VW had a three figure million fine for being 0.5g above the limit for their fleet.

If these rules are being applied, Dacia have a problem.

AFAIK all of their cars are ICE with no hybrid or electric to reduce emissions across the range. The could pool sales with Renault to reduce fines, but Renault may suffer as a result.

Manufacturers with hybrid vehicles can pool the fleet to reduce overall emissions. Their strategy may be to promote lower emission small cars using price as an inducement, making Dacia seem relatively expensive.

Also worth noting that the original USP of Dacia was simple, basic and cheap. Remove the simple and basic and they can no longer be made cheaply!

Au contraire!

• Available across continental Europe, the Dacia Spring Electric offers 140-mile range (WLTP)
• The Dacia Spring Electric will be the most affordable electric vehicle in Europe, with car sharing and Cargo versions available
• There are no plans for the Dacia Spring Electric to be sold in the UK
• www.dacia.fr/achat-vehicules-neufs?model.code=S1E

Ford and Mercedes are two who have recently said they are looking to get out of the lower end. PSA/Stellantis have got out of the city car market.

Mercedes have never been in that market.

With a lot of manufacturers finding they can make more money by selling less cars I do wonder what the immediate future for the cheaper end is.

It has always been hard to make a good return on budget cars.

Ford and Mercedes are two who have recently said they are looking to get out of the lower end. PSA/Stellantis have got out of the city car market.

The only flaw in this is not everyone wants a £50k car.......so there will be a gap there for someone if they can make the sums add up.

Nice gap for the Chinese to move into.

Stellantis have got out of the city car market have they,? Fiat 500e 24kw/h battery about 115miles range or 90 in real life. Isn't that a city car? Made by Stellantis? I have the 42kw/h big battery version but it's very much still a city car.

With a lot of manufacturers finding they can make more money by selling less cars I do wonder what the immediate future for the cheaper end is.

It has always been hard to make a good return on budget cars.

Ford and Mercedes are two who have recently said they are looking to get out of the lower end. PSA/Stellantis have got out of the city car market.

The only flaw in this is not everyone wants a £50k car.......so there will be a gap there for someone if they can make the sums add up.

The main reason why many makes are either pulling out of the cheaper 'base model' or 'city car' end of the market or switching the latter to solely EV is because governments are forcing their hands by ever more stringent environmental and especially safety regs, meaning (especially the latter) they ALL, expensive and cheapo, have to have lots of extra gizmos that have nothing to do with how the car drives but which will up the cost of producing them.

At some point, they either cannot make a profit on them at the lower price or sell enough at a price that could turn a profit to justify making them - low numbers of sales are only for expensive cars.

I somehow doubt if the powers that be are that naive that they don't realise the damage to social mobility and the bank balances of the Plebs whilst further increasing the wealth and power of those whispering in the ears of the law-makers.

it's to get people that previously would have bought a C1 at least into the showroom.

As it is an in production model it's cheap for them to make, the risk is that some people who might have bought a higher trim say actually I don't need/want all the toys & buy this instead.