| Mazda Motor Corporation Matsuda Kabushiki-gaisha マツダ株式会社 |
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| Type | Public (TYO: 7261) Partial subsidiary of Ford Motor Company (33. The, or TSE, located in Tokyo, Japan, is the second largest Stock exchange market in the world by market value second only to the New York Stock Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following 9% ownership & controlling interest, unconsolidated)[1] |
| Founded | 1920 |
| Headquarters |  Fuchu, Aki, Hiroshima, Japan |
| Key people | Jujiro Matsuda (founder) Kazuhide Watanabe (Chairman) Hisakazu Imaki (CEO) |
| Industry | Automotive |
| Revenue | ▲ ¥2,919. Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar is a town located in Aki District, Hiroshima, Japan. As of 2003, the town has an estimated Population of 49839 and a density Aki (安芸郡 -gun is a district located in Hiroshima, Japan. WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. ( August 8, 1875 - March 9, 1952) was a Japanese Industrialist and Businessman who founded automaker For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" The automotive industry is the industry involved in the design development manufacture marketing and sale of Motor vehicles In 2007 more than 73 million motor vehicles In business revenue or revenues is Income that a company receives from its normal business activities usually from the sale of goods and services 8 billion (2005) |
| Net income | ▲ ¥66. Net income is equal to the Income that a firm has after subtracting costs and Expenses from the total Revenue. 7 billion (2005) |
| Employees | 36,626 |
| Website | Mazda Global Web Site |
Mazda Motor Corporation (マツダ株式会社 Matsuda Kabushiki-gaisha?) (TYO: 7261) is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Hiroshima, Japan. Employment is a Contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages The, or TSE, located in Tokyo, Japan, is the second largest Stock exchange market in the world by market value second only to the New York Stock For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The automotive industry is the industry involved in the design development manufacture marketing and sale of Motor vehicles In 2007 more than 73 million motor vehicles WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics.
During 2007, Mazda produced almost 1. 3 million vehicles for global sales. The majority of these (nearly 1 million) were produced in the company's Japanese plants, with the remainder coming from a variety of other plants worldwide. [2]
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Name
The name of the company is supposedly derived from Ahura Mazda, the transcendental god of Zoroastrianism. Ahura Mazda ( ae Ahura Mazdā) is the Avestan language name for a divinity exalted by Zoroaster as the one uncreated Creator Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings It is also said that Mazda coincides with the anglicized pronunciation of the founder's name, Jujiro Matsuda, who was interested in spirituality, and chose to rename the firm in honor of both his family and the Zoroastrians. ( August 8, 1875 - March 9, 1952) was a Japanese Industrialist and Businessman who founded automaker [3] The word mazda means "great wisdom" in the Iranian Avestan language. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Avestan is an Eastern Old Iranian language that was used to compose the sacred hymns and canon of the Zoroastrian Avesta.
In Japanese, the company's name has always been pronounced and spelled as "Matsuda", the name of the founder. Television ads for Mazda automobiles in the United States use a pronunciation where the initial vowel sound is similar to the word "art", while Canadian Mazda advertisements pronounce the company's name with the initial "a" sound of the word "has". The initial vowel sounds (in the American and Canadian advertisements) are references to the first and last A sounds in the original Persian pronunciation.
History
Mazda began as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co. , Ltd, founded in Japan in 1920. Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Toyo Cork Kogyo renamed itself to Toyo Kogyo Co. , Ltd. in 1927. Toyo Kogyo moved from manufacturing machine tools to vehicles, with the introduction of the Mazda-Go in 1931. The Mazdago (or TCS) was a three-wheeled open " Truck " first produced in 1931 that resembled a Motorcycle with an open wagon or truck bed Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Toyo Kogyo produced weapons for the Japanese military throughout the Second World War, most notably the series 30 through 35 Type 99 rifle. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Type 99 Rifle (From the Japanese 九九式小銃 or 九九式長小銃 Kyuukyuu-shiki syoujyuu or Kyuukyuu-shiki tyousyoujyuu) was a Bolt-action Rifle The company formally adopted the Mazda name in 1984, though every automobile sold from the beginning bore that name. The Mazda R360 was introduced in 1960, followed by the Mazda Carol in 1962. The R360 was Mazda 's first real car - a two-door two-seat Coupe. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 1961 P360 Carol The R360 was replaced in 1961 with the Mazda P360 Carol, the company's first 4-passenger car
Beginning in the 1960s, Mazda put a major engineering effort into development of the Wankel rotary engine as a way of differentiating themselves from other Japanese auto companies. The Wankel engine is a type of Internal combustion engine which uses a rotary design to convert pressure into a rotating motion instead of using reciprocating Beginning with the limited-production Cosmo Sport of 1967 and continuing to the present day with the RX-8, Mazda has become the sole manufacturer of Wankel-type engines mainly by way of attrition (NSU and Citroen both gave up on the design during the 1970s, and prototype efforts by General Motors never made it to production). There have been four generations of Mazda automobiles which went by the name of Cosmo, although they are not all particularly related The Mazda RX-8 is a Sports car manufactured by Mazda Motor Corporation. NSU Motorenwerke AG, (normally just NSU) was a German manufacturer of cars and Motorcycles which was founded in 1873 Citroën (pronounced See-Troh-Enn is a French Automobile manufacturer, founded in 1919 by André Citroën. General Motors Corporation ( GM) ( is a multinational automobile manufacturer founded in 1908 and headquartered in the United States.
This effort to bring attention to themselves apparently helped, as Mazda rapidly began to export its vehicles. Both piston-powered and rotary-powered models made their way around the world, but the rotary models quickly became popular for their combination of good power and light weight (when compared to piston-engined competitors with similar power, usually carrying a heavy V6 or V8 engine). A reciprocating engine, also often known as a piston engine, is a Heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating Pistons to convert The R100 and the famed RX series (RX-2, RX-3, and RX-4) led the company's export efforts. The Mazda R100 used the chassis from the Familia and the rotary 0820 engine similar to the one used in the Cosmo Sport Series II The Mazda RX-2 was a Midsize car introduced in 1970 and sold through 1978 The Mazda RX-3 was an Automobile sold in the 1970s It was intended to be smaller and sportier than its brother the RX-2/Capella Rotary. The Mazda RX-4 (called the Luce Rotary in Japan was an Automobile sold in the 1970s
During 1970, Mazda formally entered the North American market (under the guise of Mazda North American Operations) and was very successful there, going so far as to create the Mazda Rotary Pickup (based on the conventional piston-powered B-Series model) solely for North American buyers. See also Mazda Motor Corporation Mazda North American Operations (commonly known as MNAO) is Mazda Motor Corporation 's North American arm The Rotary Pickup ( REPU) from Mazda was the world's first and only Wankel engined Pickup truck. See Mazda B-Series (North America for that market's version The Mazda B-series is a 2-door pick-up truck first manufactured in 1961 by Mazda Motor To this day, Mazda remains the only automaker to have produced a Wankel-powered pickup truck. Additionally, they are also the only marque to have ever offered a rotary-powered bus (the Mazda Parkway, offered only in Japan) or station wagon (within the RX-3 line). The Mazda RX-3 was an Automobile sold in the 1970s It was intended to be smaller and sportier than its brother the RX-2/Capella Rotary.
Mazda's rotary success continued until the onset of the 1973 oil crisis. The 1973 oil crisis began on October 17 1973 when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC consisting of the Arab members of As American buyers (as well as those in other nations) quickly turned to vehicles with better fuel efficiency, the relatively thirsty rotary-powered models began to fall out of favor. Wisely, the company had not totally turned its back on piston engines, as they continued to produce a variety of four-cylinder models throughout the 1970s. The smaller Familia line in particular became very important to Mazda's worldwide sales after 1973, as did the somewhat larger Capella series. The Mazda Familia is a long-running nameplate used by Mazda for their Small family cars manufactured between 1964 and 2003 with 10589052 sold worldwide
Not wishing to abandon the rotary engine entirely, Mazda refocused their efforts and made it a choice for the sporting motorist rather than a mainstream powerplant. Starting with the lightweight RX-7 in 1978 and continuing with the modern RX-8, Mazda has continued its dedication to this unique powerplant. The Mazda RX-7 is a Sports car produced by the Japanese automaker Mazda from 1978 to 2002 The Mazda RX-8 is a Sports car manufactured by Mazda Motor Corporation. This switch in focus also resulted in the development of another lightweight sports car, the piston-powered Mazda Roadster (perhaps better known by its worldwide names as the MX-5 or Miata), inspired by the concept, 'jinba ittai. Generations and overview Now in its third generation the MX5's first generation the NA, sold over 400000 units from 1989 to 1997 &mdash with a Straight-4 ' Introduced in 1989 to worldwide acclaim, the Roadster has been widely credited with reviving the concept of the small sports car after its decline in the late 1970s.
Mazda's financial turmoil and decline during the 1970s resulted in a new corporate investor by 1979, Ford Motor Company. Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Starting in 1979 with a 15-percent financial stake, Ford began a partnership with Mazda resulting in various joint projects. During the 1980s, these included large and small efforts in all areas of the automotive landscape. This was most notable in the realm of pickup trucks (like the Mazda B-Series, which spawned a Ford Courier variant in North America) and smaller cars. Mazda has sold two entirely different compact Pickup trucks under the B-Series name For instance, Mazda's Familia platform was used for Ford models like the Laser and Escort, while the Capella architecture found its way into Ford's Telstar sedan and Probe sports models. The Ford Laser was a compact car sold by Ford in Asia, Oceania, and parts of South America, and Africa. See also Ford Escort (Europe. The Ford Escort was a Compact car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. The Ford Telstar was an Automobile sold by the Ford Motor Company in Asia, Australasia and Africa, comparable in size to the The Ford Probe was a Coupe produced by Ford, introduced in 1989 to replace the Ford EXP as the company's Sport compact car
Speaking of the Probe, it was built in a new Mazda assembly plant in Flat Rock, Michigan along with the mainstream 626 sedan (the North American version of the Capella) and a companion Mazda MX-6 sports coupe. Flat Rock is a city in Wayne County of the US state of Michigan. The Mazda MX-6 was a Front-wheel drive sporty coupe produced by Mazda between 1987 and 1997 (The plant is now a Ford-Mazda joint venture known as AutoAlliance International. AutoAlliance International ( AAI) is a Joint venture automobile assembly firm co-owned by Ford Motor Company and Mazda Motor Corporation, in which ) Ford has also loaned Mazda some of their capacity when needed: the Mazda 121 sold in Europe was, for a time, a variant of the Ford Fiesta built in plants throughout that continent. Mazda has used the 121 name on a variety of cars from 1975 until 2001 1975&ndash1981 &mdash Large Personal luxury car, see Mazda Cosmo The Ford Fiesta is a Supermini car designed by Ford Europe, a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company Mazda has also made an effort in the past to sell some of Ford's cars in Japan, mainly through their Autorama dealer group. The Ford Probe was made popular by Steven Bowers in the television show "The Wrong One. "
Mazda also helped Ford develop the 1991 Explorer, which Mazda sold as the 2-door only Mazda Navajo from 1991 through 1994. See also Ford Explorer Sport Trac for the spinoff pickup truck SUV Crossover version The Ford Explorer is a mid-size Sport utility vehicle The Mazda Navajo was a 2-door SUV introduced in 1991 and Mazda's very first off-roader Ironically, Mazda's version was unsuccessful, while the Ford (available from the start as a 4-door or 2-door model) instantly became the best selling sport-utility vehicle in the United States and kept that title for over a decade. Mazda has used Ford's Ranger pickup as the basis for its North American-market B-Series trucks, starting in 1994 and continuing through to the present. Ford Ranger is a name used on two distinct compact Pickup truck lines by the Ford Motor Company and by a marketing arrangement with Mazda See Mazda B-Series (International for the non-North American version From the first B-Series Pickup truck, Mazda
Following their long-held fascination with alternative engine technology, Mazda introduced the first Miller cycle engine for automotive use in the Millenia luxury sedan of 1995. In Engineering, the Miller cycle is a combustion process used in a type of four-stroke Internal combustion engine. Though the Millenia (and its Miller-type V6 engine) were discontinued in 2002, the company has recently introduced a much smaller Miller-cycle four-cylinder engine for use in their Demio starting in 2008. See also Mazda 121 for other cars using this name The Demio (also sold as the Mazda 121, Mazda Metro, Mazda2 As with their leadership in Wankel technology, Mazda remains (so far) the only automaker to have used a Miller-cycle engine in the automotive realm.
Further financial difficulties at Mazda during the 1990s (partly caused by losses related to the 1997 Asian financial crisis) caused Ford to increase its stake to a 33. The Asian Financial Crisis was a period of Financial crisis that gripped much of Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown ( 9-percent controlling interest on 31 March 1999. Controlling interest in a corporation means to have control of a large enough block of voting Stock shares in a company such that no one stock holder or coalition of stock holders Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Ford executive Mark Fields, who took over as Mazda's CEO at that time, has been credited with Mazda's turnaround during the early 2000s. Mark Fields is Executive Vice President Ford Motor Company President The Americas and an executive of the Ford Motor Company. Ford's increased influence during the 1990s allowed Mazda to claim another distinction in history, having maintained the first foreign-born head of a Japanese car company (starting under Henry Wallace from 1996 to 1997, and under James Miller from 1997 to 1999 before Fields' arrival). The marque has since returned to a Japanese-born CEO, under Hisakazu Imaki since 2003.
Since 1999, Ford's deeper involvement in Mazda's operations has meant an increasing level of cooperation in engineering and marketing as well. The two firms now share engine designs from around the world (Ford uses Mazda's four-cylinder designs in large numbers, while Mazda has replaced its own V6 engine lines with designs from Ford) and have made several combined efforts in platform engineering. Their first major platform cooperation of this type began with the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute models, which were effectively a global design that has since been sold in many parts of the world. The Ford Escape (designated U204) is a Crossover (automobile sold by the Automaker Ford Motor Company introduced in 2000 as a 2001 model year The Mazda Tribute ( Code J14) is a Crossover (automobile made by Japanese Automaker Mazda since 2001 The most recent Ford Focus also shares a platform with both the Mazda Axela and the Volvo S40. This is the article about the European and worldwide Ford Focus The Mazda Axela is a Compact car manufactured by the Mazda Motor Corporation in Japan. The Volvo S40, V40 and V50 are Compact executive cars produced by Volvo Cars.
Mazda has also conducted research in hydrogen-powered vehicles for several decades. As a major step in this effort, the company plans to release a hydrogen-fueled hybrid car in 2008, the Premacy Hydrogen RE compact minivan. The prototype has so far proven capable of traveling up to 200 kilometers (120 miles). [4]
Marques
Mazda had previously used a number of different marques in the Japanese (and occasionally Australian) market, including Autozam, Eunos, and Efini, which have since been phased out. A marque ( French for "brand" ˈmɑrk is a Brand name especially in the Automobile industry In the late 1980s Mazda diversified in the Japan market with the launch of three new Marques The company created Autozam Eunos, and Efini In the late 1980s Mazda diversified in the Japan market with the launch of three new Marques The company created Autozam, Eunos and Efini In the late 1980s Mazda diversified in the Japan market with the launch of three new Marques The company created Autozam, Eunos, and Ẽfini This diversification stressed the product development groups at Mazda past their limits. Instead of having a half-dozen variations on any given platform, they were asked to work on dozens of different models. This List of Mazda platforms describes following Automobile platforms which have been used by Mazda since the 1980s. And consumers were confused as well by the explosion of similar new models.
Today, the former marques exist in Japan as sales channels (specialized dealerships) but no longer have specialized branded vehicles. In other words, the Carol is sold at the Autozam store (which specializes in small cars), but it is sold with the Mazda marque, not as the Autozam Carol as it once was. 1961 P360 Carol The R360 was replaced in 1961 with the Mazda P360 Carol, the company's first 4-passenger car In the late 1980s Mazda diversified in the Japan market with the launch of three new Marques The company created Autozam Eunos, and Efini
In early 1992 Mazda almost created a luxury marque, Amati, to challenge Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus in North America, and was to begin selling in late 1993. Acura (アキュラ Akyura is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. Infiniti is the luxury car division of Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co is the Luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. The initial Amati range would have included the Amati 500 (which became the Mazda Millenia) and the Amati 1000 (a rear-wheel drive V12 successor to the Mazda 929). The Mazda Millenia was originally planned as the second of three Luxury cars for Mazda 's luxury brand '''Amati'''. The Mazda 929 (also sold as the Efini MS-9) was originally a Mid-size car from 1973-1987 and became a Full-size Luxury car after The plan never happened, leaving the near-luxury Millenia to the Mazda brand.
In Europe, the equivalent Xedos marque was associated with two vehicles, the Xedos 6 and Xedos 9, and lasting just a few years. Mazda Xedos was a range of Executive cars launched by Japanese manufacturer Mazda in 1992 Xedos didn't have a dedicated logo affixed to the grille and trunklid, however. The Mazda badge from the years 1992-1997 was used instead.
Logos
| 1962–1975 | 1975–1991 | 1991–1992 | 1992–1997 | 1997–present | |
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| Symbol and corporate mark as seen on most Mazda cars from the Mazda R360 until 1975 | Between 1975 and 1991, Mazda did not have an official symbol, only a stylized version of their name; the previous blue "m" symbol was still used in some dealerships up until the 1980s, but later on a plain blue square next to the Mazda name was often used on dealer signs and documentation | In 1991, Mazda adopted a corporate symbol which was to represent a sun and a flame standing for heartfelt passion. The R360 was Mazda 's first real car - a two-door two-seat Coupe. | Shortly after the release of the new symbol, the design was smoothed out to reduce its similarity to Renault's. This is about the company for other uses see Renault (disambiguation. | A redesigned symbol was introduced in 1997; it is a stylized "M" meant to show Mazda stretching its wings for the future. Also known as representing a tulip. | |
Auto racing
- See also: Mazdaspeed
In the racing world, Mazda has had substantial success with both their signature Wankel-engine cars (in two-rotor, three-rotor, and four-rotor forms) as well as their piston-engine models. Mazdaspeed is Mazda 's in-house race and street car tuning arm Mazda vehicles and engines compete in a wide variety of disciplines and series around the world.
International competition
Mazda's competition debut was on October 20, 1968 when two Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S coupes entered the 84 hour Marathon de la Route ultra-endurance race at the Nürburgring, one finishing in fourth place and the other breaking an axle after 81 hours. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. There have been four generations of Mazda automobiles which went by the name of Cosmo, although they are not all particularly related The Nürburgring, known as simply " The Ring " by enthusiasts is a Motorsport Race track in Nürburg, Germany. The next year, Mazda raced Mazda Familia R100 M10A coupes. The Mazda R100 used the chassis from the Familia and the rotary 0820 engine similar to the one used in the Cosmo Sport Series II After winning the Singapore Grand Prix in April 1969 and coming in fifth and sixth in the Spa 24 Hours (beaten only by Porsche 911s), on October 19, 1969, Mazda again entered the 84 hour Nürburgring race with four Familias. The Singapore Grand Prix is a Formula One race staged in the Marina Bay area of Singapore. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Total 24 Hours of Spa is an Endurance racing event held annually in Belgium at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The Porsche 911 (pronounced as Nine Eleven, Neunelfer is a Sports car made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Only one of these finished, taking fifth place.
In 1976, Ray Walle, owner of Z&W Mazda, drove a Cosmo (Mazda RX-5) from the dealership in Princeton, New Jersey, to Daytona, won the Touring Class Under 2. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Mazda RX-5 was an Automobile model which was produced from 1975 through 1980 5 Liters at the 24 Hours of Daytona, and drove the car back to New Jersey. The Rolex 24 at Daytona (frequently referred to by its historical title the 24 Hours of Daytona) is a 24-hour sports car Endurance race held annually at The Cosmo placed 18th overall in a field of 72. The only modifications were racing brake pads, exhaust, and safety equipment. [5]
After substantial successes by the Mazda RX-2 and Mazda RX-3, the Mazda RX-7 has won more IMSA races in its class than any other model of automobile, with its hundredth victory on September 2, 1990. The Mazda RX-2 was a Midsize car introduced in 1970 and sold through 1978 The Mazda RX-3 was an Automobile sold in the 1970s It was intended to be smaller and sportier than its brother the RX-2/Capella Rotary. The Mazda RX-7 is a Sports car produced by the Japanese automaker Mazda from 1978 to 2002 The International Motor Sports Association (generally referred to as IMSA) is an American Auto racing sanctioning body based in Braselton Georgia Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Following that, the RX-7 won its class in the IMSA 24 Hours of Daytona race ten years in a row, starting in 1982. The Rolex 24 at Daytona (frequently referred to by its historical title the 24 Hours of Daytona) is a 24-hour sports car Endurance race held annually at Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) The RX-7 won the IMSA Grand Touring Under Two Liter (GTU) championship each year from 1980 through 1987, inclusive. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar)
In 1991, a four-rotor Mazda 787B (2622 cc actual, rated by FIA formula at 4708 cc) won the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race outright. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. The Mazda 787 and its derivative 787B were Sports prototype racing cars built by Mazda for use in the World Sportscar Championship The 24 Hours of Le Mans ( 24 Heures du Mans) is a sports car endurance race held annually since near the town of Le Mans, Sarthe, The 787B's triumph remains unparalleled, as it remains the only non-piston-engined car ever to win at Le Mans, and Mazda is still the only team from outside Western Europe or the United States to have won at Le Mans - ironically after Nissan had closed down its World Sportscar Championship programme and Toyota had opted to take a sabbatical for most of 1991 in order to develop its 3. Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' The United States of America —commonly referred to as the World Endurance Championship redirects here For the motorcycle endurance (pronounced) is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Japan, and is currently the world's largest Automaker. 5 litre TS010. The Toyota TS010 was a Group C Racing car built by Toyota for the Sportscar World Championship, All Japan Sports Prototype Championship This led to a ban on rotary engines in the Le Mans race starting in 1992, which has since been rescinded. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) After the 1991 race, the winning engine was publicly dismantled for internal examination, which demonstrated that despite 24 hours of extremely hard use it had accumulated very little wear.
The Le Mans win in 1991 followed a decade of class wins from other Mazda prototypes, including the 757 and 767. The Mazda 757 was a prototype Racing car built by Mazdaspeed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans running under the IMSA -spec GTP The Mazda 767/767B were prototype Racing cars built by Mazdaspeed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans running under the IMSA -spec GTP The Sigma MC74 powered by a Mazda 12A engine was the first engine and team from outside Western Europe or the United States to finish the entire 24 hours of the Le Mans race, in 1974. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Mazda is also the most reliable finisher at Le Mans (with the exception of Honda, who have entered only three cars in only one year), with 67% of entries finishing. () is a Multinational corporation, engine Manufacturer and engineering corporation headquartered in Japan. Mazda will return to prototype racing in 2005 with the introduction of the Courage C65 LMP2 car at the American Le Mans Series race at Road Atlanta. Courage Compétition is a racing team and chassis constructor company based in Le Mans, France near the Circuit de la Sarthe. The American Le Mans Series ( ALMS) is a Sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. Road Atlanta is a 254-mile (4088 km road course located in Braselton Georgia, USA, (Across the road from Lanier Raceway This prototype racer uses the Renesis Wankel from the RX-8.
Mazdas have also enjoyed substantial success in World Land Speed competition, SCCA competition, drag racing, pro rally competition (the Familia appeared in the WRC several times during the late '80s and early '90s), the One Lap of America race, and other venues. The land speed record is the fastest speed achieved by any wheeled vehicle on land as opposed to one on water or in the air or on rails. The Sports Car Club of America ( SCCA) is a club and sanctioning body supporting Road racing, rally, and Autocross in the United States Drag racing is a competition in which objects compete to be the first to cross a set finish mark usually from a dead stop and in a straight line Rallying is a form of motor competition that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars The Mazda Familia is a long-running nameplate used by Mazda for their Small family cars manufactured between 1964 and 2003 with 10589052 sold worldwide History Early The World Rally Championship was formed from well-known international rallies nine of which were previously part of the International Championship The One Lap of America is a Motorsports event in the United States since 1984 Wankel engines have been banned for some time from international Formula One racing, as well as from United States midget racing, after Gene Angelillo won the North East Midget Racing Association championship in 1985 with a car powered by a 13B engine, and again in 1986 in a car powered by a 12A engine. Midget cars are very small Race cars with a very high Power-to-weight ratios and typically using Four-cylinder engines Despite their name they are fully Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar)
Spec series
Formula Mazda Racing features open wheel race cars with Mazda engines, adaptable to both oval tracks and road courses, on several levels of competition. Formula Mazda is a class of relatively affordable Formula racing. Since 1991, the professionally organized Star Mazda Series has been the most popular format for sponsors, spectators, and upward bound drivers. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. The Star Mazda Series is a stand alone series of open-wheel race cars of a single formula conducted by Star Race Cars that started in the early 1990s with the current car released The engines are all built by one engine builder, certified to produce the prescribed power, and sealed to discourage tampering. They are in a relatively mild state of racing tune, so that they are extremely reliable and can go years between motor rebuilds.
Spec Miata has become one of the most popular and most affordable road racing classes in North America. Spec Miata is a class of Racing car used in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA National Auto Sport Association (NASA and Midwestern Council The Spec Miata (SM) class is intended to provide the opportunity to compete in low cost, production-based cars with limited modifications, suitable for racing competition. The rules are intentionally designed to be more open than the Showroom Stock class but more restricted than the Improved Touring class.
Sponsorships
Mazda is a major sponsor to several professional sports teams, including:
- Fremantle Football Club (Australian Football League)
- Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Nippon Professional Baseball): The "Toyo" part of the team's name is in honor of Mazda's part-ownership of the team since 1968 (when Mazda was still known as Toyo Kogyo). Fremantle Football Club, unofficially nicknamed The Dockers and known informally as "Freo" is one of 16 teams in the Australian Football League (AFL The Australian Football League (AFL is both the professional Australian national competition in the Sport of Australian Rules Football and its highest The are a professional Baseball team in Japan 's Central League. Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of Baseball in Japan. The Matsuda family, descended from the founder of Mazda, holds the majority share in team ownership.
- North Melbourne Football Club (Australian Football League)
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima (J. League)
The company also sponsors various marathon and relay race events in Japan, such as the Hiroshima International Peace Marathon and the Hiroshima Prefectural Ekiden Race, along with numerous other sporting and charity endeavors in Hiroshima and Hofu. North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is an Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League. The Australian Football League (AFL is both the professional Australian national competition in the Sport of Australian Rules Football and its highest is a football team in the J League. Team name The team name comes from the Japanese numeral for three, San and an Italian The, or, is the top professional Football (soccer league in Japan and one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football The marathon is a long-distance foot race with an official distance of 42 During a relay race, members of a team take turns Running, Orienteering, Swimming, Cross-country skiing, Biathlon, or Skating The Japanese city of ( is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshū, the largest of Japan 's is a city located in Yamaguchi, Japan. As of 2008, the city has an estimated Population of 117535 and the density of 623 [6] Mazda was also the league sponsor for the now-defunct Australian Rugby Championship. The Australian Rugby Championship or ARC (also known as the Mazda Australian Rugby Championship or the Mazda Championship for sponsorship
Mazda also maintains sponsorship of the Laguna Seca racing course in California, going so far as to use it for their own automotive testing purposes as well as the numerous racing events (including several Mazda-specific series) that it hosts. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (previously known as Laguna Seca Raceway) is a paved road Racing track used for both Auto racing and motorcycle racing California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. [7]
Marketing
Since 2000, Mazda has used the phrase "Zoom-Zoom" to describe what it calls the "emotion of motion" that is inherent in their products. [8] Extremely successful and long-lasting (when compared to other automotive marketing taglines), the Zoom-Zoom campaign has now spread around the world from its initial use in North America. [9]
The Zoom-Zoom campaign has been accompanied by the "Zoom Zoom Zoom" song in many television and radio advertisements. The original version, performed by Serapis Bey (used in commercials in Europe, Japan and South Africa), was recorded long before it became the official song for Mazda as part of a soundtrack to the movie Only The Strong (released in 1993). Only The Strong is a 1993 action Film, directed by Sheldon Lettich. The Serapis Bey version is a cover of a traditional Capoeira song, called "Capoeira Mata Um". In Capoeira, music sets the rhythm the style of play and the energy of a game
Early ads in the Zoom-Zoom campaign also featured a young (10 years old at the time) boy speaking the "Zoom-Zoom" tagline, who eventually was referred to as the "Zoom-Zoom Kid". [10] The "Kid", now a teenager, is named Micah Kanters. [11]
See also
- List of Mazda vehicles
- List of Mazda platforms
- List of Mazda engines
- List of Mazda facilities
- Mazdaspeed
References
- ^ http://www.mazda.com/publicity/release/2007/200701/0126e.pdf
- ^ MAZDA:Mazda Production and Sales Results for December 2007 and for January through December 2007 (Flash Report) | Production and Salese Results
- ^ http://www.mazda.co.uk/AboutMazda/AllAboutMazda/Timeline/
- ^ Bloomberg.com: Japan
- ^ daytona rx5
- ^ MAZDA:Basic Idea on Community and Social Contributions | With Communities and Society
- ^ Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca | Track Sponsors
- ^ Ford Motor Company - Featured Story - Mazda Challenges Consumers in Zoom-Zoom Contest
- ^ MAZDA:What's Zoom Zoom ? | Mazda Spirit
- ^ Shufflingdead.com: Newbs' Knowledge of Life, the Universe and Everything
- ^ Micah Kanters
External links
- Mazda Global Web Site - includes links to Mazda operations worldwide
- Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development
- Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
- The Mazda3 Freighter Challenge
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