Mazda Tidbits

[carcrazy]

While the CX-7 is a very nice SUV, I think it fits best active, cool (?!) couples with one to none kids in the household. Not really for families with 2 kids IMO.
As much as I wanted to like it as a family vehicle (I love it otherwise), the I4 turbo (I prefer V6 in this application), rather small 2nd row and cargo space made me look elsewhere. It also gets pricey when loaded and no incentives.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

Mazda sales strong, but operating profit falls

Hans Greimel
Automotive News
February 6, 2008 - 8:14 am ET

TOKYO – Mazda Motor Corp.'s sales in North America looked nearly recession-proof in the third quarter. But higher incentives and model rollout costs started to undercut profits.

North American retail sales climbed 12.7 percent to 89,000 vehicles in the October-December period, compared with a year earlier, despite a worsening subprime loan problem.

Yet total operating profit still fell 6.0 percent to 35.3 billion yen ($312.4 million). Mazda is one-third owned by Ford Motor Co.

Releasing the quarterly results on Feb. 6, Chief Financial Officer David Friedman blamed the drop on higher U.S. incentives and increased spending to promote overseas launches of the Mazda2 and Mazda6, which debuted in Europe. Higher raw material costs also contributed.

U.S. incentives climbed $300 to $2,100 per car, compared with a year earlier.

Marketing chief Daniel Morris said Mazda had to up the ante to compete in a market crimped by the U.S. credit crunch. Worse still, the company was pushing the CX-9 in a crossover segment where incentive handouts typically soar above the industry average.

Mazda sold 3,000 CX-9s a month in the October-December period.

Meanwhile, product enhancement and marketing costs, including outlays for the Mazda2 and Mazda6 launches, totaled 8.2 billion yen ($72.6 million) in the quarter.

But the big picture is much rosier at Mazda.

Overall revenue climbed 11.0 percent to 850.0 billion yen ($7.52 billion) in the quarter, while net income advanced 7.0 percent to 15.9 billion yen ($140.7 million).

Global volume climbed 10.0 percent to 316,000 vehicles.

Mazda even sold more cars in Japan, something nearly unheard of in the world's most morose auto market. Sales rose 1.9 percent to 53,000 units, boosting Mazda's market share.

In the United States, Mazda is still on track for sales of 296,000 vehicles in the current fiscal year ending March 31. That marks a healthy 5.0 percent increase over last year.

January will help. U.S. sales rose 10.2 percent, versus a 4.1 percent market decline.

[boytoys]

While the CX-7 is a very nice SUV, I think it fits best active, cool (?!) couples with one to none kids in the household. Not really for families with 2 kids IMO.
As much as I wanted to like it as a family vehicle (I love it otherwise), the I4 turbo (I prefer V6 in this application), rather small 2nd row and cargo space made me look elsewhere. It also gets pricey when loaded and no incentives.

Agreed. The JDM Mazda MPV is a better value proposition for me. I currently have to settle for Mazda5.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

Good read on Mazda's recent success and CX-9 NATOTY win (complete with Mazda's product development chief in a wedding dress  )...
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080208/AUTO01/802080360/1148

[SteelyDon]

Mazda has a problem in that it has managed to make every colour in its book, just plain ugly.  There is no colour which Mazda cannot somehow tint or change into a nauseating hue - although they have not yet managed to butcher silver.  I think someone from the competition must be employed by Mazda in the Colour Dep't.  Good cares, with stomach- turning colours.

[quadzilla]

Mazda has a problem in that it has managed to make every colour in its book, just plain ugly.  There is no colour which Mazda cannot somehow tint or change into a nauseating hue - although they have not yet managed to butcher silver.  I think someone from the competition must be employed by Mazda in the Colour Dep't.  Good cares, with stomach- turning colours.

You should change your post to Mazda doesn't make any colours that YOU like. Its a personal thing. 

[IceAndFire]

Mazda has a problem in that it has managed to make every colour in its book, just plain ugly.  There is no colour which Mazda cannot somehow tint or change into a nauseating hue - although they have not yet managed to butcher silver.  I think someone from the competition must be employed by Mazda in the Colour Dep't.  Good cares, with stomach- turning colours.

I actually think they have some of the nicest colours around and that some of the other auto makers should follow their lead.  I guess not everyone is agreed on that.

[tpl]

Mazda has a problem in that it has managed to make every colour in its book, just plain ugly.  There is no colour which Mazda cannot somehow tint or change into a nauseating hue - although they have not yet managed to butcher silver.  I think someone from the competition must be employed by Mazda in the Colour Dep't.  Good cares, with stomach- turning colours.

You should change your post to Mazda doesn't make any colours that YOU like. Its a personal thing. 

I agree but for sure the 2007 Mazda 5 came in a weird set of colours..purples and greens but no true blue or red. But why not?  It was a change from 6 kinds of silver and 4 kinds of gold( beige)

[nifty6]

not sure Mazda's success will continue, note discussion on Mazda 3 forum regarding rust...years 2004 to 2006 ...mazda3forums.com

[sirAQUAMAN64]

Saying 'no' worked for Mazda: Sales are stable

Craig Trudell
Automotive News
July 23, 2008 - 4:08 pm ET


DETROIT -- Jim O'Sullivan, Mazda's top U.S. executive, recalls a time when auto dealers suggested the company make a pickup.

Call it the M-150, dealers said. They wanted something like the then-top-selling F-150 made by Ford Motor Co., Mazda's partial owner.

Good thing he didn't listen.

"We couldn't go there with Mazda because it didn't fit the brand," O'Sullivan told Automotive News. "A lot of manufacturers went there. For Ford, it's natural. But a lot of Asian-based manufacturers recently were looking at jumping into the fray. Some have, and now some of them are backing up."

Mazda stuck to cars, and now O'Sullivan says it may be on its way to flat sales for the year in a market when nearly everyone else will be down.

Through the first half of 2008, Mazda sales are at 153,141 units. That's up 0.3 percent from the first six months in 2007, a year in which it was the only automaker to post a double-digit sales increase.

'Good steady growth'

"We didn't chase volume for volume's sake like a lot of other manufacturers," O'Sullivan said. "We're maintaining a good steady growth, and we're going to continue to do it."

O'Sullivan spoke today here at an event for the production launch of the redesigned Mazda6. The car is scheduled to arrive in dealerships next month.

While he didn't give details on Mazda's plans for overall growth, O'Sullivan said the Mazda6 will be a good indicator of how big the automaker can get in North America.

Mazda hopes to reach 100,000 units of the Mazda6 in full-year sales in North America, O'Sullivan said. In the United States last year, Mazda6 sales were 57,575.

"The previous-generation Mazda6 was built to fit the needs of the global market," he said. "The Mazda6 that was built in Japan was identical to the one that was built here. We need North American-focused product now, and we've done that."

Holding Mazda back in the United States is a shortage of its small Mazda3 car and Mazda5 minivan.

"We are limited on production, and we're limited on volume because we're selling them when we get our hands on them," O'Sullivan said.

"I need substantially more Mazda3s and Mazda5s in this market -- several thousands more. I've got my hands up."

High demand

Dan Morris, Mazda's global sales and marketing manager in Japan, said Mazda is struggling to produce enough Mazda3s and Mazda5s because the vehicles are in high demand in other markets as well, such as Europe.

"We'll continue to fill demand as best we can to meet the customers' needs," Morris told Automotive News.

O'Sullivan said Mazda's 675 U.S. dealers have whittled inventory of the Mazda6 to prepare for the redesigned version's launch. As a result, Mazda expects to see some diminished sales months.

He added: "We really don't have a lot of cars out there right now, so our numbers are going to be off a bit for the month of July."

[carcrazy]

Imagine the riot at Mazda dealerships throughout North America if they would bring over the Mazda2. Just a thought ....

[sirAQUAMAN64]

Mazda will add standard features to small cars

Mark Rechtin
Automotive News
August 11, 2008 - 12:01 am ET

LOS ANGELES — Small doesn't have to mean cheap. At least that has been the recipe for success for the Mazda3 compact hatchback and sedan in America.

Now Mazda says it plans to adopt that idea for other vehicles in the model line.

Entering its final year of a five-year model cycle, the Mazda3 still surpasses sales objectives with minimal incentives. Executives are pleading with Japan for more volume.

Mazda initially expected to sell about 70,000 units a year in the United States. Last year, it sold 120,291.

Small, fuel-efficient cars are all the rage right now. But Robert Davis, Mazda North American Operations' senior vice president of product development and quality, says many buyers are hesitant to trade down from more luxurious larger cars because of what they lose in standard features and tactile feel.

Davis says Mazda has struck a chord by giving its small car upscale touches from higher-end vehicles. The interior of the Mazda3 has gotten high marks from industry insiders. Features such as leather seats and navigation systems are in the Mazda3, while not in competing compact sedans.

With consumers taking the bait, Davis says, the idea will spread to other vehicles.

He calls it "dragging a rake" through the vehicles in the next higher segment to "pull down the cool stuff" into less-expensive vehicles. All versions of the redesigned 2009 Mazda6 will have four-wheel disc brakes, usually optional at the base level for the competition.

Shannon Curfman, a set decorating buyer for film productions in Los Angeles, was swayed by Mazda's strategy. She bought her Mazda3 hatchback in 2006, trading in a Ford Explorer.

"I test drove a lot of other cars in the same size," Curfman says. "The Honda Fit felt like a cheap car. But as soon as I got out of the Mazda3, I said, 'I want this car right now.' This model had sunroof, leather and the Bose CD system, which I really liked. It felt much more luxurious."

Davis says adding content instead of raising incentives has proved effective.

"If we give people the right equipment, they'll pay for it because they know value and they know what it costs," he says.

Mazda says Power Information Network data show that adding standard features in lower-segment cars has a big impact on transaction price.

"We've seen the Honda CR-V net margin fall by the same amount as the incentive they offer," Davis says. "But when we add new standard features to the Mazda3, the net rises by the same amount."

[safristi]

"Shannon Curfman a set buying decorator for Film studios in L.A"........is gonna set the TONE fer Kanada......."The Fit felt cheap but the Mazda had leather,Nav sunroof and BOSE! Cd".......she traded in a Ford Exploder!!!!

  Moral of the story "It is better to look RICH than to Make a good choice"...i like both but UP 'ere they are $$$'s apart...and we have been buyin BOTH in DROVES...so maybe she  should give US a Call........

[Leviathan]

Mazda readies new powertrains

For its upcoming cycle of vehicles, Mazda wants to replace its entire powertrain lineup.

By 2015, Mazda will have given its gasoline engine lineup direct-injection spark ignition and idle-stop technology to improve fuel economy.

But it's more than just engines that Mazda is improving. Each new platform has a weight-reduction target of at least 220 pounds less than the previous vehicle platform. Although Mazda and Ford have worked together on platforms and component sets, Mazda is expected to show more independence from its controlling shareholder in terms of product offerings.

Mazda2: With the small-car segment hot, there is a sense of urgency to bring this car to America. But the four-cylinder engine that Mazda has certified for other models is too large for the engine bay, and the engine that fits the Mazda2 hasn't passed U.S. tests. Expect a 2011 model year introduction.

Mazda3: The restyled, re-engineered Mazda3 will debut in spring 2009 as a 2010 model. Mazda will keep the two-engine strategy, with small- and larger-displacement four-bangers. Look for Mazda to offer features frequently available on more expensive cars.

Mazda6: The redesigned U.S. Mazda6 sedan, arriving in dealerships this summer as a 2009 model, no longer is a world car. The North American model grows 4.5 inches in wheelbase and nearly 7 inches in overall length to become nearly as large as the Honda Accord. The engines are larger, too, with a 170-hp 2.5-liter four-banger and a 272-hp 3.7-liter V-6. The hatchback and wagon have been dropped.

MX-5 Miata: The tough economy has deleted any chance of a MazdaSpeed edition. What's more, any redesign of the current model has been pushed out to the 2012 model year, meaning it is on a seven-year cycle.

Kabura: A compact, sporty coupe derived from the rear-drive MX-5 platform is on the "most wanted" list, but Mazda in the United States needs Europe or Japan to sign on for volume to justify the program. Mazda may wait for the next MX-5 platform to launch the coupe derivative, meaning the 2013 model year or beyond.

RX-8: The redesign is far off--the 2013 model year. The rotary engine will grow from 1.3 liters to 1.6, the first displacement increase since the engine debuted two decades ago. Mazda promises better fuel economy and more power.

Mazda5: This mini-minivan was on the U.S. hit list until gasoline reached $4 a gallon. Now it's a star. Look for a redesign for the 2011 model year.

Tribute: Mazda's version of the Ford Escape likely will expire at the end of the current model cycle, if not before, to make room for the CX-5.

CX-5: Mazda will share the European Ford Kuga underpinnings and combine it with a design based on the Kazamai concept from the 2008 Moscow auto show. The CX-5 will be smaller than the Escape; Mazda wants to avoid cross-shopping with the CX-7. It may arrive for the 2011 model year.

CX-7: The 2009 CX-7's automatic transmission has been recalibrated for smoother shifts. Customer grumblings about the thirsty, peaky nature of the engine will result in a nonturbo version with better fuel economy arriving for the 2010 model year.

CX-9: Interior upgrades are expected for the 2010 model year.

B series: As long as Ford makes the current Ranger pickup, Mazda gets the B series. That's two more years at least.

[Wolfe]

MX-5 Miata: The tough economy has deleted any chance of a MazdaSpeed edition. What's more, any redesign of the current model has been pushed out to the 2012 model year, meaning it is on a seven-year cycle.

A seven year model cycle for the NC Miata would be similar to the NA and NB generations.

No MazdaSpeed NC sucks, but isn't too surprising.

[ggweci]

CX-7: The 2009 CX-7's automatic transmission has been recalibrated for smoother shifts. Customer grumblings about the thirsty, peaky nature of the engine will result in a nonturbo version with better fuel economy arriving for the 2010 model year.

I'm assuming the new non-turbo engine will be the 2.5L below from the Mazda6/new 3?

Mazda6: The redesigned U.S. Mazda6 sedan, arriving in dealerships this summer as a 2009 model, no longer is a world car. The engines are larger, too, with a 170-hp 2.5-liter four-banger and a 272-hp 3.7-liter V-6.

[mmret]

More likely the V6 imo.

THe current 2.3 turbo pumps out like ~250hp....although maybe they will offer two engines given where gas price are headed?

[Leviathan]

I'm assuming the new non-turbo engine will be the 2.5L below from the Mazda6/new 3?

Good question. The 2.5L may not have enough ooomph for what Mazda considers zoom zoom unless they tune it for more ponies. So you'd think it would be a 6 cylinder and they already have 3.7L for the CX-9 but it could be the revised 240Hp 3.0L in '09 Escape/Tribute. I did a quick poke around blueovalnews.com but didn't see any threads speculating what the engine would be.

[ggweci]

More likely the V6 imo.

THe current 2.3 turbo pumps out like ~250hp....although maybe they will offer two engines given where gas price are headed?

I thought about the V6, but they mention that they would be offering a non-turbo version because of customer complaints of it being "thirsty and peaky".  The V6 would solve the peaky part, but the thirsty part not-so-much.  The 2.5L (maybe w/ 200hp?) would give customers ok power, but much better fuel economy then the turbo, and on regular gas.

I'm assuming the new non-turbo engine will be the 2.5L below from the Mazda6/new 3?

Good question. The 2.5L may not have enough ooomph for what Mazda considers zoom zoom unless they tune it for more ponies. So you'd think it would be a 6 cylinder and they already have 3.7L for the CX-9 but it could be the revised 240Hp 3.0L in '09 Escape/Tribute. I did a quick poke around blueovalnews.com but didn't see any threads speculating what the engine would be.

Hmm, didn't think about the new Escape/Tribute 3.0L... that would be a great option.  And with the Tribute being phased out, it allows the CX-7 to be nice replacement.  Then they could put the 2.5L from the new 6 in the upcoming CX-5.  Win - win all around.

[Leviathan]

Mazda plans Volt rival

Autocar has learned that Mazda engineers are hard at work trying to develop a rival to the Chevrolet Volt – a car which uses a petrol engine to charge a battery pack which powers the wheels via an electric motor.

Senior sources say that trials are currently underway in Japan, with a prototype that uses a rotary engine to charge the battery pack. The tests are sufficiently advanced that Mazda has a working prototype in a Mazda 5 MPV bodyshell. Company bosses are said to be keen to put this system into production but no firm decisions will be made until the cost of batteries is reduced.

In the meantime the company will concentrate on simpler green technologies. The first stop-start Mazda will go on sale in Japan next year and the system is expected to be rolled out globally on a variety of models.

Chas Hallett