All-New Mazda 6 Finally Revealed

Nice looking car, however I've always liked the Mazda6 styling....

We’ve been very anxiously waiting for the new Mazda 6 ever since we first saw the stunning Takeri concept. The Japanese manufacturer assured people that the upcoming production version of the Takeri, the all-new 6 would retain most of its design cues, and we’re very happy to report that they weren’t lying.

After one picture leaked onto the web last night, Mazda responded by releasing an additional three, showing the car from pretty much every angle. We are really impressed with how it turned out and we say that it’s the best looking sedan revealed in a while (a few years, actually).

According to Mazda, they will be officially revealing the car live one month sooner than anticipated, not at the Paris Motor Show, but at a similar venue taking place in Moscow next month (August 29th). It will, obviously, be shown in Paris as well, but Russia will be the first country to see the new 6 in the metal.

We hope this car is as good to drive as it is to look at, as well as being very efficient, as we’ve come to expect from Mazda. We applaud their design effort, and if it will be backed up by similarly good driving dynamics (which judging by the old model, it probably will, and some), there will be no reason for anybody to want another sedan.

Source;
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/all-new-mazda-6-finally-revealed-47612.html

Feds investigate Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute SUVS for complaints about sticky throttles

By Dee-Ann Durbin,Tom Krisher, The Associated Press  

DETROIT - Government safety regulators are investigating complaints that throttles can stick on older-model Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute SUVs and cause them to crash.

The probe, announced Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, affects 730,000 SUVs from the 2001 to 2004 model years that are powered by V-6 engines.

The safety agency said it has received 99 complaints from owners of the SUVs alleging 13 crashes, nine injuries and one death caused by the problem. The throttles on the SUVs can fail to return to idle when the driver takes his foot off the gas pedal, according to agency documents.

Sixty-eight of the complaints were about the Escape, and 31 involved the Tribute, a nearly identical vehicle made by Ford for Mazda. Dearborn, Mich-based Ford used to own about one-third of Mazda. But Ford began cutting ties in 2008, and in 2010 lowered its ownership to 3.5 per cent.

Investigators are looking into whether the sticky throttles could have been caused by repairs made as part of a 2004 recall of the same vehicles. About 590,000 of the vehicles were recalled in December of 2004 to fix an accelerator cable defect, and the documents say the repairs could have damaged the cruise control cable.

The investigation is among the larger probes started by NHTSA in 2012. While many affect fewer than 100,000 vehicles, the agency this year began looking into door fires affecting 1.4 million Toyota Camry midsize sedans and RAV4 small SUVs. It also expanded a fuel tank fire probe in older-model Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs to include 5.1 million vehicles.

NHTSA investigations are the first step toward a recall, but they don't always cause cars and trucks to go back to dealerships for repairs.

The SUV investigation comes just over a week after the Center for Auto Safety, a Washington, D.C., advocacy group petitioned NHTSA to investigate the Escape and Tribute problems. The group also wants a hearing on whether Ford and Mazda met obligations to notify owners and fix defects in their vehicles.

But NHTSA said in documents filed Tuesday that it has denied the group's petition because the agency has been looking at the Escape and Tribute problems since early in 2012. The agency said it began gathering information after the driver of a 2002 Escape was killed in a crash in Payson, Ariz., this past January.

 Source;http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/91396--feds-investigate-ford-escape-and-mazda-tribute-suvs-for-complaints-about-sticky-throttles

Ford’s last appointee Thomas Pixton leaves Mazda board

Ford Motor Co. is now officially unrepresented in the board of Mazda Motor Corp. This came as the last Ford appointee on Mazda's board, Thomas Pixton, left the Japanese carmaker following its June 27 annual shareholders' meeting. Pixton’s exit from Mazda signals the end of an era that is marked by Ford’s control of the Japanese carmaker’s board. Ford first acquired a 25 percent stake in Mazda in 1979, when the latter was struggling financially. Mazda’s financial troubles once again paved the way for Ford to acquire additional stakes and increase its ownership to 33.4 percent in 1996.

However, fiscal winds changed directions and headed to Ford in 2008, forcing the carmaker to slowly divest its stake in Mazda to boost its emptying coffers. In a span of two years, Ford saw its stake in Mazda dwindle to 3.5 percent. In 2012, Ford sold another tranche of shares to effectively reduce its stake in Mazda to 2.1 percent. During Ford’s dominance in Mazda, the US carmaker was able to enthrone four of its executives as successive presidents of its Japanese partner. However, Ford’s control of Mazda as well as the number of board representatives dwindled as its stake decreased.

Despite the end of its involvement in Mazda, Ford remains as a partner in other ventures. Ford and Mazda still jointly own the AutoAlliance International Inc assembly plant in Flat Rock, Mich.; Mazda, however, decided in June to indefinitely suspend output of its vehicles at the plant. Both carmakers are also involved in a three-way joint venture in China with Chongqing Changan Automobile Co.; but they are assessing ways to break the venture up so that Ford and Mazda can have separate operations in China. Ford and Mazda also jointly own the AutoAlliance (Thailand) Co., assembly plant. The good news is that, the carmakers said in April 2012 that they will invest around $27 million to increase the plant's annual pickup capacity by 20,000 units to 195,000 units.

Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/fords-last-appointee-thomas-pixton-leaves-mazdas-board/

Car and Driver: 2014 Mazda 6 Rendering

What It Is: 
What the redesigned 2014 Mazda 6 sedan could look like. The new 6 will debut at this fall’s Paris auto show, and it will be redesigned from the ground up with all of Mazda’s lightweight, efficiency-boosting Skyactiv technologies baked in. The 2014 iteration of the 6 will return to a global-market strategy—meaning it will produce the same-size car for all markets, as it did with the first-generation car. Expect the new 6 to fall somewhere between the current-generation’s U.S.-spec and slightly shorter and narrower European versions.

Why It Matters: 
The current Mazda 6 is reasonably fun to drive and pretty interesting to look at, but with ever-tightening fuel-economy standards looming it will need to get more efficient. Enter Mazda’s Skyactiv chassis and engine tech, which can be viewed in full effect on the new CX-5 crossover. 

Platform: 
Like the CX-5, the next-gen Mazda 6 will get a lightweight-yet-strong structure. The cherry on top of the redesigned 6 will be its even-sexier sheetmetal, which will draw inspiration from last year’s Takeri concept. Referred to as Kodo, the new design language already has debuted on the CX-5. Considering how closely that model resembled the Minagi concept that presaged it, we expect the new 6 will ape the Takeri. As you can see in the rendering above, we figure production changes largely will be limited to door handles, a more-realistically shaped light-catching surface just above the rocker panel, and a smaller grille than the Takeri’s. 

Powertrain:  
Mazda has already revealed that the 2014 6 will get a Skyactiv engine, along with a choice of six-speed manual or automatic Skyactiv transmissions. A Skyactiv-D diesel engine is a possibility for the next Mazda 6, but Mazda hasn’t confirmed such an option will be available. The oil-burner is expected to make its way to our shores sometime this year in a CX-5. The outgoing 6’s 272-hp, 3.7-liter V-6 won’t survive the redesign, although we do expect a hybrid version to combat the gas-electric offerings of the 6’s competitors.

Competition: 
Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry.

Estimated Arrival Time and Price:
 Look for the 2014 Mazda 6 sometime next year following its auto-show debut in Paris. It’s too early to speculate on pricing, but given the cutthroat nature of the mid-size sedan segment, don’t expect the next-gen 6’s sticker to move too far from the current car’s $21,520 base price.

Source;
http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2014-mazda-6-sedan-rendered-detailed-news

Road & Track: 2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata and Alfa Romeo Spyder - First Look

Mama Miata! Mazda and Alfa team up to build roadsters. 

By Nick Kurczewski / Photos by Theophilus Chin/Chris Doane Automotive

Mazda and Alfa Romeo are joining forces to build the next-generation MX-5 Miata and Spyder. The 2-passenger roadsters will place a priority on keeping things simple, and small. As we already noted a couple months ago, Mazda’s engineers are working hard to trim weight (reportedly as much as 200 lb.) from the 2014 Miata. This could be aided by the Japanese automaker’s growing lineup of SkyActiv models, which offer improved performance and fuel economy thanks to their significantly lighter chassis and powertrains. That same engineering approach will certainly be applied here.  

 
Unique Personalities
For the moment, Mazda and Alfa are keeping the specifics of the arrangement under wraps. In a previous statement, the two companies said they would "develop two differentiated, distinctly styled, iconic and brand-specific lightweight roadsters featuring rear-wheel drive. The Mazda and Alfa Romeo variants will each be powered by specific proprietary engines unique to each brand." Judging from these artist illustrations – not official images, mind you, but a pretty good guess – it appears each car has its own unique shape and personality.

The next Miata should sport much more pronounced fenders and a blunter front and rear end. Horizontal bars and a large Mazda emblem dominate the bigger grille. Those over 6-foot have always struggled to squeeze into the Miata cabin, so expect Mazda to focus some attention on boosting interior room and comfort. Considering the car's ongoing weight loss regime, it’s possible Mazda could eliminate heavy and complex features like the current model’s optional retractable folding hardtop. 

In comparison, the Alfa Romeo Spyder has a sleeker and more expensive look to it – no surprise, since the Alfa is likely to cost more. There is definitely a hint of the classic “boat-tail” Spyder that Dustin Hoffman drove in the film “The Graduate.” Unlike the wide-eyed Miata, the Alfa could feature LED-intensive lighting at the front and rear. Ornamentation and superfluous details appear to be kept to an absolute minimum on this Alfa. A character line runs from the front fender to the door handles, and that’s pretty much it.

These are pint-sized roadsters, so the engine lineup is guaranteed to consist of rev-happy 4-cylinders. We’ve speculated that Mazda could opt for a normally aspirated 1.8-liter, or turbocharged 1.3 or 1.5-liter engine. Personally, the latter options sound the most intriguing – come on, Mazda! Alfa can easily dip into the Fiat parts-bin and install the highly entertaining and turbocharged 1.4-liter MultiAir 4-cylinder into the engine bay for the Spyder. A choice of 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic equipped with paddle-shifters should be available in either vehicle. Expect Mazda to try to peg pricing as close as possible to the current Miata’s base price of approximately $25,000. We’d expect the Alfa price tag to fall closer to $30,000.

Source;
http://www.roadandtrack.com/future-cars/first/2014-mazda-mx-5-miata-and-alfa-romeo-spyder

Struggling Mazda Looking for News Partners

By Nat Shirley
Thursday, Feb 9th, 2012 @ 10:17 am
Facing what will likely be its fourth straight year of financial losses, Mazda is seeking partners to share development and manufacturing costs as the company tries to return to profitability.

Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi says the company is “actively” seeking partners and is “considering every option” in an attempt to raise more capital to stave off a possible downgrade to its credit rating, Automotive News reports. Mazda has forecast a net loss of $1.29 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31, which would represent the automaker’s worst financial showing in 11 years.
Mazda’s struggles are partially attributable to the continued strength of the yen – Mazda exports a greater percentage of its vehicles from Japan than any other automaker, meaning more of its sales result in slim profit margins because of the unfriendly home currency. Another issue lies with several weak-selling products – in America, Madza’s entrants in the all-import midsize sedan and small crossover segments, the Mazda6 and Tribute/CX-7, have largely been sales disappointments.
Still, there is plenty of potential for the Zoom-Zoom automaker to return to financial health. The company is building a plant in Mexico to counter the strength of the yen, and its sales fortunes could soon improve with the launch of the new CX-5 crossover and as its fuel-efficient SkyActiv technology continues to spread throughout the model range.
A partner to help defray costs would also be an asset – Mazda has been going it alone since former partner Ford sold its shares in the Japanese automaker over the past few years.

Source;

http://www.leftlanenews.com/struggling-mazda-looking-for-partners.html

Next Generation Mazda Miata/MX-5

Mazda is hard at work on a new MX-5 that’s set to capture the spirit of the original eighties model, thanks to a huge reduction in weight and a pure and simple driving experience.

Key to the next-generation MX-5 is the firm’s SKYACTIV technologies that focus on reducing weight and improving efficiency. While the current car weighs around 1,050kg, Mazda engineers are reportedly on track for a kerbweight of under 900kg.

Mazda has said that it hopes the body alone will account for a 10 per cent weight loss, despite the fact it is about 30 per cent stiffer than the current car, thanks to the use of more high-strength steel.

The chassis itself will also be 10 per cent lighter than the current car's, with redesigned suspension and steering hoping to offer a lightness and agility at low speeds but a more secure feeling at high speeds.

With a new lighter car will come a range of smaller capacity engines. Currently the MX-5 is powered by 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engines producing up to 170bhp. The new car is expected to use a turbocharged 1.3-litre SKYACTIV engine, although a naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre unit will also be offered.

The MX-5’s new look is inspired by the Takeri concept that debuted at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. The new design language incorporates a larger shield grille and defined creases in the bodywork.

Expect the next-generation Mazda MX-5 to be unveiled towards the end of 2013, with sales starting the following year.

Source;
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/277357/new_mazda_mx5.html

R.I.P. Mazda RX-8 and Chrysler/Dodge Dakota Truck

Well, I guess for Mazda this paves the way for a new RX-7....

Mazda Motor Corp. has canceled production of its RX-8 rotary engine sports car, citing falling sales and stringent global emissions standards.

Production in Hiroshima, Japan, ended in early July and global sales of the car will conclude later this year.

The RX-8 and the three generations of the RX-7 that preceded it have long been the foundation the brand's fun-to-drive aura. The car's high-revving 1.3-liter, twin-rotor rotary engine produces 232 hp at 8,500 rpm--a big punch in a relatively small package.

But Mazda sold just 1,134 RX-8s last year, a 49 percent decline from 2009. Sales through July this year were down another 21 percent.

The RX-8, which has a base price of $27,590, including shipping, peaked at 23,690 sales in 2004. But the first-generation RX-7 surpassed 50,000 units throughout the early 1980s.

Mazda's U.S. dealers had 300 units in stock as of Aug. 1 for a 118-day supply, according to the Automotive News Data Center.

Mazda pulled the RX-8 from the European market last year after the car failed to meet local emissions standards. Without volume from Europe, Mazda couldn't justify selling the RX-8, a Mazda source said.

Exporting vehicles from Japan also has become more difficult. The yen's rise vs. the dollar was a major reason why Mazda's North American operating losses from April through June grew nearly threefold to ¥7.9 billion, or about $97.6 million, from the same quarter last year.

This isn't the first time that Mazda has dropped its rotary engine sports car from the U.S. lineup. The RX-7 was pulled after the 1995 model year. A rotary-powered car didn't return to American showrooms until the 2003 introduction of the RX-8.

And the RX-8's demise may not be the end of the rotary engine at Mazda. A source says engineers in Hiroshima are still working on the next generation, 1.6-liter rotary engine, code-named 16X, that is said to have lower emissions, better fuel economy and more power.

When unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, the 16X had an enlarged elliptical shape for the combustion chamber and an enlarged eccentric center stroke in the rotor. Mazda also planned direct-injection fuel delivery in a rotary engine for the first time.

But the 16X project has been on the back burner since the financial crisis. The company chose to focus its r&d resources on its fuel-saving SkyActiv technologies that debut later this year.

Still, Jim O'Sullivan, CEO of Mazda North American Operations, said "the rotary is alive and well within Mazda." While declining to comment on the progress of the 16X, O'Sullivan said: "We are studying what's the best way to come back to the market with the rotary."

Source;

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110822/CARNEWS/110829973#ixzz1VmqVilzV

********************************************************

It’s the end of the line for production of the Ram Dakota, The Detroit News is reporting. The neglected and forgotten Dakota has long been an afterthought to the Ram 1500, the bread and butter of the Ram line.

The Warren Truck Plant where the Dakota is built also builds the Ram 1500. So far 39 temporary workers have been let go due to the end of Dakota production. The UAW expects the number could reach 150 or more.

As we reported last year, Chrysler has been mulling over the Dakotas replacement for some time now. The consensus seems to be that the slow-selling Dakota will eventually be replaced by a unibody compact pickup truck, aimed more at customers who buy trucks for their looks, not their utility. Think Dodge M-80 concept, or Rampage concept, as the Dakota’s replacement will be more show than go when it debuts within the next few years.

No decision has yet been made about where to build the Dakota’s replacement.

Source;

http://rumors.automobilemag.com/chrysler-ends-dakota-pickup-production-70167.html

Mazda to leave Flat Rock plant it shares with Ford

Detroit News staff and wires
Mazda Motor Corp. will pull out of its manufacturing venture with Ford Motor Co. and stop making cars in Michigan, a Japanese newspaper reported Friday.

Ford and Mazda both declined to comment on the report.

But Mazda has been studying whether to keep making autos at the Flat Rock plant, and senior executives have said they expect to make a decision this year.

Mazda and Ford operate the AutoAlliance International plant as a 50-50 partnership. But the plant was running at less than half of its capacity last year, as its 1,700 workers produced just 36,000 Mazda6 cars and 78,000 Ford Mustangs on a single shift.

Citing unidentified company sources, the Nikkei business daily said Mazda was considering selling its stake to Ford as part of a restructuring of its global production operations.

Mazda would ship cars to the United States from Japan and from Mexico starting around 2013, according to the Nikkei.

The Japanese automaker said in a statement Friday that it had "nothing to announce at this time.

"Today's news report … is not based on information released by Mazda. We do not comment on speculation."

Several analysts expect Mazda to announce a decision soon.

"Mazda has signaled for months that it may be ending its U.S. manufacturing presence at the Flat Rock assembly plant, and although the company still hasn't confirmed the action, it seems circumstances are pointing in that direction," said Bill Visnic, senior analyst at online research firm Edmunds.com.

"Sales in the United States for the redesigned Mazda6 built at Flat Rock are running at about one-third of expectations," he said.

This year, Mazda has sold 103,072 vehicles in America, up 5.7 percent. But sales of Mazda6 cars, battling in the cutthroat midsize sedan segment, are down 8.9 percent at 13,604.

Ford has maintained employment at Flat Rock by increasing output of its vehicles at the plant, the Nikkei said.

But the ties binding the companies have loosened. Ford, once Mazda's controlling shareholder with a 33.4 percent stake, has reduced its holding to 3.5 percent.

In the meantime, Mazda is struggling financially. In the fiscal year ended March 31, its losses widened to 60 billion yen, or $742 million, from 6.5 billion yen, or $76 million, in the previous year.

The Hiroshima-based automaker attributed the deterioration in its results to lackluster sales in Japan, the initial impact of the massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and the strength of the yen. Mazda exports around 80 percent of the vehicles it makes in Japan.

Source;
http://www.detnews.com/article/20110604/AUTO01/106040319/1148/AUTO01/Report--Mazda-to-leave-Flat-Rock-plant-it-shares-with-Ford

Carscoop: R.I.P. Mazda6 and Subaru Tribeca?!?

Mazda and Subaru may soon be forced to axe two of their models in the US market, the Mazda6 mid-size vehicle and the Subaru Tribeca SUV, due to low volumes that undermine the efficiency of the U.S. plants that they are built in, according to a newspaper report from Japan’s business daily Nikkan Kogyo. It should be noted though that spokesmen for both companies declined to comment on the report.

Nikkan Kogyo wrote that Mazda is planning to discontinue production of the Mazda6 at the Flat Rock, Michigan plant, which it operates as a joint venture together with Ford Motor Co., as sales missed expectations. When Mazda introduce the latest generation of the mid-size model in 2008, the company expected an annual production of around 100,000 units, but last year, the plant churned out just 45,168 Mazda6s. In April, Mazda6 posted an increase of 7.8 percent but sales reached just 2,734 vehicles.

But being that the mid size segment is an important category, the report says that Mazda is mulling other options including the introduction of another model or build a similar vehicle at a lower cost factory in Mexico.

As for the Tribeca, which has been in production since 2005 at Subaru’s Indiana plant, the Japanese newspaper said the company has stopped the development of a new version and plans to use the increased capacity to build the better selling Outback and Legacy. This year through April, Subaru sold just 910 examples of the SUV model.

Source;
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/05/mazda6-and-subaru-tribeca-to-be-axed.html

Mazda recalls 2009-10 Mazda6 for spider webs causing fuel leaks

Wow, now how did the engineers miss this obvious flaw?!? (sarcasm detected)

David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau

Mazda Motor Corp. is recalling 52,000 2009-10 Mazda6 vehicles over concerns the fuel tank could crack and leak — because of spider webs.

The highly unusual recall covers vehicles built at the Auto Alliance plant in Flat Rock between April 2008 and February 2010.

Mazda told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that "a certain type of spider may weave a web in the evaporative canister vent line."

That could lead to pressure in the emission control system that could stress the fuel tank and lead to a crack.

Mazda said it found a spider web when it reviewed a complaint in October 2009. The company will include a "spring to prohibit spider intrusion" and the computer will be reprogrammed to prevent a build-up of pressure in the emission control system.

Mazda will begin notifying owners March 14.

Source;
http://detnews.com/article/20110303/AUTO01/103030430/1148/Mazda-recalls-2009-10-Mazda6-for-spider-webs-causing-fuel-leaks

Mazda May Exit From U.S. Factory Operated With Ford

By Makiko Kitamura and Yuki Hagiwara - Feb 18, 2011

Mazda Motor Corp. may pull out from a U.S. factory it operates jointly with Ford Motor Co. after production turned unprofitable, Chief Financial Officer Kiyoshi Ozaki said.

The company will announce plans for the factory in Flat Rock, Michigan, by middle of this year, Ozaki told reporters in Tokyo today. Mazda may also consider overhauling the plant or changing the models built there, he said without elaboration.

Mazda, Japan’s second-largest auto exporter, has been hurt by the yen’s sustained rise against the U.S. dollar in recent months. The Hiroshima-based company’s U.S. sales fell 9 percent in January, as increased incentives on Toyota Motor Corp.’s Corolla compact, and demand for Hyundai Motor Co.’s Elantra sapped demand for the Mazda3, Ozaki said.

A decision by Mazda to leave the plant shared with Ford since the 1980s “wouldn’t catch Ford off guard,” said Kim Hill, an economist with the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

“Unlike several other Ford facilities, Flat Rock hasn’t had a major recent investment in flexibility,” Hill said. “If Mazda were to leave, Ford would probably want to look at putting something off its small-car platform in that facility.”

Marcey Evans, a Ford spokeswoman, declined to comment.

The Michigan plant needs to run at 70 percent of its full 240,000 annual capacity to make a profit, Ozaki said earlier today. Mazda aims to introduce a more fuel-efficient engine to spur demand and increase domestic production to improve economies of scale after slipping into a third-quarter loss.

Mazda will need to adjust U.S. inventory by 5,000 units through the end of March, he said.

Ford’s Stake
Mazda aims to increase domestic production 33 percent to 1.1 million units in the year ending in March 2016, compared with 827,910 units last fiscal year. The ratio of exports will also increase as demand for cars in Japan declines, he said.

Mazda’s Michigan plant produced about 54,000 units last year, Ozaki said.

Ford, the second-largest U.S. automaker, reduced its stake in Mazda to 3.5 percent from 11 percent last year, scaling back an alliance of more than 30 years. The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker formed an automatic-transmission joint venture with Mazda in 1969 and acquired a 25 percent stake in the Japanese automaker in 1979.

The U.S. carmaker took effective control of the Japanese company in 1996, raising its stake to 33.4 percent. It reduced the stake to 13 percent in November 2008, and a share issue by Mazda in 2009 further shrank the holding to 11 percent.

New Powertrain
Mazda plans to introduce its new “Skyactiv” powertrain system across almost all models by 2015, starting with the domestic, U.S. and Australian markets this year. Earlier this month, the carmaker reported a third-quarter loss, citing the strength of the Japanese currency which reached a 15-year high in November.

The new Demio compact, the first model to use the system, will go on sale in Japan in the first half of 2011 and runs 30 kilometers per liter of gasoline under the Japanese testing system, Mazda said in October. The new car’s fuel-economy rating is the same as the hybrid version of Honda Motor Co.’s Fit and better than the current Demio’s 23 kilometers per liter.

Yen’s Impact
With exports making up 80 percent of Japan production in 2010, Mazda is more vulnerable to the yen’s impact than its domestic rivals. The strong yen against the dollar cut nine- month operating profit by 13.6 billion yen ($163 million), the company said this month.

Mazda posted a net loss of 2.7 billion yen for the three months ended Dec. 31. The company will still meet its full-year profit forecast of 6 billion yen as sales in Japan recover, Ozaki said.

While the strong yen erodes profitability of exports, Mazda needs to increase domestic output to boost economies of scale, the company has said. It aims to increase domestic production 33 percent to 1.1 million units in the year ending in March 2016, compared with 827,910 units last fiscal year, Ozaki said today.

Source;
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2011-02-18/mazda-s-cash-position-won-t-improve-next-fiscal-year-cfo-says.html

2012 Mazda MX-5/Miata Illustrations

Wow, now that is aggressive looking! Hopefully they put something under the hood to match these illustrations!
Source;
http://www.woodyscarsite.com/2010/12/2012-mazda-mx-5-miata.html

Video: 2011 Mazda2 - Good, but not quite (Honda) Fit

You know that the Honda FIT is a good car when it's used as a benchmark when comparing other good cars....

The subcompact Mazda2 isn't a bad car, but "not bad" isn't enough to take the world by storm. In today's competitive car market, there are plenty of really good cars to pick from.

Good fuel mileage is a big reason buyers go for small cars. The Mazda2 returned an average of 30 mpg overall with an automatic transmission and 33 with the manual in our testing. While that's not too shabby, it isn't outstanding these days. The larger and more comfortable Toyota Corolla compact returned 32 mpg overall in our tests with an automatic, and the midsize Hyundai Sonata GLS clocked in at 27 mpg overall.

Both of those cars are newer designs than the wee Mazda, and that's one of the 2's problems: Engine, transmission, and other technologies are advancing so fast that an older design just can't deliver the fuel economy of newer models. And the Mazda2 is an older design, having been on sale in Japan, Europe, and other markets for several years before being introduced to U.S. buyers earlier this year.

That leads to the other problem. There's good reason why carmakers bring certain models to certain markets and don't bring others. Roads, driving habits, and lifestyles vary tremendously around the world. The Mazda2 does not drive like it was designed for U.S. roads. That's because it wasn't.

The 2 is a kick to drive around town, zipping in and out of tight spaces and easy to park. On back roads, it's also entertaining to toss around. But the 2 isn't a fun cruiser. It's noisy on those highways we Americans rely on to get around so much, with a choppy ride, and it can feel a bit darty, requiring a lot of steering correction to stay on course.

Honda brought the subcompact Fit to our shores a few years ago, and it, too, was a design not intended for the U.S market. But with much more interior room and a clever folding rear seat that turns it into a mini cargo truck, the Fit has been a hit with American buyers. It's one of our top-Rated subcompacts.

The Mazda2 entered the increasingly crowded subcompact category as a contender and outscored some others in our testing. But it isn't as Fit as some others.

Source;
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/12/video-2011-mazda2-good-but-not-quite-fit.html

Honda, Mazda Improve Bottom Lines

TOKYO—Japanese automakers Honda Motor Co. and Mazda Motor Corp. both said that sales was growing strongly in Asia and North America as both reported improved earnings for the quarter.

Honda fared better of the two, reporting a surge in net profit of 272.49 billion yen ($3.13 billion) in the fiscal first quarter ended June 30, a huge jump from 7.56 billion yen in the same period a year earlier. The company also boosted its full-year outlook as solid sales in Asia and North America and cost-reductions more than offset the impact of the yen's strength.

Operating profit grew more than nine-fold to yen 234.44 billion in the April-June quarter, from 25.16 billion yen a year earlier.

The net profit beat the average forecast for a 106.78 billion yen based on a survey of four analysts compiled by the Tokyo-based financial information service provider Quick.

Honda, Japan's third-largest car maker by sales volume, said sales rose 17.9% to 2.361 trillion yen in the three months ended June from 2.002 trillion yen.

For the current fiscal year through March, Honda said it now expects group net profit of 455 billion yen against earlier forecast of 340 billion yen and operating profit of 450 billion yen against 400 billion yen.

Its full-year sales outlook was trimmed to 9.100 trillion yen from earlier-projected 9.340 trillion yen even as it raised its global vehicle sales target to 3.640 million units from 3.615 million units projected in April on an anticipated boost in sales for Asia.

Honda also said it will buy back up to 12 million shares for 25 billion yen and cancel 1.3% of outstanding shares Aug. 6.

Meanwhile, Mazda said Friday sales in North America and China, along with cost cuts, helped it narrow net losses in its fiscal first quarter, leaving it on track to return to profit this fiscal year after restructuring.

The company said said its retail sales rose 21% by volume in North America and 28% in China, which caused revenue to increase 35% to 578.0 billion yen from 428.2 billion yen last time.

Mazda, in which Ford Motor Co. owns an 11% stake, said its net loss narrowed to 2.10 billion yen in the last quarter, compared with a net loss of 21.5 billion yen in the same period a year earlier.

Though it finished the period in the red, Japan's fifth-biggest car maker by volume did log an operating profit of 6.37 billion yen in the April-June quarter, compared with an operating loss of 28 billion yen a year earlier.

Mazda, best known as the maker of the Mazda3 subcompact and the MX-5 Miata convertible, left unchanged its forecast for the current fiscal year through March.

The car maker continues to expect a net profit of 5 billion yen, an operating profit of yen 30 billion and sales of 2.270 trillion yen.

Honda reports earnings under U.S. accounting standards. Mazda reports earnings under Japanese accounting standards.

Source;
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703999304575398510078219100.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Honda Civic barely maintains No. 1 spot

I find it funny how everybody is riding Honda for delaying the redesign (to continue to leapfrog the market by 4 years) and how the newly redesigned (and nice I might add too) Mazda 3 has been gaining ground. If anything, this is a testament as to how good Honda engineering actually is, this 2010 (and soon to be 2011) is relatively unchanged since 2006, yet it is still extremely competitive, how many other manufacturers can you say have a 5yrs old car that still leads the market in sales. Having said that, I cannot wait to see what Honda has in store for the next gen Civic!
The Mazda3 is quickly gaining ground as the popular Honda compact awaits a redesign

Sales of the Honda Civic have crashed in Canada, though this stalwart compact has reclaimed the No. 1 sales spot among passenger cars. Barely.

The Civic has out-sold the Mazda3 by a mere 218 units through May of this year (21,690 to 21,472). However, Civic sales were down an astounding 40.6 per cent in May and are down 13.2 per cent on the year. The No. 2 Mazda3 is up 8.3 per cent on the year.

Honda does not plan to restyle and reengineer the Civic until next year, even as new versions of the Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra come to market early next year. The Civic faces a tough road ahead until a reinvented version arrives.

Still, to be fair, small cars overall are having a tough year. As DesRosiers points out, subcompacts are down 21.2 per cent year to date and compacts are down 0.1 per cent on the year.

“These are the two most energy efficient segments in Canada and have for more than a decade significantly out-performed the market,” Dennis DesRosiers of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants writes in a note to clients.

“I wonder,” he adds, “if all this talk about fuel efficient regulations is backfiring on our regulators, with consumers heading to the showroom to load up on the larger vehicles before the government forces compromises in their power train to achieve higher fuel efficiency standards.”
It could also be that less wealthy buyers, who tend to buy entry-level cars, are “still in trouble in our economy” and not buying at all, he notes. Or it may be that consumers are fully aware that a raft of new compact and subcompact models are coming in the next 12 months and are waiting for the latest in styling and engineering.

Source;

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/driving-it-home/honda-civic-barely-maintains-no-1-spot/article1623053/

Mazda RX-7 Revival Rumors Mark the End of RX-8

Mazda could introduce the new two-seater Mazda RX-7 by the end of 2011, according to InsideLine. The blog says the 2012 model year car is still progressing despite the poor economy.

The automaker may cancel the four-seater RX-8 upon the RX-7's release in contrast to earlier reports that a more powerful, more expensive RX-8 would come to market. Based on design characteristics of the Furai concept, the next-gen RX-8 would have carried over 300-horsepower.

However, by the end of the first quarter of 2009, RX-8 sales had plummeted 47.5% compared to a year earlier. Sluggish RX-8 sales may prompt the decision to halt the model for the time being. The new RX-7 will use the new-generation Renesis 16X rotary engine which debuted in the Taiki concept. This dual rotary Wankel engine has a roughly 300cc bigger displacement than the previous Renesis unit, putting out as much as 350hp and 214 ft-lb of torque over the RX-8's 232 hp and 159 lb-ft of torque.

Do not expect the RX-7 to be tuned for this much power, despite its engine's capabilities. A 250hp unit is more likely to appear on the $25,000 car, reports the blog.

Source;
http://www.worldcarfans.com/109122823723/mazda-rx-7-revival-rumors-mark-the-end-of-rx-8

Next-generation Mazda Tribute will be based on Ford Kuga

Mazda is preparing for the market to rebound by lining up several new vehicles with fuel-economic gasoline engines. Within two to three years, expect Mazda to launch an all-new Tribute based on the Ford Kuga crossover and a Mazda5 minivan with styling cues from the Nagare concept. Jointly developed by the two automakers, the current model Mazda Tribute is a twin of the Ford Escape. Both models were released simultaneously and reportedly, the future models of both vehicles will again be identical. However, Ford’s C1 platform, which was developed by engineers from Ford, Mazda, and Volvo, will be used. C1 currently underpins the stylish Kuga compact crossover sold in overseas, in addition to the Mazda3 and the European Focus. Expect the next-gen Mazda Tribute to arrive in 2011 as a 2012 model.

Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/next-generation-mazda-tribute-will-be-based-on-ford-kuga/

Rendered Speculation: 2012 Mazda MX-5 could go lighter and smaller

Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Mazda MX-5 (or Miata) has shown remarkable resilience to the bloating trends of age. While other automakers tend to make new cars bigger and fatter with each successive generation, notwithstanding the optional retractable hardtop version, the Mazda roadster has remained relatively compact and light on its feet. But while the MX-5 Superlight concept due to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show takes the current Miata into ever lighter territory, reports suggest that the next-generation model could prove even lighter.With a compact four-cylinder engine and lightweight chassis, the replacement for the current MX-5 is reportedly being prepared for its debut in 2012. What this would mean, however, for the fate of the reputed MX-2 – a speculated sub-Miata roadster – remains to be seen.

Source;
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/18/rendered-speculation-2012-mazda-mx-5-could-go-lighter-and-small/

7Tune: Mazda Rear Wheel Drive “Mini Roadster”!

Apparently Mazda has been keeping this little RWD open sports car concept quiet due to the current economic climate in Japan, but as soon as things start to get back on track we should finally see this spiritual successor to Suzuki’s Cappuccino break cover.

Unlike most rumors we’ve heard recently, this one short but contains all good news. Mazda is apparently looking at a rear wheel drive open sports car to slot in under the current NCEC Roadster (MX-5/Miata) and hopes to emulate the success of the EA11R Suzuki Cappuccino by offering excellent handling and performance in a segment which is usually occupied by front wheel drive cars. The engine could either be a 1.0 or 1.3L unit making the mini Roadster one size up from Japan’s “kei car” category (capacity under 660cc) and could carve a new niche of sub-2.0L rear wheel drive cars in Japan. There are no hints as to when the mini Roadster will break cover or how much it’ll cost but from our point of view, this is very good news in that Mazda seems to be following Toyota/Subaru down the light compact rear wheel drive route.

Source;
http://www.7tune.com/mazda-rear-wheel-drive-mini-roadster/