ASH8

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/...476164,00.html

ASH8

While this is not good news...obviously the repercussions of all that went on in 2012 (Earthquake/Tsunami) has not helped Mazda...sales and production.

It just goes to show yet again that Mazda is being effected more than any other top 5 Japanese car maker as it is exposed more to the strong YEN , Mazda have little to no leverage.

News of Mexican, Russian and possibly Brazil all new car plants in 2013 will help a lot.

Mazda are having issues restructuring ownership with Ford in China as recent Chinese law makers have stopped any new car investments by outside brands, Mazda and Ford want to go their separate ways (divorce) and now cant because of new laws.

Strong talk is that ALL car makers will be producing cars in China and exporting to the west...so you might see a Chinese made VW in the US soon...even a Ford or GM!.

Anyway, there is a bright side for Mazda....Mazda sales in the US have improved by 60% in the US in January 2012 and here in Australia was another record for Mazda, an 11% market share for January 2012, that is almost 5 times more market share than US.
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...ket-share.html

Sadly at the moment any RE Mazda will be on the back-burner for a long time, Mazda just cant afford it.

SO GET OUT THERE AND BUY A NEW MAZDA, YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO...YOU WON'T FIND A BETTER MADE FULLY IMPORTED JAPANESE QUALITY CAR THAT IS WELL SORTED!.

Just DO IT!..Zoom Zoom

The all new 2013 KE Series CX-5 is MAZDA's Future..
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...Code=CX5#/home

xexok

Meh I dunno, my 1999 mercury/ford had less rattles and squeaks than this car lol. I love the rx8 though.

Mazda can join in with Nintendo who is also dealing with a $1.31 billion loss.

zoom44

its not unexepected. they've been dealing with the yen situation for what? two years now? the investors know all about and the moves to open production in other places to offset it. a billion is abig amount but the idea of it is not a big deal.

YaXMaN

Billion... with a "b"

Yowser. For a company that's bringing in ~$25 billion in revenue per year, I would imagine that's a pretty big deal.

monchie

The recession played a role.

digitalSniperX1

Mazda should've been hedging to prevent exposure to a strong yen. I've no idea how much cash they have access to...but this is not good news at all. Thanks for the post.

ASH8

No not big deal!?, only about 40% of what the company is worth.

If this happens again there will be no Mazda.

ASH8

Goes to show the Dummies are still running the show in NA...

And Mazda want to go upmarket with this garbage....unbelievable.

ASH8

Yeeee hahhh!!!

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

I have to agree with you Ash. That's a terrible commercial in my opinion. WAY "over designed".

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

It is geared to the 20 something videogame playing drivers

Us old guys find it annoying

zoom44

i thought it was a good commercial. excellently done

michael Dombrowski

iTrader: (2)

I am 37, drive an RX8 and love that commercial. To me, it gets their point across.

Mazmart

iTrader: (12)

I'm over 40 and thought the ad was pretty cool as well. A great improvement over what we have had here from Mazda.

Paul.

reddozen

iTrader: (1)

I agree, it's an improvement... now if they would actually fix some of the dealer base.

usnidc

The problem I see is they are marketing themselves against Kia/Hyundai but want to be considered with BMW/Audi...

Mazmart

iTrader: (12)

The separation from Ford combined with the Yen/Dollar ratio are probably the two biggest factors at play here. Lack of assembly plant diversification to ward off the currency struggle is a problem and natural disasters as well did not help. Mazda's more recent scramble to build more plants overseas will be helpful in the long run but creates a temporary negative.

Paul.

ASH8

Now Mazda are looking for Partners...talk is they may even try and license their Skyactiv stuff...But IMO given the number of "engine makers" and designers holding any patents (if they exist) for SA is going to be very difficult....not going to be that hard to copy.

NONE of this looks good for Mazda...$1.6bil loss by MARCH!

http://www.leftlanenews.com/struggli...-partners.html

ASH8

Problem is from this side of the world IS their marketing for/by MNAO is STILL BS..

I know none of you will agree but the recent promo (internet) says next to nothing, a little about Skyactiv (which is the purpose of the ad)....it should be THUMPING out MPG, MPG and MPG and MPG...did I say MPG.

Mazda has a bad reputation (past) for MPG in US.

The average car users thinks Skyactiv is an oxymoron for...?..fresh air?

From the technical side Mazda have and are taking way too long to get it out.

Too slow again...4 years of losses and in the 3rd they think, gee we had better invest in new plants in cheap cost countries...Mazda are just repeating their politely bad management procedures that I thought Ford helped to clean up (obviously not).

Thank god their new model launch looks good, with a lot happening in the next 3 years, I just hope Sumitomo keeps them out of Bankruptcy.

IF the CX-5 does not work (I see no reason why it wont) I see grave issues for Mazda...you can forget about anything Rotary.

I have faith...

danielmended

i like it...hay that engine ..is running like a 14 to 1 compression ratio...that sounds good to me .. for stock

Corso

Really? I disagree. No way Mazda considers themselves part of the BMW/Audi market segment. Kia/Hyundai would certainly be slightly more accurate, but I believe they are smack dab in the middle of the Honda/Toyota/Nissan target market.

Their marketing is what has put them behind the eight ball for years. Take for example the 6.... or even go back further to the Millenia. These are/were great cars. Compared to the Accord and Camery, they are a much more satisfying driver. Yet the Accord/Camrey blow their doors off in overall sales. Why? Marketing is a big reason.

The whole 'zoom-zoom' thing needs a facelift. The products are there, now they need a marketing campaign to convince the buyers to look their direction. A more mature and sophisticated message would help.

ASH8

Mazda US did announce last year (memory) when US dollar was going down that price increases on cars will happen and that they will go upmarket...no one suggested BMW, it was said "considered" by 'usnidc'.

Whether this works in the US or not is another matter...guys are already complaining that a new Miata with all the bells is in the $32K plus mark....for a Miata...they say!..

Well I say get used to it, this what happens when your currency loses value, imported goods increase in price.

Edit: and YES 'a more mature and sophisticated message' is definitely the way to go, we did it in Australia 15 years ago and it does work, but then Kia and Hyundai were considered JUNK....frankly I dislike the way MNAO have marketed Mazda over the past 20 years...come on they have NEVER got any better than 2.2% market share, most of the time it is 1.5%...that is pathetic for a brand that has been in the US for 40+ years....and yeah the US execs blame Japan for not spending the $$$'s, weak excuse....every car sold has a marketing budget included in the price like everyone else, and yes their margins are slimmer...all these ex Ford guys keep making PW excuses.