Mazda and Ford

By: Jason Petrina



While Mazda Motor Company is primarily thought of as an exclusively Japanese automobile manufacturing firm, many people would be surprised to learn that Mazda Motor Company enjoys a strong relationship and partnership with one of the leading American automobile manufacturing firms. Mazda Motor Company and the Ford Motor Company have been partners in the world automobile market for many years. The partnership began in 1979 when Ford acquired a 25% interest in Mazda to help Mazda out of a financial problem they were having. Mazda fell into financial difficulties in 1996 and Ford upped their stake to 33.4% at that time, giving them controlling interest in the company. Ford has maintained an ownership in the Mazda Motor Company since that time. In fact, Ford has based many of its car models on Mazda models. The ford Probe, the late model Ford Escort and the mercury Tracer are examples, as is the Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute, a co-developed car.

Ford sold badge engineered Mazdas in Asia and Australia in the late 1970s and 1980’s These included the Laser and Telstar which replaced models from Ford Europe. Ford was also able to use Mazda as a jumping off point to give itself a presence in Japan, with many models of both American and European Ford being sold by Mazda in Japan.

In the 1980’s Mazda went from being a local, Japanese player in the car market to part of the vast global Ford car empire. This move was great for Mazda in the 1980’s. In fact in the early 1980’s Mazda took over as the number one car sold in Japan, a rarity as Toyota usually dominates that country. Even when Mazda saw decline in the world market in the early 1990’s the partnership with Ford still proved beneficial for both companies. They increased sales of joint Ford Mazda pickup trucks, and opened a manufacturing plant together in Thailand. Mazda and Ford have strong plans for the future. Rumors are that Ford will use the Mazda 6/Atenza platform in upcoming new cars. Also the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr are primarily Mazda designs. The two companies are truly enjoying a symbiotic relationship assisting both in many ways.

Interestingly enough, Mazda was the first Japanese car company to have a foreign Chief Executive Officer. This was the former Chief Financial Officer of the Ford Motor Company, Henry Wallace, who was born in Scotland, in 1996. Japanese media reacted with shock and horror at the time and believed that Ford taking control would cause loss of jobs for Mazda. They were mistaken. James Miller, President of Ford replaced him in 1997 and another Ford executive, Mark Fields took over in 1999.

The history of Ford and Mazda pickups is interesting. Mazda’s B series and Ford’s Courier and Ranger share much with Mazda. The Courier began to be sold internationally in the 1970’s as a clone of the Mazda. In North America Ford replaced the Courier with the Ranger in the 1980s’, but in 1994 the B series became the Ranger clone in that market. Internationally though the Ranger and Courier names were both applied to a Mazda truck k. Today the B series Courier Ranger and the Truck Ranger are totally different truck lines.

The history of both Ford and Mazda and their relationship shows how different countries, different working methods and different cultures can mesh and make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Mazda and Ford have a strong relationship that should continue for many years to come and continue to be beneficial for both companies.



Jason Petrina is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com