Concept Bigster made its debut in 2021 as part of parent company Renault's Renaulution restructuring plan after the pandemic. Image: Dacia.
The styling inspiration for the all-new third generation Duster that debuted in November last year, Renault-owned Dacia’s flagship Bigster is reportedly set for an earlier than expected reveal, according to a new claim from Brazil.
While still to be seen whether it would be marketed under the name it debuted under in its current concept form three years ago, what is certain that the newcomer will be substantially longer at 4.6 metres in overall length and wider than the Duster, whose dimensions were not disclosed at its global launch.
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Set to make additional use of the same platform as its sibling, the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s CMF-B that also underpins the Renault Clio and Mitsubishi Colt as well as the Captur and ASX, the Bigster will provide seating for five or seven and feature an interior similar in look and design to the Duster.
In the latest development, the Bigster’s long projected premiere in production spec no longer appears on the cards for 2025 but rather as early as the end of this year.
According to motor1.com Brazil, the apparent confirmation comes from Dacia itself, and despite no further details being revealed, will result in the Bigster still going on-sale in 2025, but a lot earlier than originally planned.
Showcased alongside the incoming Renault 5 in concept form in 2021 as part of the French brand’s post-pandemic “Renaulution” restructuring plan, the Bigster will have a projected price tag of well under €40 000 (R823 182) and possibly the same selection of hybrid and mild-hybrid powertrains as the Duster.
“Two years after the presentation of the ‘Renaulution’ strategic plan, Dacia has successfully completed its phase of radical transformation by renewing its entire range, rolling out a new brand identity and reinforcing its electrified models,” CEO, Denis Le Vot, said in a statement in March last year.
“We are now focusing on going on the offensive in the C-segment and are therefore developing our business plan while remaining true to our values: providing the essentials to our customers and offering the very best value for money”.
At present, complete uncertainty surrounds the Bigster being approved for markets outside Europe where the Renault brand is stronger than Dacia after the former’s Head of Design, Laurens van den Acker, told Autocar in 2018 that apart from the Duster, the time had come for the rebadging of Dacias as Renaults to cease for good.
“Cars that are Renault derivatives of Dacias, I want that to stop. I can’t argue with the business sense to do it, because Renaults were expensive for some markets and Dacias were relatively modern cars that were reliable and affordable, so we rebadged them. But now we will start to differentiate,” van den Acker said.
As such, it remains to be seen on the eventual decision taken with the Bigster, although more certain are the chances of the Duster’s local market arrival after Renault South Africa confirmed it is investigating the possibility of introducing it in the final quarter of 2024.
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