Dacia's Irish sales of passenger cars this year have already surpassed its sales for all of 2022, with the firm's market share increasing by two points to 4.59 per cent in the first half of 2023.
The company is also ranked number one in volume growth and seventh in the Irish passenger car market, an increase of six positions year-on-year.
Additionally, all Dacia's models are in the top six in their respective segments, with the Sandero and Jogger second in the B-segment and compact MPV markets and the Duster sixth in the subcompact crossover segment.
European growth
Dacia's success is not limited to Ireland, however. In Europe, the brand has climbed to second place in the retail customer market, its longest-standing core segment, growing its market share to 8.4 per cent.
In particular, the brand's four main models - the Spring, Sandero, Duster and Jogger - all rank within the top ten best-selling models in France, Dacia's largest market, with one in six French retail customers now buying a Dacia.
Meanwhile, Dacia's 9.7 per cent share in Italy's retail customer market ranks the brand in first place for the first time ever.
In Germany, the company posted a 5.7 per cent share in the retail customer market, ranking it third - another first for the company, which was taken over by the Renault Group in 1999.
In Spain - where the Sandero is consistently one of the country's best-selling cars - sales rose sharply by 40 per cent, with 24,816 units sold.
Dacia also posted growth in its home market of Romania - where five of the best-sellers in the first half of 2023 were Dacia models. The brand's share in the all-important retail customer segment reached an all-time high of 40.8 per cent.
"This is the first time that Dacia has reached second place in the European ranking for sales to retail customers," said Xavier Martinet, SVP of Dacia Marketing, Sales and Operations.
"This goes to show that our strategy matches customers' needs. This performance also stems from the fact that our brand is changing non-stop."
Looking to the future
Dacia has taken measures to solidify its place at the sharp end of sales sheets - such as introducing the new 'Extreme' trim level, which has seen high consumer uptake, with orders exceeding 45,000 units in just a few months.
The company has also announced its plans to contest the World Rally-Raid Championship, including the Dakar Rally in 2025, using sustainable synthetic fuels supplied by Aramco.
Dacia has also committed to a partnership with the UTMB World Series ultramarathon, becoming a title partner to the series.
New models are on the way, too - with the company announcing a new flagship SUV, based on the 2021 Bigster concept, to slot in above the Duster in the company's line-up. This SUV will be based on the CMF-B platform used by the Sandero.
In addition, all future Dacia models - including the next-generation Duster - will make the move to the same platform as part of a "one-size-fits-all" philosophy, which will allow the company to straddle multiple segments while keeping prices low.