If you enjoy the outdoors as much as the next bloke, you’ll agree there’s something undeniably appealing about properly purpose-built off-road vehicles. The team at Dacia have just announced their own vision of exactly that, in the all-electric Manifesto concept buggy that looks like it was plucked off the set of Blade Runner.
First things first. Dacia has confirmed that this conceptualised version of the Manifesto won’t make it to standard production, however, elements of its design will eventually make their way to market on other vehicles, which is exciting. If you’re lusting after a closer look at the futuristic, almost cyberpunk design, you’re in luck as the Manifesto will be on public display next month.
Basically, the Manifesto is about as pared back as a restless all-terrain buggy can get, imagined without a windscreen, doors or windows to embody the Renault-owned Dacia’s wish of being synonymous with robustness and eco-smarts. The robustness is easy to see, while the eco-friendly elements can be found in the proprietary Starckle plastic composite that makes up exterior components, the airless tires and the cork-like interior panelling.
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Other cool details include the seats that can transform into sleeping bags, the dash cradle to turn your smartphone into the infotainment system, and the removable single front headlight that can be used as a torch. As with all good design, the devil is in the details.
“At Dacia, we like to keep it real,” explained David Durand, the design director at the Romanian automaker.
“As we were developing and exploring new ideas, we felt we needed to push them past 3-D simulations and see what they look like in real life! As well as being a designer object, Manifesto Concept encapsulates our vision and combines a wide range of innovation—some involve extreme implementation, but they are still affordable for customers. We will be using a few of them on future Dacia models.”
So if you find yourself in Paris in October, take the time to visit Dacia at the Paris Motor Show where you’ll be able to drink in the Manifesto in all of its spartan glory.
