22 July 2013

Back in a past life, when I used to work in the press office at Peugeot, Summer Specials were all the rage. The idea was that you took a slow-selling variant, added some stripes and a bit of spec; then launched an August plate-change marketing campaign around that one model.

I remember pulling favour with former colleagues at Virgin Atlantic and ‘borrowing’ a Boeing 747 for the press shots of the 106 Key West. We went airside at Gatwick and parked the cars on the far side of the runway while they pushed the plane back and forward to get the camera angles right – that wouldn’t happen these days!

Then head of sales and marketing, Tudor (Tod) Evans, was a man who knew a thing or two about how to sell cars. His mantra was that we never cut prices, we only ever “add value”.

I wonder what he makes of the Dacia Duster Black Edition?

Yes, the UK’s favourite budget brand has just launched a special edition of its best-selling model – only it ain’t exactly budget. Buying a Duster Black will set you back a cool £17,575. That’s almost twice the price of the entry-level Access at £8995.

Of course, it’s well specced. But there’s no escaping the core vehicle’s heritage. Much as I think the Duster is an honest, value-for-money product, you have to admit some of the controls are pretty clunky and the finish rather utilitarian.

Inevitably, we started thinking about what else you could get for the money.

Colleagues who know more about product than me rate the Fiat Panda Trekking at £13,450, but it is significantly smaller. And, at that point, choices start to run out. Skoda Yeti? Starts at £16,690 (for the diesel). Hyundai ix35? Starts at £17,555. Nissan Qashqai? Starts at £16,895.

So, perhaps Dacia is going to have the last laugh and I’m just out of touch on value. Even so, when the press release announcing the Duster Black describes Dacia prices as “jaw dropping”, I’m still trying to work out whether they’re being ironic or not.

Rupert Saunders

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Tags: Dacia Duster Black, new car prices, Peugeot, summer specials