Dacia Manifesto Off-Road Concept Has Scaled-Down GMC Hummer EV Vibes

Dacia is a brand you're certainly familiar with. Even so, when the Romanian automaker unveiled something that essentially looks like a scaled-down two-seat GMC Hummer EV mixed with a Lunar Rover, it's hard not to take notice. The Dacia Manifesto is presented as Dacia's "living laboratory", ready to tackle any terrain while demonstrating new technologies that could potentially make their way into future production cars.

Like Volkswagen, Dacia was founded in Romania in the 1960s to create a "people's car". Unlike Volkswagen, Dacia licensed another design – the Renault 8 – to create the Dacia 1100. Today, Dacia is a Renault subsidiary, but it has remained a rather down-to-earth brand, with models such as the Sandero and Duster. That's why the Manifesto is such an unusual sight from Dacia. It looks nothing like the everyday cars the Romanian brand is known for. In fact, it barely looks like a vehicle designed to travel on this planet. As with most concepts, the idea is to showcase new technologies, materials and ideas that Dacia – and probably Renault – may want to use in future production vehicles.

This is a truly unusual concept, featuring some seriously unconventional ideas, including airless tires, body panels made from recycled plastic called "Starkle", a cork-covered dashboard for attaching maps and notes, a fabric cargo cover, an integrated winch and absolutely no doors or windows. Perhaps the most interesting feature is the seating, which looks like something taken straight from a NASA lunar rover. The seat covers are secured with straps and quick-release buckles and can be removed to serve as sleeping bags or taken out completely so the interior can be hosed down when it gets dirty and muddy.

To keep your cargo secure, Dacia has also introduced its new "YouClip" system, which looks like pegboard panels and uses elastic cords to secure items to the sides, roof and interior. Dacia says YouClip will become an integrated feature on future models. Another feature we could see on future Dacias is the "Bring-Your-Own-Device" system, which uses a smartphone as the infotainment screen and connects it to the Manifesto's onboard computer system – something a few automakers have already experimented with, such as Smart with its Cross Connect infotainment system.

Another interesting feature is the use of unique lights: one at the front and another positioned between the seat headrests. According to Dacia, the Manifesto uses a single light source made up of multiple LEDs, mounted at the front just below the daytime running light that is becoming common on electric vehicles. It can even be detached and used as a flashlight. Since Dacia designed the Manifesto as the ultimate outdoor vehicle, it also features a removable 2.25 kWh battery that can be used to power anything that runs from a household electrical outlet.

This concept is refreshing – a buggy that would look perfectly at home in Romania or even on the Moon, and could potentially operate on both surfaces thanks to its electric powertrain. You would just need to bring your own spacesuit that fits inside the Manifesto. We hope the Manifesto somehow makes it into production, even if only as a large electric UTV with conventional tires.

The Manifesto looks far too much fun to remain just a concept, doesn't it?