Just days after Dacia launched their new generously sized Sandero supermini with a starting price tag of just €9,990, AutoTrade.ie can exclusively reveal that Dacia has doubled the size of their dealer network in Ireland from ten to twenty.
The newly appointed Dacia dealers are: Autoimage, Carlow; Deerpark Motors, Charleville, Co. Cork; Highland Motors, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal; Joe Mallon Motors, Portlaoise, Co. Laoise; Joe Norris Motors, Navan, Co. Meath; Kearys, Midleton, Co. Cork; O’Brien’s, Kilkenny City; P & H Doyle, Gorey, Co Wexford; Sean White Car Sales, Athlone, Co. Westmeath; and O’Brien’s, Tullamore, Co. Offaly;
They joined the existing group of 10 Dacia dealers: RRG Belgard, Tallaght, Co. Dublin; Blackstone Motors, Drogheda, Co. Louth; Joe Mallon Motors, Naas, Co. Kildare; Dennehy Motors, Limerick City; Donagh Hickey, Rathmore, Co Kerry; Kearys, Cork City; H&H Motors, Waterford; Cleary Motors, Thurles, Co. Tipperary; Menapia Motors, Wexford; and P’O Briens, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.
Patrick Magee, Sales & Network Director, Dacia Ireland said: “Ireland’s fastest growing network has just got bigger! We are delighted to welcome 10 new Dacia dealers, bringing the number of dealers to 20. Following the response we’ve had since launch of the brand last July, there has been a lot of interest in the dealerships and we will continue recruit new dealers. Dacia is the smart buy brand and we are seeing people with older vehicles, and those who may have considered buying second hand cars, choose the smart buy, a brand new Dacia at shockingly affordable prices”.
Basically, Dacia cars will be sold in Renault dealerships that also offer Dacia but will have separate sales people. The business model is based on a principle of offering the least expensive model in each segment that it competes. Dealer margins are smaller than dealers are used to with most other brands, so the model is very much based on volume sales.
At the end of October Dacia UK announced that it had processed over 1,000 pre-orders in their market for the new Dacia Duster SUV. In Ireland, we even hear of a more phenomenal performance by Dacia – it is reported to have up to 500 pre orders for the Duster. With just left-hand drive demo models to show, this is a remarkable performance. Dacia reports thousands of test drives and also it showcased four Dusters (4x4s and 4x2s) at the National Ploughing Championships in Wexford last autumn. Dacia reported a great reaction among farmers and with a starting price of just €14,990, and with Dacia Finance from just €149 a month, we are not surprised.
Right-hand-drive models for the Irish market have just started to arrive this month for delivery of pre-sold vehicles and for their twenty dealers to stock.
Julien Lelorrain, Marketing Director, Dacia Ireland, said at the new Sandero Irish launch last week that the arrival of Dacia has changed how people think about cars.
He told AutoTrade.ie: ‘For the first time, recession struck customers on lower budgets no longer have to make do with a second-hand vehicle. And reliability is a Dacia fundamental, central to the trust-based relationship we have with our customers”.
He added: “The brand is generous, reliable, simple and smart and these are the reasons why it is the fastest growing brand in Europe.”
Dacia Ireland is aiming to be in the top 10 sellers here by 2015. Several more cars and vans are being lined up for the Irish market including the Sandero Stepway Crossover and a Logan Estate to name just two.
At the original introduction last summer, Its executives made it clear that they intend to “shake up” the market substantially and expect word of mouth about low pricing to play a significant part.
Founded in 1968 in Romania, Dacia was bought by Renault in 1999 and the brand effectively re-launched in 2004. Since then, it has taken the motor world by storm and two million Dacia vehicles are now on the road in 36 countries.It sold 350,000 vehicles last year.
While price is hugely important, equipment and reliability are essential elements for consumer confidence in buying a new brand. No doubt aware of this, Dacia says their standard three-year manufacturer’s warranty can also be augmented by two years for €549.
Will selling new cars in Ireland ever be the same again?
You can check out full details from the Irish launch of the new Sandero at:
http://www.autotrade.ie/index.php/dacia-sandero-arrives-in-ireland/5163
