Manufacturers Dacia

Dacia has taken quite a different approach in revealing its latest minivan, Lodgy. Rather than traveling the usual auto show circuit and looking pretty on rotating pedestals, a unique, race-prepped Dacia Lodgy has been made to compete in France’s ice rally series, the Trophée Andros, months before any information on the production model is available.

Three time French ice racing champ Jean-Philippe Dayraut has accomplished a lot in his career, but he’s always wanted to race, and win, at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. He accomplished one of the two last week, and despite plenty of enthusiasm, finished just third in on what is recognized as the most challenging event of its kind.

While little known on our shores, the Dacia Duster is a popular crossover in Eastern Europe. In two weeks time, however, it will get plenty of attention here, as it races to the clouds in the annual Pikes Peak hill climb.

The rally car race version of the Duster couldn’t be further from the production model, however, with typically small Euro-spec engine being replaced by a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6 out of the Nissan GT-R. Making 850-hp the motor now also sits behind the driver in a mid-engine configuration.

Set to be piloted by Jean-Phillipe Dayraut, the Dacia Duster “No Limit” race car recently underwent testing and the team has some wild video to show of just how powerful this machine is.

Watch the video after the jump:

The Romanian racing company Dacia famous for winter racing has joined Renaultsport, and a number of independent firms to build the Dacia Duster. The “No Limit” race car driven by Jean-Phillipe Dayraut was built for the Unlimited class at Pikes Peak.

If you’ve never witnessed the annual Pikes Peak Hill Climb, you’re truly missing out in an unbelievable experience. The locale itself is a sight to behold and watching high-horsepower machines blast their way up the mountainside is just icing on the cake.

The Dacia Logan, intended to be sold in world markets as basic transportation, was never supposed to come to America, but somehow, 41 Dacia Logan station wagons found their way to Iowa, sans drivetrain.

Dacia might not be well know in America, but they are getting ready to take on Pikes Peak this year with Jean-Phillipe Dayraut at the wheel. He will be driving a Dacia Duster with a tuned engine out of a Nissan GT-R. Peak output should be around 850-hp and since the car weighs under 2000 lbs., it will be quick.

Toyota was once famous for its “Kaizen” methods of continuous improvement, whereby incremental changes throughout the product development and production process helped make their cars better. Every business school student has heard stories about Toyota plant employees being given authority to stop the production line so that quality issues can be solved – and we’re about to show you the total opposite of that.

To be fair, the Dacia cars are built to a price, rugged machines intended to bring personal transportation to less fortunate parts of the world. Inevitably, some compromises must be made, and as we can see in this video, quality control is one of them. When the doors don’t quite close properly, the best method is of course, brute force.

Hit the jump to see the video

[Source: RideLust]