Originally Posted by PimTac
Mazda went back to their roots and heritage after divorcing Ford. It has worked out well for them albeit in a smaller scale compared to Nissan Mitsubishi
Mazda didn't divorce Ford, Ford divorced Mazda because they were losing money, and had been for years. In fact, Mazda's financial difficulties go way back to the mid 1970's, first being rescued by Sumitomo Bank in 1975, and then by Ford in 1979. Ford rescued them again in 1996, increasing it's ownership stake and taking controlling interest. After the divorce, Mazda was once again on the verge of bankruptcy until Sumitomo rescued them again (Sumitomo has held a stake in Mazda since they first rescued them). Then Mazda formed an alliance with Toyota. It is really their alliance with Toyota that has keep them from going under because they now have access to some of Toyota's HUGE resources... managerial, technical, financial, and Toyota's network of suppliers. As a result, Mazda is now healthier then they have been since the 1980's. Toyota owns a small stake in Mazda, but not controlling interest. Sumitomo is Mazda's largest shareholder.