Industry Report: How Did Mazda Go from So Cold to So Hot?

Ford, which owns a 33.4 percent controlling interest in Mazda, has keenly monitored the Japanese brand's fortunes in recent

Ford currently owns a 33.4 percent controlling interest in Mazda. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

years. After all, the Dearborn, Michigan automaker initially purchased a 25 percent stake of Mazda in 1978 and during its tenure has witnessed more than one plan for turning around the brand's fortunes. The first in recent memory was when the rotary engine was introduced in the mid-'70s, the fanfare of which was short-lived due to fuel economy concerns. Another revitalization was spurred on in the late-'80s with the dawning of the Miata, and the sports car era which followed. And who can forget the Lexus/Infiniti fighting top-tier Amati brand? Well, in fact most everyone will have trouble remembering it as the concept was scuttled just before its introduction. The attractive Millenia sports sedan, with its unique Miller Cycle engine and extremely narrow panel gap tolerances was the only result of this

Mazda's move up the sales charts and return to profitability has given it a new lease on life. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

foiled scheme, a car that did a great deal to boost Mazda's respectability among luxury/sport sedan enthusiasts nonetheless.

In more recent years, Mazda needed to get its act together for the domestic automaker to continue its support. Ford had been losing enough of its own marketshare and money in recent years, and the bleeding had to stop. Now that all has changed, and Mazda's move up the sales charts and return to profitability has given it a new lease on life, the brand further strengthens its position within the Ford Motor family by taking responsibility for the development of the auto group's versatile midsize, front-drive sedan architecture, which will soon spawn the Ford Taurus replacement, dubbed Fusion, the recently announced Mercury Milan variant replacing the Sable, and the Lincoln Zephyr that debuted at this year's New York auto show. Mazda was also responsible for the development of a large displacement 4-cylinder engine, now the 2.3-liter unit in the 3 and base-6, as well as various Ford family products.