The Early Years Through the Sixties
Mazda was founded in Japan in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd. The company originally manufactured machine tools but with the introduction of the Mazda-Go in 1931, Toyo Cork Kogyo began manufacturing vehicles. The company formally adopted the Mazda name in 1984 even though every automobile it sold from the beginning bore that name. The company introduced its first four-wheel car, the Mazda R360, in 1960, followed by the Mazda Carol in 1962. In the decade of the 60s, Mazda progressed from a 16 horsepower “kei car” to the Cosmo sports car powered by a Wankel rotary engine.
The Seventies
The revolutionary Wankel motor out-performed piston competitors by a large margin. As a result, Mazda put this powerful engine in nearly every product they sold. These included the Rotary Pickup, the RX-7 and the Luce sedan. The rotary engine made Mazda a recognized performance leader and the RX-7, first produced in 1978, created an identity for Mazda worldwide.
The Eighties
As part of Ford Motor Company (see below), the 1980s saw Mazda change from a niche Japanese player to a mainstream success. The early-80s 323 (GLC in North America) and the 626 were hugely popular, with the 323 taking over the number one sales spot in Japanese car sales from the Toyota Corolla. Mazda also began contributing to Ford’s lineup with the MX-6 based Probe, which it began building in the United States in 1988. At the end of the decade (1989), Mazda introduced the revolutionary Eunos Roadster known as the Mazda MX-5 or Miata outside Japan. This model revitalized the world sports car market, which was dominated by heavy, expensive GT cars at the time. Inspired by the Lotus Elan, the Miata remains successful to this day.
The Nineties
The 90s were not a good decade for Mazda. The Miata could not sustain company sales, and even the third-generation RX-7 sold poorly because of its high price. The rest of the lineup was poorly-received in Japan and the United States while its popularity in Europe could not make up for the losses.
The 2000’s
2001 was difficult because Mazda would introduce no new models until 2002. The company turned around, however, when the new cars arrived. The Mazda2/Demio and the Mazda 6/Atenza were popular and helped change perceptions of the brand. Mazda introduced more new models for 2004. These included the Mazda3 (Axela in Japan), the replacement for the Protйgй, and an all-new RX8. In 2005 Ford released three models based on Mazda “6” architecture: the Fusion, Mercury Milan and the Lincoln Zephyr. Also in 2005, the company introduced a third-generation MX-5, intending to drop the Miata name in North America.
Early in 2006 the Mazda performance brand MPS (MazdaSpeed in the U.S) was re-launched featuring a high-performance “6” that sported a 276-horsepower turbocharged powerplant and all-wheel drive. The MazdaSpeed 3 also introduced at this time made it onto Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars 2007” list. To fill Mazda’s vacancy in some market segments especially trucks, the company introduced a crossover SUV called the CX-7, a down-sized minivan called the Mazda 5 and a hybrid Tribute. Mazda will most likely withdraw the MPV from the U.S. market because of slow sales. The MX-5 Roadster Coupe now features a power retractable hard top.
Ford and Mazda
Before 1996, Ford Motor Company owned 15% Mazda. In 1996, Ford, however, purchased a controlling interest – 33.4% – after Mazda began to experience a financial crisis. The Ford Probe, Mercury Tracer, and late-model North American Escort – all are based on Mazdas, as is the Mazda Tribute/Escape, which Mazda and Ford co-developed.
Ford and Mazda have collaborated other than financially: the two companies also have shared vehicle platforms. In 1979, Ford began selling the Telstar and Laser in Australia and Asia, which were for all practical purposes Mazda vehicles with a Ford name. The reverse has also occurred: Mazda began selling Mazdas that were essentially Fords in Europe, such as the Mazda 121, which was based on the Ford Fiesta.
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