Opinions & Editorials
Editorial: Please give us Mazdaspeed accessories!
By by: Michael Fonseca
Jul 22, 2004, 13:00

I asked nicely. I even said please. Now although that may not work, I can’t understand the why Mazda hasn’t chosen to bring its line of Mazdaspeed accessories over to the North American market. Quite a few manufacturers are jumping on the bandwagon of selling modifications right through the manufacturer’s own accessories divisions.

Dodge has the ever-popular Mopar brand of accessories, offering everything from mild ECU upgrades to wild turbo packages. Toyota and Scion also offer a full line of products from intakes to superchargers, all done through TRD. The great thing about purchasing these directly from the manufacturer is that your warranty is generally kept intact, you can roll the price of the upgrades into your auto loan, and you also know that everything fits perfectly and works as it was intended to (theoretically) - you’re not going to have to deal with “tuning” your turbo kit or supercharger when you buy it directly from the manufacturer.

Upgrades purchased and installed through the manufacturer are a win-win situation. Not only do we as the enthusiasts get some great products, but the manufacturer also gets the opportunity to capitalize on an ever-growing market. Accessories provide very high profits for not only the dealers, but also the manufacturer itself.

Mazda currently has a line of aftermarket products, but sadly they aren’t available here through the dealers themselves. Granted, from time to time you will see a real Mazdaspeed steering wheel, or a set of Mazdaspeed seats pop up on eBay. But the items command a premium because of their rarity and larger items are very costly to ship from Japan to the United States. How great would it be to be able to go pick up your new Mazdaspeed Miata and have them throw in some Mazdaspeed type F red cloth seats to go with your new roadster? Or better yet, to be able to order a roll bar, shocks and springs, spoilers, short shift kits… the list goes on and I’m sure by now you all get the idea.

With Mazda’s popularity soaring in North America thanks to its fresh, enthusiast targeted product line, we’re going to begin to see more and more modified 3s, 6s, and RX8s. This is the perfect opportunity for Mazda to capitalize on this market. The entire Mazda brand has a sporty feel to it and the best way to complement that would be some added spice from Mazdaspeed. So Mazda, if you’re listening, we’ve all been good this year - so how about bringing the entire Mazdaspeed line over to the U.S.? Please!?

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