The new model, a multi-purpose vehicle, will be built in Tangiers, Morocco. One in fifteen cars currently sold in Europe is an MPV, according to the data of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA). No other such car on the market costs less than EUR14,000 and comes with an option for seven seats, though.
The new Lodgy, international automotive press says, will have a starting price of EUR10,000 for the base trim and may cost as much as EUR15,000 for the top trim, which is cheaper than a Renault Scenic, the French carmaker’s best-selling model.
MPVs account for less than 2% of the local car market, while in Western Europe they generate close to 10% of sales, as westerners prefer MPVs and hatchbacks over SUVs because of the extra space, as well as higher fuel efficiency.
Lodgy will likely sport the same type of engines as Duster, a 1.6 liter gas engine with 110 horsepower and two 1.5 liter diesel engines with 85 and 110 horsepower.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)