Dacia Duster bakkie returns as a bizarre short wheelbase double cab
Romania’s Duster Pick-Up is a quirky double cab with a tiny load bin and hybrid-only powertrains.
Renault affiliate Dacia has once again introduced a bakkie version of the Duster, albeit in the most unusual way possible.
Bakkie coupe?
Again limited to its home market of Romania, the Duster Pick-Up no longer has a single cab body style as before, but comes in the shape of a double cab utility with a small loading area separated from the rear seats by a custom-made partition.
The work of Romanian coachbuilder Romturingia, who did the original, the redesign has seen the Pick-Up remain unchanged from the standard Duster all the way to the side windows behind the C-pillar, at which point the boot lid makes way for a tiny tailgate and a flat loading area.
Dimensionally unchanged from the standard Duster means the Pick-Up can only carry 430kg, 70kg less than its predecessor.
According to Dacia’s website, the loadbox measures 1 050mm long, more than 600mm less than before, and exactly 1 000mm wide.
Hybrid power only
Officially classified as a commercial vehicle, the Duster Pick-Up comes in three trim levels: Expression, Extreme and Journey, with motivation coming from two of the three powertrains available in the standard Duster.
The units in question are the mild-hybrid 1.2l turbo-petrol developing 96kW, and the self-charging hybrid that combines a normally aspirated 1.6l petrol engine with a 1.2kWh battery pack powering two electric motors for a combined output of 107kW.
Whereas the latter is exclusively offered with front-wheel drive, the mild-hybrid gets four-wheel drive as standard.
Respective transmission options are the clutchless multi-mode for the hybrid and the six-speed manual for the mild-hybrid.
Not for export
In total, the Duster Pick-Up can be had in one of seven colours: Sandstone, Glacier White, Pearl Black, Schist Grey, Lichen Kaki, Terracotta Brown and Cedar Green.
Priced from €25 983, which amounts to R534 552 when directly converted and without taxes, the Duster Pick-Up, as with its predecessor, won’t be offered outside its home market or for export markets under the Renault badge.
This article first appeared in The Citizen.
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