Nissan has traditionally made high market vehicles? Such as the 350z or that great looking new Infiniti QX80 SUV? lol
Even a fully-loaded Z comes nowhere near what you're envisioning. The GTR was an appropriate comparison and honestly that's the only example I can think of where an "for-the-masses" brand is successful at selling a high-priced car. The Infiniti proves my point though. Nissan (Infiniti) already has high-market vehicles. Mazda does not.
Not concerned with making power? I'm pretty sure we're agreeing on that one. Mazda needs a halo car.
We're still not on the same page. Mazda doesn't care what its owners do to increase the power of their cars. Their cars aren't designed to be modified by the end user so to use "modability" as a measure of a car doesn't make sense; at least to manufacturers.
Yes, the Renesis is less reliable than a 13b. I can think of about two Renesis into an RX-7 swap, but tons of the other way around.
Barring the early model RX-8's I don't see how the 13B-MSP is any less reliable than the 13B-REW, which is guaranteed to need a rebuild before 100k miles, even in stock form. I don't consider "modded" reliability relevant in this discussion; see above.
I didn't say Mazda owned LS, they definitely pump millions into it though. The signs everywhere around the track say "On any given day, there are more Mazdas on the race track than any other automaker". So I guess they're still involved, but not participating anymore and the signs are coming down?
And those advertisements are still probably correct. Star Mazda, USCR, CTSCC, all have direct Mazda corporate involvement. Also, consider the thousands of amateurs racing in SCCA, NASA, etc. under Mazda Motorsports contingency so I don't see how you can say their participation is coming down because they don't have a "halo car" or aren't making a new MS3.
Hyundai and Kia are Korean. Different country. Chevy will never make a Ferrari and Kia will never make an NSX.
I don't see how Hyundai/Kai being from Korea is any different. They don't have a high market brand and their attempt to sell high market cars has had very limited success. The new Corvette is nothing to blatantly disregard. Fully-spec'd versions are nearing, if not over $100k and race versions have more than proven themselves against Ferraris.
Mazda CAN make a world beating rotary powered supercar though. LeMans is nothing to disregard.
People keep referencing Le Mans and seem to forget there were several circumstances leading to Mazda's win that year; design only being one of them. It isn't something to disregard but that doesn't automatically mean the Wankel engine is the best answer today.
Since when is mazdaspeed dead? Link?
I'm pretty sure I spoke to Marlon about this. He's closer to Mazda than I am. Feel free to PM him. But if you look for anything "Mazdaspeed" you'll see it's all be replaced by "Mazda Motorsports."
Lexus, Acura and Ford ALL lost money building the LFA, GT, and NSX, Mazda cannot afford to build a car they will lose money on at this point.
Chevy is building a mid engine C8 vette, maybe not a ferrari but close.
I can't comment on the losing money statement but Toyota, Honda, and Ford certainly have a lot more money to risk than Mazda. Only in the past decade has Mazda established itself as a mainstream auto maker.
I'll believe the C8 'Vette will be mid-engined about the same time I'll believe Mazda will release a new AWD, 300 HP MS3, or rotary sports car.