cars: Dacia Logan MCV in Detail

Seven true seats and genuine versatility

A modern design that emphasizes the notion of space

The combination of Logan MCV’s clearly defined wheel arches, taut lateral lines and sculpted bonnet expresses both quality and strength and clearly reveals the model’s Logan pedigree. Yet the new car also profits from the styling cues of Logan Steppe Concept which was unveiled at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. Logan MCV stands out from the saloon version by its redesigned lower front bumper, while its wider air intake and new foglamp slots ensure an even more assertive personality. Dacia’s brand identity is reinforced by the wider grille surround. Large side protective mouldings protect Logan MCV along narrow lanes and further underpin the notion of robustness. The body’s waistline has been made more dynamic thanks to the rounded forms of the quarter lights, and the raised roof – complete with oof bars – suggests the car’s outstanding interior volumes and sense of space.

At the rear, the combination of the rear light clusters’ vertical lines and rounded forms emphasizes Logan MCV’s modern styling, while the 60/40 split opening rear doors are an important practical feature.

Record interior volumes and room for up to seven adult passengers

The promise of Logan MCV’s exterior styling is carried over to the car’s interior. The estate version’s longer wheelbase (+27cm compared with Logan) frees up even more space in addition to the saloon’s already record volumes. Front shoulder and elbow room is equivalent to that of leading C-segment saloons (whose numbers include Renault Mégane), yet it as at the rear that Logan MCV truly comes into its own.

Available in seven-seater form, Logan MCV comfortably sits up to three adult passengers in its second row seats, plus a further two in the third-row seats. The two back-row seats can perfectly accommodate adults of the 95^th percentile (>1.90m tall), a feat made possible thanks entirely to the car's rear-end design philosophy. With shoulder room of 1,421 and 1,287mm respectively and kneeroom of 170 and 174mm, the second and third-row seats are particularly comfortable, while passengers will also appreciate the exceptional headroom of up to 934mm for the middle-row seats. The naturally generously dimensioned windows ensure a bright, relaxing and convivial interior ambience.

The opening quarter lights mean that third-row passengers can profit from a light breeze in warm weather. Finally, access to the third row seats couldn’t be simpler. Passengers enter by the rear doors and the second row seat is easily tipped forward thanks to a single lever located at the top of the seatback. The manoeuvre is further facilitated by the retractable headrest.

Unrivalled load-carrying capacity Logan MCV also boasts a record load-carrying capacity of 700 litres in five-seat trim and up to 2,350 litres with just two seats in place, a layout made possible thanks to the new car’s remarkable modularity. Even with seven seats in place, Logan MCV’s boot volume is still almost 200 litres, although there is no need to use the boot for storing small items since the total stowage space inside the cabin amounts to a generous 54 litres.

With bins located both underneath the console and in the front and rear doors, plus map pockets and even space for a 1 1/2 litre bottle type within easy reach of third-row passengers, there is stowage space available wherever one is seated in the car. According to version, the rear row passengers also benefit from vast overhead stowage. The rear doors haven't been forgotten either since their inside panels incorporate a 2.15-litre stowage bin and retention net which are easily accessible when the rear doors are open.

Acclaimed as an exploit at the time of its launch, Dacia proves once again with the introduction of Logan MCV that the tag was fully justified. Indeed, travelling in Logan MCV ensures a degree of conviviality and comfort previously unseen in the Logan price bracket.

Modular and versatile

In addition to the conviviality it offers when travelling as a family, Logan MCV stands out through its exceptional modularity which permits a wide range of uses. The seatback of the third-row benchseat of the seven-seat version can be folded down (either in one piece or with a 50/50 split according to version).

The entire bench (cushion + seatback) can also be tipped forward against the second-row benchseat. Once in this position, the rear benchseat can be removed quite simply thanks to ergonomically-located handles and its low weight of just 16.7kg.

The same modularity naturally applies to the second-row benchseat (60/40 split according to version) which can also be tipped forward against the front seats to maximize the vehicle’s loadcarrying capacity. All these combinations make Logan MCV particularly practical and the car can be converted from passenger carrying to the transport of bulky loads in a matter of seconds.

The loading of baggage, shopping, etc. is further facilitated by the 1/3-2/3 split asymmetric rear doors which make it possible to open just one door if required. Meanwhile, each door can be opened to one of three different angles (40, 90 and 180 degrees). The 40-degree option permits loading in situations where space is at a premium, such as in a garage or when another vehicle is parked just behind Logan MCV. This option also ensures a certain degree of intimacy with regards to the boot’s contents. The 180-degree facility comes in particularly handy when loading long, heavy or bulky items. But whatever the aperture, Logan MCV’s rear doors are easy to manoeuvre thanks to their low weight, a factor which in effect led Logan MCV’s designers to choose this solution rather than a classic hatch-type

tailgate. Moreover, in certain markets where the family car also serves professionally, the unique combination of its rear doors and modular interior make Logan MCV the ideal choice for versatility.

The car’s versatility is compounded by its longitudinal roof bars which, in addition to contributing to car’s sleek looks, can carry loads of up to 100kg (European standard: 80kg).

Logan MCV’s modularity can also be enhanced thanks to an extensive range of accessories that will be available at the same time as its launch, including towing gear, a ski holder, transverse roof bars, mudguards, alarm, etc.

A new Dacia vehicle in its own right

Logan MCV is the second model in the Logan programme which will feature six vehicles within the framework of the Renault Commitment 2009. Logan MCV reasserts the Renault Group’s determination to expand internationally and will be manufactured in Pitesti, Romania, the factory where the Logan adventure first began. The daily production capacity of Logan MCV is expected to be 360 vehicles, and 100 million euros* out of the total programme outlay of 154 million euros* were spent on manufacturing-related investment concerning the car’s production in Pitesti.

These budgets were kept to a minimum thanks to the systematic application of techniques such as “carry-over” (transfer of solutions from one project to another) and “design to cost” (preponderance of the notion of value to the customer regarding technical and design specifications). These two principles were an underlying feature of the project from start to finish along with a peranent obsession for quality.

Logan MCV will go on sale in Romania from October 2006 and then progressively in the course of 2007 across the rest of Europe, from Spain to Turkey, and in certain African and Latin American countries. In its home market,

Logan MCV is aimed at developing the loyalty of Dacia’s customers who already account for almost half the market. In other European markets, like the saloon version, it is expected to win over a pragmatic, rational thinking and price-conscious clientele as well as motorists looking for a highly functional and versatile vehicle. In this respect, it stands out as the perfect complement to the saloon car and gives Dacia the status of a fully-fledged brand in its own right with a range comprising several models.

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