Dacia 1100
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1966 |
| Headquarters | Pitești , Romania |
| Products | Automobiles |
The Dacia 1100 marked the debut passenger vehicle manufactured by the Romanian company Automobile Dacia, constructed using knock-down kits imported from the French Renault 8. From 1968 until 1971, a total of 37,546 units were produced in Romania.
Licensing agreement
Following Nicolae Ceaușescu's appointment as first secretary of the Romanian Communist Party in 1965, curbing expenditures on imported automobiles became a strategic objective. The Party initiated a tender for producing a medium-class vehicle equipped with an engine between 1000 and 1300 cc, targeting an annual production volume ranging from 40,000 to 50,000 units.
The contenders for this contract included:
- Alfa Romeo GT 1300 (1965)
- Fiat 1100D (1957)
- Morris Mini (1959)
- Peugeot 204 (1965)
- Renault 12 (under development)
On September 6, 1966, Romania entered into a framework agreement with Renault to manufacture a cutting-edge model in alignment with Renault's own release schedule. Renault unveiled the Renault 12 in Paris in 1969; concurrently, Romania introduced the Dacia 1300 that same year.
The decade-long contract stipulated interim production of an existing Renault model until the Renault 12 was ready. Although the initial preference was for the Renault 16, Romania ultimately chose to locally assemble the more cost-effective Renault 8 Major.
The name Dacia was derived from the ancient Roman province that corresponds to present-day Romania, while the model designation 1100 reflected its 1108 cc engine displacement.
On September 16, 1966, the site for the manufacturing facility was selected adjacent to the Colibași Auto Parts Plant, repurposing aviation hangars constructed in 1943. Construction commenced in early 1967 with technical assistance from Renault. By July 1, 1968, testing operations had begun at the new plant's 217 workstations; subsequently, on August 3, the first pre-production vehicles were assembled at the Pitești Automobile Plant.
Dacia 1100
Derived from the Renault 8, the Dacia 1100 was a sedan featuring a rear-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive.
Its color palette comprised turquoise green, garnet red, cream, light gray, and blue shades.
Equipped with the Renault Cléon-Fonte ("Sierra") powerplant producing 46 hp (35 kW) at 4600 rpm, it could achieve a maximum velocity of 132 km/h. The longitudinally positioned water-cooled engine was located at the rear of the vehicle.
At launch, the price hovered around 55,000 Lei—a considerable amount given that the average net monthly wage in 1968 was approximately 1,139 Lei—signifying an important step toward initiating local car manufacturing.
In 1969, the milestone 100th car was presented to President Nicolae Ceaușescu (bearing plate number 1-B-2645), while certain units were assigned to police services outfitted with blue emergency lights and sirens.
From a technical standpoint, it incorporated independent suspension on all four wheels, disc brakes both front and rear, and a gear selector operated via a lever on the steering column.
A sportier edition, known as the 1100S, featured dual headlights on each side and participated in competitions by the Romanian National Rally Team as well as domestic events called "Cup Dacia 1100."
Between 1968 and 1972, production totaled 37,546 cars.