What is it?
The Dacia Duster Black Edition was originally a one-off model that was created to celebrate the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Reputedly 'overwhelming' interest in it at the event, however, led Dacia to put the model in to production.
Cosmetic changes for the Black Edition include a distinctive brushed metal-look black vinyl wrap and 18-inch alloy wheels.
Inside you'll find upgraded trim in the form of a leather interior, while the Dacia's kit levels are bolstered by the addition of a Kenwood infotainment system. This adds sat-nav, DAB radio, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, a USB connection and DVD playback to the Duster's relatively spartan kit list.
The Black Edition is available on two-wheel drive and four-wheel-drive versions of the Dacia Duster Ambiance and Lauréate models. Opting for the pack adds a substantial £5390 to the list price, however, which escalates the cost of even the cheapest model to £16,985. That's almost the same as an entry-level 2.0-litre diesel Skoda Yeti.
More alarmingly, if you opt for one of the four-wheel-drive models - as tested - the price hovers perilously close to the £20,000 mark. Suddenly, the Dacia seems very expensive.
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Think this car sums up the problem with Dacia's in a neat package.
As a budget car, the entry level Duster is great - a 4x4 for under £9k which will probably handle all a British winter will throw at it - but when you start adding options and moving up the trim levels that price soon jumps into the range of much better new and used cars before you take into account 3 years of deprecation.
The same applies to the Sandero. At £5995 it's a bargain but when you hit the better spec'd versions you're in Fiesta or Polo range and to be honest for an average family with a couple of kids they won't notice the Fiesta and Polo isn't as big as the Sandero.
You really would have to be
You really would have to be an idiot to buy this car in this spec. However, I do think the brushed-effect finish looks nice, at least in pictures and where it is not already falling off! I can see it looking like badly applied wallpaper after a year or two.
I'm disappointed Dacia have
I'm disappointed Dacia have produced this model. One of the company's advertising catch phrases is "function over frivolity", an approach which I admire. With this, though they fall at the first hurdle.
I'm not sure I can take them seriously any more.