New Mazda Concept Teams/Department
 

Mazda forms splinter groups to help develop future concepts, niche products



MARK RECHTIN | Automotive News
Posted Date: 2/3/05
LOS ANGELES -- Mazda Motor Corp. has formed splinter departments at its three r&d centers to develop concept ideas and niche variations of production vehicles.

Mazda has established the Annual Advancement Activity programs, or AAA, at its r&d centers in Hiroshima, Japan; Irvine, Calif.; and Frankfurt. The first production vehicle from the program will arrive in the fall of 2006. (could this be the MS RX-8 or the revival of the RX-7?)

Each of the AAA groups has about a dozen representatives from design, engineering, marketing and finance.

"They are there to create innovative products that are not in our base cycle plan," says Steve Odell, Mazda Motor director in charge of global sales, marketing and customer service.

"It could be an all-new addition or a refinement of an existing vehicle. We could pick elements from a design study and use them for a mid-cycle change on a mainstream vehicle," Odell says. "These are not flights of fancy. These are deliverables."

Joe Bakaj, Mazda Motor senior managing executive officer for r&d, says, "At other companies, it's either design or engineering or product planning individually coming up with new ideas. With AAA, it's all those groups working together."

Every year the three studios brainstorm about 20 vehicle ideas and 12 production-possible concepts. Upper management pares that selection to the top three ideas. Each studio then rotates some of its staff to help complete the other studios' projects.

Vehicles such as the Verisa and MX-Crossport concept -- while not done by the AAA groups -- are examples of what Mazda executives see as possible. It also frees most of the r&d department to work harder on Mazda's core models, Bakaj says.

Mazda design boss Moray Callum says the AAA teams are finding a balance between futurism and reality.

"There's no point in doing a new concept if it doesn't look like a new concept," Callum says. "We were looking too far out at first. Now we're looking one generation beyond the current."


Source: Autoweek


Interesting way to do things. Does anyone know if any other car maker does something like this?

Well done.
 

What a great catch.

Thanks. :)

Indeed! Sounds like Mazda's best days may lie ahead. I know many will be salivating between now and fall '06 to see what may become of this.

I am not aware of any similar philosophies at the other car manufacturers, but that is not to say that it is not happening. Although I must say that many of the larger auto manufacturers (which shall remain nameless) are so messed up in their executive structure to possibly ever have all the different internal organizations come together and focus so specifically on something like that.

Interesting. I hope it's the RX-7. I would expect Mazdaspeed to be working on the MS RX-8, not the AAA, but I guess we'll have to wait and see...

I will get flamed for this... but I cannot state my source, except it's an online subscription based Automotive database that I have access too... and it stated the 2007 RX7 project was canceled. Mazda is focusing on the 8 and miata for now.

thread useless without pics :D

Miata Rotary?
 

If the RX-7 is put on hold, will a performance version ("MS") of the Miata get a rotary?

Thanks.

My $0.02
 

1 + 1 = the next... :D

miata + rotory= Happy Asians
Just had to clear it up for the people that didnt understand

Everything Ive read says the Miata will not be getting a rotary.

IMHO - this says to me --- Corporate PR speak about their internal innovation process. And frankly, having 'top management' choose only three early in the process seems a sure way to kill innovation... Anyway, It doesn't say crap about what products may come out of it.

Expect the miata to be all new in ~Q4 '05(2006 model). Derived and modified from the 8 platform.

Perminant name change to "MX-5"

They won't put a rotary in the Miata. It would be faster and handle better than the 8 and a convertible also. Some people don't need the backseats of the 8 and they would essentially compete with one another.



^ I'm not sure if they'd change it permanently to Mazda MX-5 as their coming out with a Mazda 5 already and its that minivan/car thing.

yeah, no rotary in the miata, its not needed to sell that car. I would love to see an RX-7 though....after having both an 8 and a 95 RX-7 i cant wait to see what they do with it, if they ever do anything at all......i mean, give me a prototype, or something to wet my appetite!!!

True, I'm just relying info from an online auto manufactures database.

Id bet almost anthing it would be called Miata

The exact wording from this database says "name is likely to be changed to MX-5"

Id bet almost anthing it would be called Miata

Bet almost anyting? How your 8? I need a track car. ;)

^ Fine with me, just let me buy it first :)

Ok I suggest you go out and buy/read MotorTrend for April 2005. Then weep as you send me the pink slip to your RX8. I'll PM you with my address and no worries I will pick up the shipping charges. No need for salt on an open wound. ;)


The article starts like this....


"Kiss the Miata goodbye, come 2006- the Miata name that is. Mazda will drop the car's North American moniker on the 2005 version in favor of the alphanumeric MX-5 designationuser elsewhere in the world."

Alright buddy..now that you have been proven wrong*see below*
You owe me now! Better start driving my 8 over to my house.

Mazda's website refers to the new MX-5 as the "2006 MX-5 Miata". http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...comingMX5Miata

The current Mazdaspeed MX-5 no longer has a "Miata" emblem on the car itself, but they still call it the Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata. So despite MotorTrend's claim, who knows for sure. Mazda NAO might decide to do a 180 and keep the Miata name for obvious marketing reasons. (But I'm not betting my car :rolleyes: )