Renault Group has confirmed a strategic shift in Dacia production, moving manufacturing of a future C-segment model from Romania to its Oyak Renault plant in Bursa, Turkey. The decision, announced alongside the company’s financial results, signals a growing importance of the Turkish facility within Renault’s broader manufacturing network.
The move impacts Dacia’s Mioveni plant, which currently produces the Duster, Bigster, and Logan models. Production at Mioveni totaled 297,000 vehicles in , a decline from peak production levels that once approached 350,000 units annually. The shift to Bursa reflects a broader trend of Renault diversifying its production footprint and leveraging existing capacity.
Renault CEO François Provost stated that the new C-segment Dacia model will be both a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle and a hybrid, alongside a fully electric A-segment model also slated for release in . This dual-track approach underscores Renault’s commitment to offering customers a range of powertrain options as the automotive industry transitions towards electrification.
The Bursa plant, a joint venture with Oyak – Renault holding a 51% stake and Oyak 49% – has become a key export hub for Renault. In , the facility produced 388,000 vehicles, a significant increase of nearly 100,000 units compared to Mioveni. Approximately 272,000 of those vehicles were exported, representing a growth of around 14%.
This decision builds on existing trends. Renault has already begun producing the Duster for the Turkish market and other non-European regions at the Bursa plant. The facility also manufactures the Renault Boreal, a model equivalent to the Dacia Bigster for international markets. Reports from indicated Renault was preparing the Bursa plant to produce four models derived from the Dacia range, including variants of the Duster, Bigster, and C-Neo.
The investment in the Bursa plant, estimated at 400 million euros (approximately 430 million US dollars), is intended to further enhance its capabilities and solidify its role as a major production center. This investment follows earlier reporting that Renault would produce four Dacia-derived models at the plant by .
The move to Turkey comes as Dacia embarks on a product offensive in Türkiye itself. The New Sandero and New Sandero Stepway have already been launched in and respectively, with the New Jogger and New Logan scheduled for release in and . The Sandero Stepway, in particular, has seen strong sales, becoming the best-selling B-SUV model in Türkiye in , with 23,699 units sold.
While the shift in production may raise concerns about the future of the Dacia brand in Romania, Renault’s decision appears to be driven by strategic considerations related to capacity utilization, export opportunities, and cost efficiency. The Bursa plant’s established infrastructure and growing export capabilities make it a logical choice for producing the new C-segment model, allowing Renault to optimize its overall production network and respond to evolving market demands.
