more “strict” look and completely new proportions. And most importantly, it still looks consistent. Nothing like forced or, even worse, homemade garage modifications. In addition, a fairly large anti-roll bar can be installed behind the cab, which not only increases safety, but also has a positive effect on the “combat appearance” of the small Duster Pickup.

The power source is a 1.5 dCi engine with 109 hp, which in the production version will probably be replaced by a newer version with 115 hp. and a torque of 260 Nm at 1750 rpm. Normally, engine power is sent to the front wheels, but the rear wheels can also be driven if needed.

However, the off-road capabilities of the Duster Pickup are not limited to the engine alone. On request, the car can be equipped with a suspension that increases the ground clearance up to 330 mm, as well as casings for the chassis, engine, gearbox and fuel tank.

When will this "pickup" arrive in showrooms?

When Dacia Duster Pickup It is not known exactly, but production should begin in March of this year, that is, any day. Of course, it’s hard to talk about the price now, but the prototype presented last year, based on the richest version of the Prestige and Orange Atacama metallic lacquer, cost 18 euros - for comparison, Duster in a similar configuration. costs about PLN 900 in Poland, i.e.…. in principle, as much as the Duster with an “open” body.

My opinion on the Dacia Duster pickup.

On the one hand, the appearance Duster Pickup this pleases, especially since the car has character and looks really good, even “cute”, like a toy car.

In addition, like a regular Duster, it makes it possible to ride on the cheapest SUV, purchase Dacian Duster Pickup will become one of the cheapest ways to become the owner of a car with a body with a pack.

On the other hand, I feel a little dissatisfied, and the reason for this is the aforementioned Argentine Renault Duster Oroch, which has a double advantage over the Duster Pickup. The first is a double cabin with a set of doors for 5 people, which makes the car a full-fledged family car, and not just an original means of transportation for a bachelor. Secondly, the payload, which in the case of the Duster Oroch is as much as 650 kg, despite the smaller cargo body 135 cm long and 117,5 cm wide. So why hasn't the Duster Oroch made it to Europe yet? I don't know this and can't fully understand it, but it could still be a great addition to the offer next to the Duster Pickup.

In any case, a sparrow in hand is better than a dove on the roof - after all, sparrows have an irresistible charm.