Agree with BC, KrisZ, badtlc. I don't see them going away, at all. The USA is a bit of a black hole for Mazda, but that's turning around slowly. Europeans, Russians, Australian and even Canadians love 'em. With Ford gone, they reserve all of their executive rights and business decisions- and it shows with the engineering that's actually getting to market, whereas before they were always snuffed out by their partner. If it weren't for Ford and financial troubles, Mazda would have had a luxury marque, a V8 and the V12 possibly would have hit the market- in the early 90s! The marketing campaign in North America wouldn't have been so neutered that it was virtually non-existent, and sales and profit likely much better. But that's not how things turned out. Instead their partner, wielding controlling equity, ordered them to kill development on their advanced V6, and limited them to 4 cylinder development, of which they would syndicate for their own use in exchange for questionable OEM components slathered with FoMoCo logos. I remember reading about that order to cease >4cylinder development over ten years ago, and I still can't get over it. So Mazda before really benefited only with funding for R&D, sales of their IP and lower component costs from economies of scale.
After many years of what I consider to be detrimental smothering, they're now free to do as they see fit. It's kind of remarkable what they've done since the split, and especially considering the debts from the past that still haunt them.
Originally Posted By: Bladecutter
I still don't believe they are in as bad a situation as you feel they are in.
Once the new Mazda 3 hits showrooms later this year, their sales and profits will increase even more than they currently are, and they are profitable.
When they switch over Mazda 3 and Mazda 2 production next year to their all new facilities in Mexico, then they will have a buffer over the exchange rate between the Yen, and all other currencies.
Almoat all of their current cars are now using the SkyActiv engine platform, which allows them to build several different engines on one set of toolings, saving costs, and producing high quality engines. Their transmission families are on the same setup.
They have quite a few shared chassis platforms, and even suspension underpinnings between the Mazda 6, the CX-5, and the new Mazda 3, so yet again, more savings when they purchase in bulk.
There's a reason why they have been updating and releasing vehicles in the order that they have, and that's to have the best influence on their bottom line while releasing fantastic looking product to the marketplace, in as short a period of time as they can.
Mazda is doing better than it had with Ford's wallet in charge, and that wallet had a stranglehold on it for the last several years, anyway. Remember that Ford wasn't in the greatest of financial shape, either, to the point where they had to sell their name, in order to get a good influx of cash, just a few years back.
BC.
