Dacia Automobile has come a long way since its conception as Renault’s budget brand. Founded in 1966, the company started life under the name Uzina de Autoturisme Pitesti (UAP), back when Romania was a communist-controlled state and innovation was discouraged. In an effort to motorise Romania, they introduced the Dacia 1300 - a true ‘peoples car’ in 1969. This caught the public’s attention and almost 2 million were built. In 1999, Renault bought a controlling stake in the company and set about transforming Dacia into what it is today— one of Europe’s fastest-growing car brands, and one of Romania’s top revenue-producing companies.