MAZDA line up

Mazda Motor Corporation (マツダ株式会社, Matsuda Kabushiki-gaisha) (TYO: 7261) is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Hiroshima, Japan.

As of 2006, the company is expected to produce 1.25 million vehicles per year, with sales evenly divided among Japan, Europe, Australia, and North America, followed by Latin America.

The name of the company is supposedly derived from Ahura Mazda, the transcendental god of Zoroastrianism. It is also said that Mazda coincides with the anglicized pronunciation of the founder's name, Jujiro Matsuda, who was interested in spirituality, and chose to rename it in honor of both his family and the Zoroastrians. Mazda means "great wisdom" in the Iranian Avestan language. However, in Japanese, the company has always been pronounced and spelled as "Matsuda" leading many to believe that Mazda is really just a poorly anglicized version of the founder's name. (It comes to English by way of German, Mazda being pronounced Mats'da in German.)

Mazda began as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd, founded in Japan in 1920. Toyo Cork Koygo renamed itself to Toyo Koygo Co., Ltd. in 1927. Toyo Kogyo moved from manufacturing machine tools to vehicles, with the introduction of the Mazda-Go in 1931. Toyo Kogyo produced weapons for the Japanese military throughout the Second World War, most notably the series 30 through 35 Type 99 rifle. The company formally adopted the Mazda name in 1984, though every automobile sold from the beginning bore that name. The Mazda R360 was introduced in 1960, followed by the Mazda Carol in 1962.

The Ford Motor Company had owned 15% of Mazda, and its stake was increased to a 33.4% controlling interest on 31 March 1999 after Mazda fell into financial crisis. Ford executive Mark Fields is credited with Mazda's turnaround. Ford has based many of its models on Mazdas, such as the Probe, late model (North American) Escortand Mercury Tracer, and the co-developed Escape/Mazda Tribute.

Mazda also helped Ford develop the 1991 Explorer, which Mazda sold as the 2-door only Mazda Navajo (1991–1994). Ironically, Mazda's version was unsuccessful, while the Ford (available as a 4-door or 2-door) instantly became the best selling SUV and kept that title for over a decade. Mazda has used Ford's Ranger pickup as the basis for its North American-market B-Series trucks, starting in 1994 and continuing today. These trucks are manufactured in the US. They now use a Mazda-sourced 2.3L I4 instead of the old Ford Lima 2.3L I4. Both 3.0L(discontinued after 2007 model year) and 4.0L Ford V6s are available, as is 4-wheel drive and a 4-door (albeit with the clamshell style rear doors, not a true 4-door crew cab as offered by GM, Nissan, and even Ford with the Sport Trac).

The 1979 deal paved way for Ford selling badge-engineered Mazdas in Asia and Australia, such as the Laser and Telstar. These models replaced the models from Ford Europe sold throughout the 1970s. Ford also used the Mazda models to establish its own retail presence in Japan – the Autorama dealers sold these cars, plus the occasional Ford US and Ford Europe models. The badge-engineered models came to an end in the early 21st century, as Ford replaced the Laser with its own Focus, and Telstar with its own Mondeo.

The reverse also happened, with Mazda selling badge-engineered Fords in Europe, such as the Mazda 121 based on the Ford Fiesta. Ford and Mazda have moved onto collaboration in a more fundamental sense, by way of platform sharing.

Mazda has used a number of different marques in the Japan market, including Autozam, Eunos cars, and Efini, although they have been phased out. This diversification stressed the product development groups at Mazda past their limits. Instead of having a half-dozen variations on any given platform, they were asked to work on dozens of different models. And consumers were confused as well by the explosion of similar new models.

Today, the former marques exist in Japan as sales channels (specialized dealerships) but no longer have specialized branded vehicles. In other words, the Carol is sold at the Autozam store (which specializes in small cars), but it is sold with the Mazda marque, not as the Autozam Carol as it once was.

In early 1992 Mazda almost created a luxury marque, Amati, to challenge Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus in North America, and was to begin selling in late 1993. The initial Amati products would have been the Amati 500 (which became the Mazda Millenia), and the Amati 1000 (a new rear wheel drive V12 successor to the Mazda 929). This never happened, leaving the near-luxury Millenia to the Mazda brand.

In Europe, the equivalent Xedos marque was associated with two vehicles, the Xedos 6 and Xedos 9, but it unfortunately lasted just a few years. Xedos didn't have a special logo afixed to the grille and trunklid, however. The Mazda badge from the years 1992-1997 was used instead.


Demio/2

The Demio (also sold as the Mazda 121, Mazda Metro, Mazda2 and Ford Festiva Mini Wagon) is a small minivan or tall station wagon which debuted in 1996. As of 2005, 892,000 Demios had been sold worldwide since introduction.

The New Mazda 2 is the first of Mazda's Zoom-Zoom cars to receive an upgrade. The New Mazda2 is also a radical departure from the 2002 model. It abandons the practical and boxy shape and replaces it with a more sleek body. The Demio is expected to be revamped for the 2007 model year, with the sporty MicroSport coupe added for Europe and Japan. Mazda has announced that the next generation of the car, referred to as "the next sub compact, B-segment Mazda", will not be manufactured in Valencia, Spain, but in Hiroshima, Japan. It will feature either an MZR 1.35 liter engine, or a larger MZR 1.5 liter engine. Additionally, Mazda has released information regarding a Mazda2 MPS model with a direct-injection Turbo engine and all-wheel-drive. Photos of the new Mazda2 can be seen in Mazda's pertinent press release.

Mazda has already announced that the sedan verion of Mazda2 will be produced for the Chinese market by Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Co., Ltd. at its Nanjing plant. The car will go on sale in the first half of 2008.


Axela/3

The Mazda Axela is a compact car manufactured by the Mazda Motor Corporation in Japan. Outside of its home market, it is marketed as the Mazda 3 (spelled "Mazda3" in North American and European marketing). The Axela was introduced for the 2004 model year, replacing the Mazda Familia (323 or Protegé in export markets). A more "performance-oriented" version of the Mazda 3 is marketed as Mazdaspeed 3 in North America.

The Mazda 3 has been very well-received in all markets. In 2006 the 3 was the second best-selling car in Canada and the best selling car in Israel during 2005-2007. Mazda is increasing production of the 3 at its Hofu 1 and 2 factories to meet heavy worldwide demand of over 300,000 units per year.



Premacy/5

The MAZDA5 (currently called Mazda Premacy in its home market and formerly in Europe) is a compact MPV built by the Japanese manufacturer Mazda since 1999. The first generation Premacy was built in Japan and exported to Europe and Asia. A re-badged version was sold by Ford in a few Asian markets (including Japan) as the Ford Ixion or Ford MAV. The second generation is sold outside of Japan as the MAZDA5. Ford Lio Ho in Taiwan, which assembles Mazda 5 for the local market, adapted a re-badged version as the Ford i-MAX in 2007. As of March 31, 2005, 285,258 Premacy and MAZDA5 models had been sold worldwide.

The first generation Premacy was a 2 or 3-row, 5 or 7-passenger vehicle, while the second generation adds a third row of seats for up to 6 passengers in American form, and 7 passengers outside the United States. Both generations were true vans with near-flat floors, folding or removable 2nd row, and fold-flat rear seats.


Atenza/6

The Mazda 6 or Mazda Atenza is a mid-size car produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Mazda since 2002. The name Atenza is used only in Japan with the Mazda 6 moniker used everywhere else in the world. The Atenza/Mazda 6 replaced the Capella/626, and has sold over one million units worldwide since its introduction, meaning it reached the one million mark faster than any previous Mazda.

The Mazda Atenza was the first of the new generation of 'Stylish', 'Insightful', and 'Spirited' range from Mazda. It was followed by the Mazda 2 in December 2002, RX-8 in August 2003, Mazda3 in January 2004, MX-5 in October 2005, and Mazda CX-7 in November 2006.

The Mazda Atenza is currently raced in the SCCA Pro Racing Speed World Challenge Touring Car Series. Mazda finished first in the manufacturer's championship standings. Mazda Atenza/6 drivers also finished first and second in the Touring Car driver points.


MPV

The Mazda MPV is an MPV (minivan) manufactured by Mazda. It was introduced in 1989 as a rear wheel drive model and was replaced in 2000 with a more modern front wheel drive version. Over 1 million MPV models had been produced since its introduction.

On February 2, 2006, the third generation Mazda MPV went on sale in Japan as a model year 2007 car. It is powered by either a 4 cylinder MZR 2.3 naturally aspirated engine or 4 cylinder MZR 2.3 Direct Injection Spark Ignition (DISI) turbo engine.

The third generation MPV is currently available only in Japan and Hong Kong.



MX-5/Miata/Roadster

The Mazda MX-5, also known as Miata (pronounced /miːˈɑːtə/) in North America and Roadster (pronounced [ɺ̠odosɯta]) in Japan, is a sports car built by Mazda in Hiroshima, Japan, since 1989. Its introduction was a significant development in the motor car industry that revived the roadster segment of sports cars, with other companies promptly introducing roadsters to their model ranges, such as the MG F, and the third-generation Toyota MR2.

There have been three generations of the MX-5, consisting of major stylistic and mechanical upgrades. The first generation, designated NA, sold over 400,000 units. It was produced from 1989 to 1993 with a 1.6-liter straight-4 engine, and from 1994-1997 with a 1.8-liter engine. The NA can be recognized by its distinctive pop-up headlights. The second generation (NB) was introduced in 1998 with a slight increase in engine power; it can be recognized by the fixed headlights, and the glass rear window. The third generation (NC) was introduced in 2005 with a 2.0-liter engine; it can be recognized by the fender bulges over the wheel wells.



RX-8

The Mazda RX-8 is a sports car manufactured by Mazda Motor Corporation. It first appeared in 2001 at the North American International Auto Show. It is the successor to the RX-7 and, like its predecessors in the RX range, it is powered by a rotary engine. The RX-8 began North American sales as 2004 model year car.

The RX-8 was designed as a front mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive 2+2 coupé. The car has a near 50:50 weight distribution, achieved by mounting the engine behind the front axle and the gas tank ahead of the rear axle. Weight is trimmed through the use of materials such as aluminium (hood & rear doors), and a carbon fiber composite driveshaft on the manual gearbox car; designed to reduce rotational mass connected to the engine. The rest of the body is steel, save for the plastic front and rear bumpers.

The car features a pair of rear-hinged "freestyle" doors (similar to suicide doors)in order to provide easier access to the rear seats. The RX-8 has no B-pillar between the front and rear doors, with the leading edge of the rear door acting as a "virtual pillar" to maintain structural rigidity. Because of the overlapping design, the rear doors can only be opened when the front doors are open.


CX-7

The CX-7 is a mid-size crossover SUV model from Mazda, the production version of the MX-Crossport concept car. The CX-7 is built in Hiroshima, Japan, starting in early 2006. The CX-7 was shown publicly for the first time at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show in January. Production officially began on February 20 at Mazda's Ujina#2 factory in Hiroshima. The CX-7 went on sale in spring 2006 as a 2007 model. It competes against the redesigned Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe and Mitsubishi Outlander, as well as newcomers such as the Acura RDX and Ford Edge. It is also Mazda's first mid-size SUV since the Navajo was discontinued in 1994.

The CX-7 receives an all-new platform instead of sharing the Ford/Mazda CD3 platform used by the larger Mazda CX-9/Ford Edge/Lincoln MKX crossovers as well as the Mazda6. It uses the front suspension of the Mazda MPV minivan, with the rear suspension from the Mazda5. Many of the all wheel drive components come from the Mazdaspeed 6. It shares its turbocharged engine with the Mazdaspeed6. The only available transmission will be a 6-speed automatic in most countries. The CX-7 currently slots between the Tribute and CX-9.


Tribute

The Mazda Tribute (Code J14) is a compact SUV made by Japanese automaker Mazda since 2001. It is jointly developed with Ford Motor Company and based on the front-wheel drive Mazda 626 platform, which is in turn the basis for the similar Ford Escape on the CD2 platform. The Tribute is priced below the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner in Ford's CD2 SUV lineup.

The Tribute and Escape debuted in 2001, offering front and all wheel drive and a choice of a 2.0 L Ford Zetec 4-cylinder or Ford Duratec 3.0 L V6. Ford Escape was also sold as the Ford Maverick in Europe with a Ford 2.0 L I4 Zetec engine with manual transmission, or 3.0 L Duratec coupled to automatic transmission.

One main difference between the Tribute and the Ford Escape/Maverick is that the Tribute's suspension is tuned for a firmer ride than the Escape/Maverick, in order to correspond with Mazda's sporty image.


B-Series

Mazda has sold two entirely different compact pickup trucks under the B-Series name. The basic B-Series, like many vehicles, is named for its engine displacement. For example, the B2300 used a 2300 cc engine, while the B4000 used a much larger 4000 cc engine.

The B-Series line began in Japan in 1961 with the B1500 and continues to this day, though it is no longer available in the home market of Japan. The line split in 1994, with the North American B-Series becoming a rebadged Ford Ranger and the international version continuing development as a Mazda. Confusingly, the Mazda truck is sold with the Ford Ranger name in many markets. An offshoot SUV, the Ford Everest, is also produced. The B-series is also sold as the Bravo in some markets, including Australia.


BT-50

The BT-50 (model code J97M) is a 1-ton pickup truck from Mazda. It is a larger version of the predecessor B-Series/Ford Ranger pickup and is not sold in the North American market. The BT-50 was launched at the Bangkok Motor Show on March 22, 2006. It shares its Duratorq/MZR-CD 2.5 L and 3.0 L Diesel straight-4 engines with the Ranger. In late November 2006, the new 5-Speed automatic transmission with BorgWarner transfer case has been added, as well as side airbags.


CX-9

The Mazda CX-9 is a full-size crossover SUV, also described as a "modern station wagon", built by Mazda. It replaced the Mazda MPV minivan for North America. The CX-9 was unveiled on April 13, 2006 at the New York International Auto Show and went on sale in February 2007. The CX-9 competes with the Toyota Highlander, Nissan Murano, Hyundai Veracruz, Honda Pilot, Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave.

The CX-9 is built on the Ford CD3 Platform. Although it is similar in appearance to the smaller Mazda CX-7, the CX-9 shares little of that vehicle's platform components. It is a front-wheel drive vehicle with an optional four-wheel drive system.

The CX-9 is manufactured at Mazda's Ujina 1 plant in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.