Dacia brand was born after a contract between the Romanian communist government and the state-owned Renault in the mid-’60s, which led to the Renault 12 model’s production.
In the late ’70s, the R&D department was assigned to improve the already existing model Renault 12, re-named Dacia 1300. The modifications were made on both sedan and station-wagon versions and led to a modified exterior design and some drivetrain modifications.

The most striking difference was on the front fascia. Instead of the older, oval-shaped headlights, the 1310 model featured four round headlights. Instead of the older, chromed grille with horizontal slats, a black plastic one was installed. The door handles were replaced with black plastic ones instead of the metallic chromed one use before. The 13” steel-wheels featured an option for chromed caps.

Inside, the car received a new layout for the instrument cluster, with more dials for the oil pressure, a tachometer, and a battery charging status. The steering wheel was redesigned and covered with a black plastic foam instead of the two-spoke, hard, and slim steering wheel from the previous model.

Under the hood, the Dacia 1310 featured the same 1.3-liter gasoline engine as its predecessor, but with a different single-barrel carburetor. The radiator was modified as well, with more plastic parts which were cheaper to produce.