The Pope has a new whip, and it might not be what you expect unless you were expecting it to be a Dacia Duster, Autoblog reports.A far cry from the Lamborghini Huracan gifted to him previously, the Dacia, a much more humble vehicle, suits this much more humble Pontiff.Dacia, a Romanian company owned by Renault, built the car specially for His Holiness with the help of coachbuilder Romturingia.It started out as a standard second-generation Duster, but has obviously had a few modifications done to it to make it befitting of the head of the Catholic church, like, most notably, the extra glass windshield, which gives it a more golf-kart-like appearance. The Duster has also been lowered to aid with ingress and egress, and the rear bench seat is extra-comfy, were told.Under the hood of the Dacia is either a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder or a 1.5-liter turbodiesel were not sure which, though we know its a four-wheel-drive model. This means that it could rock either 130 or 115 horsepower, respectively, more than enough to parade around Vatican City.When Pope Francis isnt putting himself on display, hes usually tootled around the Vatican in a 1984 Renault 4 GTL, given to him by a fellow priest. It doesnt get any more humble than
Origin: The newest Popemobile is a humble Dacia Duster
Duster
Vatican receives modified Dacia Duster as new Popemobile
Renault has gifted a specially modified Dacia Duster to the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis. The budget SUV has been adapted to suit papal needs by Dacia’s Prototype department and Special Needs Team, in partnership with Romanian coachbuilder Romturingia. The new Popemobile offers the same five-seat layout as the standard Duster but has a “particularly comfortable” rear bench added to suit lengthy public parades. Also featured are a large sunroof, roof-mounted grab handles and, as is customary with Popemobiles from all marques, a removable transparent display box to allow crowds a better look at His Holiness. The Duster is finished in white with a leather interior, and its suspension has been lowered by 30mm to allow for easier ingress and egress. It was delivered to The Vatican by Christophe Dridi, managing director of Groupe Renault Romania, and Xavier Martinet, general manager of Groupe Renault Italy. The Duster won’t be the Pope’s first experience of a Dacia; during a 2016 visit to Armenia, he used an unmodified example of the Logan saloon as his official transport. He promotes frugality and modesty, whereas his predecessors rode in a variety of premium vehicles, including those from Mercedes-Benz and Range Rover. In 2017, Lamborghini gifted Pope Francis a Huracán specially painted in the official colours of The Vatican. After he had blessed and autographed the car, it was sold at a charity auction for
Origin: Vatican receives modified Dacia Duster as new Popemobile
New engine raises Dacia Duster prices by £1000
Dacia has raised the pricing of its Duster SUV following the addition of a new entry-level petrol engine. The new engine is available on Dusters equipped with Access, Essential and Comfort trim, with prices ranging from £10,995 to £13,995. This marks a £1000 increase over the Duster’s previous £9995 entry price. The turbocharged three-cylinder TCe 100 unit replaces the 1.6-litre SCe 115 engine with less power, at 99bhp, but improved emissions. CO2 output is down 18% at 126g/km and fuel efficiency has been improved from 40.9-43.5mpg to 48.7-49.5mpg. Torque output is improved as well, with the TCe 100 producing 192lb ft, 66% more than the SCe unit’s 115lb ft. Acceleration and top speed are slightly reduced, though, with the TCe capable of 0-62mph in 12.5sec and a top speed of 104mph. Dacia claims the TCe 100, also found in the new Renault Clio, is lighter and more compact than the engine it replaces. Mechanical improvements include an electronically controlled turbocharger wastegate, a redesigned exhaust manifold, twin variable valve timing and bore spray coating. Dacia has sold nearly 10,000 Dusters so far this year, an 89% increase compared with the same period in 2018. Even with the newly increased prices, the Duster remains the UK’s cheapest mainstream SUV, with MG’s rival ZS available from
Origin: New engine raises Dacia Duster prices by £1000
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