► Striking new Dacia concept car
► Airless tyres, a single headlamp and no windscreen
► Probably (definitely) won’t make production, though…
Welcome to one of 2022’s most striking concept cars. Brought to you by the makers of the Sandero, Logan and Jogger, the Manifesto concept is more Halo Warthog than affordable family transport, yet it’s designed to signpost the future of Dacia production cars. It’ll be shown at the 2022 Paris motor show.
So while plenty of readers will know Dacia as the value-for-money arm of Renault, the Manifesto signals the brand’s aim to engage with customers ‘as they become ever keener on outdoor pursuits’. Not the kind you seen on Grand Theft Auto, it should be said, rather the adventure lifestyle customers that many manufacturers crave but none can quite claim to have monopolised. The Manifesto, however, may be about to change that.
No doors, no problem
What’s the best way to get a vehicle’s occupants in touch with the great outdoors? Easy! Ditch the doors and the windscreen to leave a cabin completely open to the elements. Granted, it probably won’t make production (although it’s never stopped Caterham), but it’s just one example of the Manifesto design team questioning what really needs to be on the car and what can be left behind.
The headlights (or rather, headlight) is another example of this. Why use two if one is bright enough? It’s even detachable so it can be used as a torch, while the exposed circuit board is a lovely piece of detail.
Going back to the original point, though, and it’s what’s not on the car that arguably stands out more than what’s on it. Dacia argues that this is all about getting down to the essentials of what customers actually need, and with a growing trend for heavier and larger vehicles it’s a welcome approach.
Is anything safe from the chop?
No, actually. Not even the air in the tyres. See, the Manifesto gets totally airless tyres made from solid rubber. We’re not entirely sure how the ride comfort would fair, but it does mean that punctures would be a thing of the past – very handy when your miles from civilisation in the great outdoors.
Not only that, but the added durability means that each tyre should last just as long as the car itself. The whole concept sounds fanciful, but Dacia reckons there’s a reasonable chance of this making production and have spoken to several major tyre companies.
What about the interior?
As you can imagine, it’s quite exposed what with the lack of doors and windscreen. No matter, though, as the Maninfesto concept has a waterproof cabin that can be hosed down in seconds with a jet wash. Just make sure you remove the seat coverings first, as they double as sleeping bags for when you’re done being an adventurer for the day.
Read about the Dacia Bigster SUV – due for launch in 2025
We’re also big fans of the use of cork as a material. Not only is it on the steering wheel, but there’s a nice healthy slab of it on the dashboard, ready for you to pin important notes and documents too. Again, though, best take those out before hosing the cabin down.
Any other features?
There’s a large capacity battery on the tailgate to power various camping accessories, a worksurface on the rear of the car and a roof that doubles up as a table or stand and includes removeable carrier bars. A new material called Starkle is also noteworthy and is used extensively on the exterior panels. It’s not painted, so should you scrape a panel on a low hanging branch the mark can simple be rubbed out without the need for a professional repair.
Finally, Dacia is debuting its Youclip accessory range on the Manifesto with the hope that it takes off over the next few years. From what we can tell, it’s an idea that’s yet to be fully fleshed out, yet the concept revolves around having accessories that can be attached to your Dacia or even transferred between models.
This could include in-car storage (do you want cupholders, or a box, or maybe both?), two-way radios, a ski rack – there shouldn’t be many limitation on what customers can install. And to help facilitate this, Dacia is making the mouldings and attachments open source so that the community can contribute to or even build further add-ons.
What about the powertrain: is it ‘eco-smart’?
Dacia is vague on details about what makes those tractor wheels turn, but the proportions tell a story: a tiny engine bay and thick floorpan scream electrified. And there’s that rear-mounted battery, which can also power those outdoor essentials.
‘It fits perfectly with electric,’ enthuses design director David Durand. ‘You can explore the wild in silence.’ That makes it less intrusive than quadbikes. ‘It’s agile rather than fast: you don’t speed without a windscreen, being in direct contact with nature, feeling the rain and hearing the wildlife.’
Dacia claims 48 per cent of its sales today are eco-smart, meaning they’re for the UK-bound Spring electric city car or dual-fuel LPG models (although burning gas emits carbon-dioxide, it’s at a lower rate than petrol combustion).
The Manifesto also ascribes to the Dacia philosophy by measuring just 3.6m-long to save on weight and materials (remember that cork dashboard), and its lightweight construction reduces energy consumption.
Back in the real world, what else is Dacia up to?
The Manifesto’s emphasis on accessories is heading to Dacia’s new-look retailers and price lists soon. Experts demonstrated a camping bed to launch on the Jogger in spring 2023.
It all starts with a storage box (naturally made from sustainable wood) with mattress atop that slots into the Jogger’s boot. The box stores the wooden slats that you assemble into a frame on the folded middle seats, nudging up against the storage box: the two combined makes a platform for a mattress. No prices as yet, but expect the prototype to live down to Dacia’s affordable mantra.
DIY bed kit to come as Jogger accessory in 2023
And finally, every Dacia is getting a cosmetic makeover to usher in this new era. A new chain emblem – linking the letters D and C – replaces the traditional shield badge, chrome is being expunged wherever possible and leather is no longer offered.