ASH8

Hiroshima, 1 April 2009.

Ikuo Maeda has been appointed General Manager of Mazda Motor Corporation’s Design Division, effective April 1, 2009.
He will lead a global design team with responsibility for the overall design and styling of all Mazda global products. He will be based at the company’s world headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan.
He replaces Laurens van den Acker, who has decided to leave Mazda to pursue other interests. Van den Acker will remain at Mazda until April 10 to ensure a smooth transition to Maeda.
Prior to this appointment, Maeda was the Chief Designer of the Design Strategic Studio at Mazda headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan. Maeda joined Mazda in April 1982 (then known as Toyo Kogyo Co., Ltd).
He was in charge of advanced design at Mazda’s Yokohama Design Studio from 1985 to 1986. Following a three-year work assignment at Mazda North America Operations’ design studio in the late 1980s, he held a succession of prominent design positions before being dispatched to Ford’s Design Studio in Detroit in 1999 and 2000.
Upon his return to Mazda in Hiroshima in 2000 as Chief Designer, he led the team which designed the highly acclaimed Mazda RX-8 sports car. More recently, Maeda was the Chief Designer for the new Mazda2, which was crowned 2008 World Car of the Year, among many other motoring accolades.

ASH8

Anything to do with the New Mazda 3 SMILING Front???

MattMPS

error.

robrecht

Damn, that's the guy who was finally going to give the Miata some *****:

“The next MX-5 needs to be a big step,” Laurens Van den Acker said. “The last one was too conservative and we can’t do another car like that. We need to make it more dramatic and give it some *****.”

https://www.rx8club.com/general-automotive-49/miata-2012-a-163691/

MattMPS

just only 6 months ago Mazda had 4 o 5 lead (for advanced projects) designers (USA,EU,JAP) ...now just one or two.




2 of this 4 guys are out of the company today.......


no good signal IMHO...

EDIT: BTW they have hired a new one for US .......from Vw

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

A link to the original story is required today. They do celebrate April Fools Day in Australia too.

robrecht

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsAr...llCars/239205/

Mazda's top designer, Laurens van den Acker, has left the company to pursue other interests.

The Dutchman is the second star designer to leave his post this week - on Monday it was confirmed that Steve Mattin, design director of Volvo, was leaving the company.

Mattin quits as Volvo design boss.

In his place Mazda has appointed a new head of global design, Ikuo Maeda, who led the team behind the RX-8.

Maeda takes over from today as General Manager of Mazda's design division and will be based at the company’s world headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan.

Previously he was the chief designer of the Design Strategic Studio, having joined the company in April 1982.

He was in charge of advanced design at Mazda’s Yokohama design studio from 1985 to 1986.

After working at Mazda North America’s design studio in the late 1980s he went to Ford’s design studio in Detroit in 1999 and 2000.

Returning to Mazda in 2000 he worked on the RX-8 and more recently was chief designer for the new Mazda2.

“Maeda-san has played a pivotal role in the success that Mazda Design has experienced globally,” said Seita Kanai, Mazda’s senior executive officer of research and design.

“His local and global experience make him well-qualified to take Mazda Design to the next stage.

“We appreciate the contribution made by Laurens van den Acker. He and his team have taken Mazda Design to new heights and we wish him well for the future,” added Mr Kanai.

zoom44

whoah missed this earlier and just read it int eh news just now.

Robrecht I wouldnt worry about the next MX-5 that program is underway and Maeda is definitely in the same mind frame as van den Acker regarding it. Maeda after all was head of the RX-8 design team and Mazda2 design team. He likes saving weight and judging by those 2 knows a bit about chassis design. It will move forward as planned.

Wasn't Maeda-san at 7stock a couple years ago? I feel like i met him. Oh yes I got him to sign something. And he signed that 40th anniversary RX-8 hood i nearly won at the dinner auction.

Interesting shift at Ford as well Morey Callum (who used to have the head design job at Mazda before Laurens) gets a promotion as his (now former) boss heads to Volvo http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...7K8YwD979O76O1 to replace the person who quit a couple days ago

robrecht

Sounds good, but I still like to repeat his quote:

“The next MX-5 needs to be a big step,” Laurens Van den Acker said. “The last one was too conservative and we can’t do another car like that. We need to make it more dramatic and give it some *****.”

ASH8

I wonder what the REAL reason is for him resigning...went sooky because his 'Hakaze' SUV failed to make it into reality...I recall the also recently resigned MME Boss was 100% certain it was going to make production.

Where will Laurens turn up...any bets!

zoom44

I've got a Google alert ready and waiting for that news

i dont know if Hakaze was van den Acker's car im pretty sure that concept was done purely by the Mazda Euro design house. They clearly want one of those small crossovers over there....

j_tso

Maeda was featured in last summer's ZoomZoom magazine with his father, Matasaburo Maeda, who designed the first RX-7.

http://www.mazdaspeeddevelopment.com...m_summer08.pdf

I think the design is in good hands. Besides, isn't van den Acker responsible for all the Nagare concepts that you all hate so much?

zoom44

yes right his Dad was there too.

This makes sense when you think about it- its just more shake up from Ford selling its shares. Getting rid of the people hired by the "ford" people and moving up more Mazda people from within.

zoom44

just to put some rumour to this whole news- is it an indication that the next rotary has been given the green light? read the story of the father-son in the zoom zoom mag

Mazmart

iTrader: (12)

I'll believe it when I see it. When Mazda officially says "The RX? has been green lighted" I'll believe. Until then, I'll keep dreaming and hoping.

Paul.

delhi

What's really interesting about Ikuo Maeda is that his dad designed the first RX-7.

ASH8

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2009...NEWS/904019990

Van den Acker worked at Volvo and Audi before joining Ford.

Since joining Mazda, he has produced three concepts: the Nagare (Los Angeles 2006), Ryuga (Detroit 2007) and Hakaze (Geneva 2007).

ASH8

?...no April fools here

ASH8

I am with you Paul on that one!

ASH8

NEW NEWS,


BMW has just canceled it new Z2 (4 cylinder) Roadster "because it does not makes sense in these uncertain times".

Looks like the MX-5 Miata has the market all sown up...so to speak!

http://www.worldcarfans.com/9090401....elled---report

kersh4w

iTrader: (3)

from the moment i saw this, it looked more like internal politics than van der ackens just resigning.

im with zoom on this, mazda is just putting their own people in place, replacing ford people.

MattMPS

MY mistake.

ASH8

Right there Charlie...

Mazda Japan has announced (yesterday) around 50 'Organizational and Personnel Changes' at their Japanese plants concerning higher section/department Heads/Managers.

Many of the Japanese Managers have had their workload (Job titles) increased, one European guy working in Hiroshima has moved back to Ford.
Craig L. von Essen formerly the Deputy General Manager Corporate Communications Div. (Return to Ford, effective March 31, 2009).

So there are now very few 'Ford' employees left in Japan.

CyberPitz

I read the story, but must have been blind. I didn't catch it

r0tor

iTrader: (1)

bleh, he hasn't made anything that i liked so far anyway