Bucharest Car Show 2007 opens, but with few exclusives

Unlike previous editions, this year's SIAB is organized at Metro Otopeni, on a 50,000-sqm area. The venue is owned by businessman Ion Tiriac. This year, just one significant carmaker is missing from SIAB: Peugeot. The company said it would not take part in the show because the venue was not suitable.
The Frankfurt Saloon organized just a few weeks before the Bucharest International Auto Saloon reduced the number of new brands premiered in Bucharest. Just a few producers presented models exclusively. For instance, Hyundai presented the new i30 model and Dacia launched the new Logan Pick-up. According to Dacia representatives, the price of the fourth Logan model will not surpass EUR 10,000. It will be sold in Romania from next spring, after which it will also go on sale in Bulgaria, Turkey and Algeria. “In the version that we will produce from next year, the pick-up will have two other small places at the back of the cabin. The model will be sold just in these counties because we don't want clients waiting too long to buy the car as happened with the MCV,” Francois Fourmont, GM of Automobile Group Dacia, told Business Review.
Although the world exclusives are absent, carmakers are using the SIAB event to announce significant expansion in the automotive industry. Also, Renault has said it expects to sell over 30,000 units in Romania this year. Toyota Romania representatives estimate that next year they will sell 300 cars under the Lexus brand, compared with just an estimated 150 for this year.

Dana Ciuraru