Interesting looking at all the chat on the Dacia brand. Volkswagen is considering launching a budget brand too.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/sao-paulo-motor-show-2012/sao-paulo-motor-show-vw-confirms-dacia-plans

Isn't that what skoda was supposed to be for?

Skoda used to be but the cars have got more expensive and the brand more mainstream and upmarket. Skoda do not do cheap cars anymore really.

Skoda used to be but the cars have got more expensive and the brand more mainstream and upmarket. Skoda do not do cheap cars anymore really.

Mine was extremely cheap. The rapid is cheap also.

Surely if VW want to do cheap, they should just look to buy some cars from a country like India.

That's what renault do there, reselling indian made cars.

Cheap, reliable, easy to fix and with AC

Other option would be to drop seat or skoda into that market.

Lets face it three main stream and one premium is too many for the existing markets.

Drop one of them into making cheaper cars.

Trim basic, car reliable and nothing too complicated. Price low and they'll sell by the bucket load.

I mean they make the citigolf (MK 2) for South Africa Still.

Edited 26 October, 201213 yr by cheezemonkhai

Bit like the mkI octavia still available for taxis. Some mainstream companies used to sell on their tooling to developing companies like the old Astra became the daewoo something or other.

Would love to see a trimmed down yeti running the old 1.8t and haldex on the cheap, converted to LPG and as light as possible would be very capable.

The Dacia is a Romanian brand but they are build in India I believe. Skoda is already in the Indian market and doing well too.The cars are made in knockdown kit form over there. What VW wants to do is make a bargain no frills brand and Skoda is not that anymore. You have to understand why Dacia is popular in mainland Europe. They are seen as cheap workmanlike workhorses that do the job and those that own them over there love them. A basic Fabia with the HTP is several thousand pounds more than a Sandero so it is a different market.

In India you see the mahindra indigo and a renault (forget the name) which are exactly the same car as far as I could see in and out.

Edited 26 October, 201213 yr by cheezemonkhai

Skoda used to be the cheapest cars on the market. VAG tried to turn this around so they could run laughing to the bank. This opened up a chasm whereby manufacturers like Dacia, Hyundai, and Chevrolet can make inroads. VAG has market share in everything from the Skoda Citigo, up to Bugatti and Lamborghini. The bit they're missing out on is at the bottom and this move would make clear business sense.

I've no doubt they'll be playing the "it's a VW" game they did with Skoda. Even though the Felicia was in fact based on a Skoda design, many were misled into believing it was a rebranded VW Polo.

Hyundai have also left the bargain basement end of the market behind. In the uk, Dacia have that sector pretty much all to themselves.

There's no reason why VW couldn't bring some of the south American or African models here and do quite nicely.

I've no doubt they'll be playing the "it's a VW" game they did with Skoda. Even though the Felicia was in fact based on a Skoda design, many were misled into believing it was a rebranded VW Polo.

The felicia was pretty much a re working of the favorit. The only time I saw any confusion was when VW badged it as a vw polo caddy and inflated the price.

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The felicia was pretty much a re working of the favorit. The only time I saw any confusion was when VW badged it as a vw polo caddy and inflated the price.

Even this article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2738981/Buyers-guide-Skoda-Felicia-1995-2000.html made the mistake.

Vw own shares in suzuki so they make move to buy more and make them their budget brand

http://www.autoblog....led-partnership

Or maybe not as the case will be.

VAG do seem to like to try and control the Motoring Manufacturers, by buying into them.

they might do better sorting out their own products and customer services.

They should have learned by now from Suzuki's reliability, choice & pricing.

george

All wanting to jump on the cheap and cheerful 'bandwagon' now then ey, now they've seen just how succesful the new Duster is obviously going to be, and good luck to them too i say (Dacia)

Over 1000 pre-ordered already apparently, and the first ones don't arrive until Januray!

Even considering one myself tbh.

Dacia could be the Hammerite of the car market. Lots of people like that approach.

They should remove as many electrical bits as possible and make the interior so you can hose it down