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MazdaSpeed #1634
Mazda

Owned by Ford - 33.4 %

Subsidiary Eunos (Brand name)

Xedos (Brand name)

Introduction After 5 consecutive years of loss, Mazda is eventually back to profitable in 1999, thanks to the vast cost reduction. Since 1979, Ford owned 25% shares in Mazda. As the Japanese management failed to stop losing money, Ford increased its share to 33.4% in 1996 and brought a Ford man as CEO. The American management cut money-losing models, hence decreasing market share but improved profitability.
However, there are still a few "excessive" models remain selling, such as RX-7, MX-3, 929 and Millenia (Eunos 800 or Xedos 9). Expect them to disappear next year. Ford is also letting Mazda participating its global platform / engine sharing strategy. The European 121 (simply a rebadged Ford Fiesta) is just a joke. The real cost sharing will see the next generation 4-cylinder engine share between them. 323 and 626 are also not guaranteed to remain independent.

However, green light has been given to the development and production of the next generation rotary engine car, which has shown in 99 Tokyo show as RX-EVOLV. To the Japanese engineers, rotary engine is the heart of Mazda. Without it, Mazda will not be Mazda.

Apart from the rotary car, the mass production cars are rather conservative in design, concept and technology used. The company once renowned for creating the MX-5 is no longer as creative as before.

Sales figure 2001 production: 870,000 units
Location Headquarters : Hiroshima
R&D centers : Hiroshima (Japan), Irvine (California, US), Ann Arbor (Michigan, US), Oberursel (Germany).
Plants in Japan : Hiroshima (Demio, 121, 323, 929, MPV, MX-5, RX-7), Hofu (323, 626, Millenia, Premacy).
Plants in US : AutoAlliance, Michigan (50/50 with Ford, produces 626 and Cougar).
Brief History Mazda was founded in 1920 in the name of "Toyo Kogyo", producing machine tools. In 1931, it started producing 3-wheel truck, but cars came as late as 1960, when R360 Coupe was launched.
From the very beginning of its car operation, it started working on rotary engines (licensed by NSU and Dr. Wankel). Toyo Kogyo knew if they did not have a unique technology, they could have been absorbed by other car makers under the guidance of Japanese government. Therefore during the 60s and early 70s they worked hard to improve the rotary engine and eventually making it for mass production.

Their first saloon was launched in 1962, and the brand name "Mazda" had been chosen. 5 years later, the first rotary car, Cosmo coupe, was launched as a small scale production bounded in Japan. The coupe version of the Familia saloon, R100, gained the rotary engine next year. Attack to the US market started in 1970, and rotary engines found prosperity there - 8 years later, the one millionth rotary car was produced. That year also saw the introduction of RX-7.

Following several energy crisis, the hope of rotary-engined mass production cars broke, leaving only the niche RX-7 sports car carried on. Mazdas fortune in the US also left with the rotary. In 1979, Ford acquired 25% stake in Mazda, starting a joint venture in the US to produce cars for both firms. That venture, AutoAlliance, produced Probe and MX-6 and today still builds Cougar and 626.

In 1984, the company name was formally renamed to Mazda. The trio of saloons, 323, 626 and 929, worked well in the 80s to push Mazdas sales up. Before the breakage of bubble economy, Mazda decided to expand its models to premium car market, in other words, following the route of Acura, Lexus and Infiniti. That created Xedos in Europe and Eunos in Asia, both brands share the same cars - the smaller Eunos 500 (Xedos 6) and bigger Eunos 800 (Xedos 9, or Mazda Millenia). Now as you know, the breakage of bubble economy led to the failure of this ambitious project, causing heavy loss and eventually had to seek help from Ford. The latter increased stocks to a third and took the effective control of the Japanese car maker. The independence of Mazda has gone.

The most successful Mazda car is probably the 89 Miata (MX-5), which is now 10 years old and has past 500,000 units sales mark. It is going to beat MGA/B/Cs all time record for sports car sales.

Another achievement is the Le Mans win in 1991. The Mazda 787B took the first ever win for rotary engine. Also the first win for any Japanese car maker, although with a little bit luck.

Famous models RX-7 (mk 1 to mk 3) : the only successful rotary engine car in the world.
MX-5 : one of the greatest roadsters ever made.
 
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