Events Coverage
Mazda At The 2005 NAIAS
By by: Wes Grueninger
Jan 19, 2005, 09:15

Even though Mazda's North American sales were up 1.9% last year, bolstered by strong sales of the Mazda3 compact, Mazda6 mid-size and RX-8 sports car, the company is not content to rest on its laurels. At Detroit's 2005 North American International Auto Show, Mazda's press conference focused on unveiling a three-pronged strategy to invigorate the brand and bring even more customers into showrooms.

Mazda's chief designer Iwao Koizumi outlined the first initiative in a design session with reporters. Speaking through a translator, Koizumi explained the bold family styling cues which will be implemented on all Mazda-designed vehicles: flowing lines that start at the A-pillar and flow through the hood before truncating at the grille opening, prominent front fenders that lend a strong and independent shape to the wheelhouses and echo the design that originated with the RX-8, and the large lower-fascia grille opening that has become a Mazda signature. It is his desire, Koizumi explained, to make Mazda vehicles instantly recognizable as such, even to consumers that are not typically car-savvy.



The second strategy to rev up sales is the introduction of new product. Two new vehicles will be arriving in Mazda showrooms, both of which promise to fulfill Mazda's desire to bring cars, trucks and SUVs with a spirited driving experience and stylish design into every market in which it competes.

Unveiled for the first time at the North American International Auto Show was the compact Mazda5 multi-activity vehicle. Sharing a platform with the Mazda3 compact sedan and powered by a 2.3-litre, 157-horsepower four-cylinder engine, the Mazda5 will be available with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. The exterior of the Mazda5 abounds with thoughtful touches such as specially-designed low-friction tracks for its large sliding doors to allow smooth one-handed operation and a double detent on the rear liftgate to make operation easier for shorter drivers. On the inside, the 5 sports such innovative features as three rows of two seats with theater-style seating, a flat interior floor, versatile rear seating which allows for variable arrangement of the cargo area, and a full complement of front and side airbags, including side curtain bags which are designed to protect the length of the vehicle. TripleZoom has full coverage of the Mazda5 launch at the NAIAS, which can be found HERE, and a gallery of Mazda5 pictures can be found HERE.

Also on hand was the new Mazdaspeed6 sedan - a turbocharged, all-wheel drive version of the popular Mazda6. Available from select Mazdaspeed dealers and only in sedan form, the Mazdaspeed6 is powered by a turbocharged and intercooled direct-injection 2.3-litre four cylinder engine producing 274 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, mated to a new six-speed manual transmission coupled to a Active Torque Split All-Wheel Drive system with a limited-slip rear differential. Combustion gases exit through a new resonance-tuned exhaust system which is designed to achieve a healthy mix of low-end burble while maintaining pleasing levels of cabin noise when at cruise. A bulged hood, unique front and rear fascias, flared side skirts, exclusive 18-inch wheels and a functional rear spoiler form the basis of the Mazdaspeed6's exterior upgrades. The passenger cabin features rich, high-quality interior materials to appeal to adult sensibilities, rather than the spartan rally-inspired interiors of other turbocharged all-wheel-drive sedans available in North America. For more details about the Mazdaspeed6, you can read TripleZoom's coverage of the model HERE.

Making its debut at the show was Mazda's MX-Crossport crossover concept vehicle. Riding on large twenty-inch wheels, the MX-Crossport is able to maintain the ride height and road presence of an SUV while the short tire sidewall helps provide the crisp handling and sporting pretenses that consumers associate with Mazda's "zoom zoom" brand image. While not destined for production, the Crossport offers a peak at Mazda's ideas for creating an SUV that goes beyond the boxy appliances offered by other manufacturers: The seats are mounted on pedestals which move on a single track, freeing up floor space normally reserved for bulky seat rails. That detail is combined with a roof which is a nearly uninterrupted electrically-dimming glass panel to give the cabin an open and uncluttered atmosphere. The side profile of the greenhouse kicks up over the rear wheel arches to interrupt the chrome beltline strip that starts forward of the side-view mirrors, and helps give the vehicle a dynamic feeling of motion. The driver's space in patterned after the RX-8, with a large three-gauge instrument pod peeking out from behind a three-spoke steering wheel. More information about the MX-Crossport can be found in TripleZoom's coverage of the concept model HERE, and a gallery of pictures of the MX-Crossport can be found HERE.

The third and final tactic for increasing Mazda's North American sales is the creation of more brand-exclusive dealerships and the introduction of the Retail Revolution program. While most dealer franchises currently share facilities with another brand, Mazda North America plans to have at least 50% of its 700 US dealers become brand-exclusive in the next two years, a move which has shown a proven sales increase in Canada and is already helping to spur sales in the United States as it is rolled out. Retail Revolution, far from being a skin-deep refreshing of existing showrooms, is a unique sales philosophy centering around three components: the sales facility and environment, customer information and the Mazda test drive.



The new Retail Revolution stores are swathed in green and orange hues, and feature a prominent storefront display with a elevated Mazda vehicle inviting consumers to stop in and take a closer look. Dealership interiors feature bold colors and open-concept architecture, with dedicated vehicle model exhibits and plasma-screen displays scattered throughout playing video clips of Mazda's motorsport heritage.

Beyond a high-tech and inviting facility, all Retail Revolution stores will feature the M Café, where customers can peruse Mazda's offerings on Internet-enabled computers and electronically build their new vehicles without being tied to a sales associate. In addition, sales staff will carry wireless Personal Data Assistants, which allow them to more effectively answer any questions the customer may have, as well as check vehicle stock and help expedite service appointments.

The third primary component of the Retail Revolution store is the Mazda Test Drive. Predicated on the premise that a Mazda drivers cannot fully appreciate the vehicle on a short trip around the block, each Retail Revolution dealer custom-tailors a test drive route to take into account selected roads, traffic patterns and road conditions specific to each location. The enhanced test drive will allow drivers to experience the vehicle in a variety of both fun and practical driving situations.

The first Mazda Retail Revolution facility opened in Bountiful, Utah in January of 2003. By the end of 2004, 21 such stores have been completed nationwide. Mazda expects approximately 30% of its dealership franchises to be Retail Revolution facilities in the next five years.

For more discussion on this story, click on the link to our discussion forums to the left.	For more photos related to this story, click on the link to our gallery at the right.

© Copyright 2003 by YourSITE.com