There is a growing variety of possible competitors for the MX-Micro Sport, should it come to North America, Jackson noted, such as a number of compact, tall wagons. The car might even compete with the Mini.
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| With a number of waiting competitors in North America, does Mazda's new hatchback have what it takes to compete against the likes of the Mini? (Photo: Mazda Canada) |
"The Mini certainly has a pretty premium position, but the Mazda is much larger, with a four door offering and a little bit of cargo room that certainly bodes well for this entry," Jackson said. "But, I don't think the Mazda has the cache that is associated with the Mini, so I think they would be a bit more cautious on their price point."
Continuing to Rebuild Mazda in America
"Arguably, Mazda lost its way seven or eight years ago, and as a result ... the best thing we can do is focus on who we are and execute it as best as you can," Odell said.
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| "We are just a little company whose aim is to grow a little bit at a time and sensibly," stated Stephen Odell, Mazda's Senior Managing Executive Officer in charge of Global Marketing, Sales and Customer Service. (Photo: Mazda Canada) |
Mazda, with its relationship with Ford--the Dearborn, Mich., based company owns more than a third of the Japanese company--has brought many great products to the market in model year 2004, such as the new RX-8 sports car with a modern version of a rotary engine, he said.
"The Mazda 3, for instance, is a byproduct of the association between the two companies," he said. "We are just a little company whose aim is to grow a little bit at a time and sensibly. Our aim is to grow profitably rather than just over expand ourselves and hit a volume number that doesn't mean anything from the profit perspective."