Romania's top carmaker Dacia aims to export 75% of its output in 2009, official says

The company deems it will weather the economic crisis better than other carmakers as the current situation on the auto markets changed consumers' preferences in wealthy countries.

Dacia plans to cut expenses and keep cash-flow on medium-term in a bid to escape the financial turmoil. The investment budget was tailored by one half this year to 200 million euros. 

The automaker booked a turnover of 7.64 billion lei last year, up 10 percent versus the previous, owing to higher exports. Sales on the local market dropped significantly in 2008. 

French group Renault, the owner of Dacia, required the Romanian government a state aid worth 170 million euros for Dacia, the testing center in Titu, the suppliers of Dacia and also for Nissan Romania, Fourmont said last week.

As many as 28 million euros would go to the testing center in the southern town of Titu, Dambovita county, and 40 million euros to start an investment program worth 200 million euros. 

The car market was severely affected by the economic downturn and a weaker national currency which curbed demand. Romania's Dacia had to close gates in December and January for a while, as the number of orders decreased and production shrank.