Dacia, Renault’s low-cost arm for no-frills transportation, has decided to go wild and think outside the affordable box by developing the Manifesto. It’s an unconventional concept car that won’t go into production, but the Romanian brand claims the electric show car highlights its intent to serve people in the great outdoors. It gets a new corporate identity with a revised DC logo on the front and large “DACIA” letters on the back.
It embodies the “more or less theme” by not having pesky body panels like doors, windows, or windshields. Also, who needs two headlights when one is enough? The budget-friendly Ford Bronco doesn’t use an infotainment system either. Instead, you’ll be using your own smartphone, as you can in the lower trim levels of the Sandero supermini and Logan subcompact sedan.
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To highlight the Manifesto tailored to the adventurous, the interior is washable and the seat covers can be removed and converted into a sleeping bag. To increase its versatility even further, Dacia designed a modular roof with removable bars. Speaking of things you can detach easily, the removable battery pack turns the Manifesto into a power source, much like some of today’s EVs have bidirectional charging. The single headlight can also be pulled out and used as a torch.
Some of the body panels it has are made of recycled plastic and the interior uses cork on the dashboard. Another nice feature is the use of airless tires, so you don’t have to worry about punctures when you’re in the woods. The fat all-terrain tires and generous ground clearance give the Manifesto go-anywhere capability in the same vein as a buggy.
It would be great for Dacia to introduce a product that is even very similar to the Manifesto, but the brand will remain focused on offering some of the cheapest cars money can buy.
