The one brand in the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi
Alliance that doesn’t have its own line of performance models is Dacia. And
looking at these renderings, we’d say it’s about time that changed.
Drawn up by Kleber Silva, this theoretical Dacia
Sandero Sport would be just the kind of no-nonsense, bare-bones hot hatch we’ve
been looking for. No fancy electronics, no dual-clutch transmission, no
Nurburgring lap records and no big price tag. Just an eager engine, an
old-school stick-shift, a beefed-up suspension, and some bigger brakes.
You could be thinking of the Sandero
RS that Renault rolled out in Latin America, where it
represents Dacia’s model line under its own name. The
Sandero RS boasts all of 145 horsepower from its 2.0-liter four-cylinder
engine, posing little threat to the Type Rs and GTIs of the world. But it’s an
accessible, zero-frills driving tool that we bet would be a real hoot to drive
on narrow, twisting roads where hot hatches thrive.
Unfortunately we can’t get our hands on one, which
makes us wish that the Romanian automaker would roll out its own DaciaSport
line. We’re sure the team at RenaultSport would be glad to help. Heck, they
could call it whatever they want. Just give us a happy little hatchback that
won’t go all to pieces the second you throw it at a corner… and won’t break the
bank, either.
