Ford to cease platform sharing with Mazda

[Knavish]

I hadn't seen this posted yet...
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/...-leaving-japanese-automaker-in-the-lurch.html

I always thought that the new Fords were more based on Mazda platforms than the other way around. This article implies that Mazda is going to be left in a bit of a tough situation because of this...

 

[xaeniac]

Interesting.... I thought the same thing....???? Mazda6 and Mazda3 what will they do?

 

[zerocool84]

I always thought that the new Fords were more based on Mazda platforms than the other way around. This article implies that Mazda is going to be left in a bit of a tough situation because of this...

That's cus people think American cars suck and since Mazda is Japanese that it has to be good and since the latest Fords have been good they assumed they were Mazda cars.

 

[JulesMaximus]

That's cus people think American cars suck and since Mazda is Japanese that it has to be good and since the latest Fords have been good they assumed they were Mazda cars.

I had this argument with a guy I worked with once. A friend of ours bought a Mazda B2000 pickup and someone else was giving him crap for not buying an American car. I said that the B2000 is made by Ford for Mazda. It's a Ford Ranger with Mazda badging.

I showed him the plate on the door frame that said made by Ford and that didn't even shut him up.

 

[StageLeft]

That's cus people think American cars suck and since Mazda is Japanese that it has to be good and since the latest Fords have been good they assumed they were Mazda cars.

Basically.

What was that domestic car that was basically the same as a corolla? Despite knowing that intellectually, I would have expected it still to suck because I am obviously more of a brand whore than I like to admit.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Basically.

What was that domestic car that was basically the same as a corolla? Despite knowing that intellectually, I would have expected it still to suck because I am obviously more of a brand whore than I like to admit.

Geo Prizm.

 

[Bignate603]

I had this argument with a guy I worked with once. A friend of ours bought a Mazda B2000 pickup and someone else was giving him crap for not buying an American car. I said that the B2000 is made by Ford for Mazda. It's a Ford Ranger with Mazda badging.

I showed him the plate on the door frame that said made by Ford and that didn't even shut him up.

Hmm, so he kept on arguing even though you showed him definitive proof that he was wrong? Are you sure he doesn't post on Anandtech?

 

[iamwiz82]

I had this argument with a guy I worked with once. A friend of ours bought a Mazda B2000 pickup and someone else was giving him crap for not buying an American car. I said that the B2000 is made by Ford for Mazda. It's a Ford Ranger with Mazda badging.

I showed him the plate on the door frame that said made by Ford and that didn't even shut him up.

One of the sales guys that works at my company went to a Ford plant with his Mazda Tribute and was forced to park in the import lot, even though it was made by Ford. People are stupid:\

 

[exar333]

Hmm, so he kept on arguing even though you showed him definitive proof that he was wrong? Are you sure he doesn't post on Anandtech?

I met a guy like that one....always talking about Koreans/fuel economy and "inflating to sidewall"....can't remember the name though...

 

[Arkaign]

Platforms are *Expensive* to develop, I don't see how this move helps Ford or Mazda. Oh well, I hope they continue to collaborate on drivetrains, the Duratec motor in my Focus has been a fantastic little workhorse, far better than the 4-bangers that preceded it such as the SPI motor and Zetec motor.

 

[brblx]

this sucks for the consumer, imo, and seems stupid for the company. but i guess ford is seeing mazda more as competition in a dire market. only reason they didn't sell their whole stake in mazda was to avoid burning bridges.

ford/mercury/lincoln/mazda/volvo were generally all on platforms that were both shared and widely used. it makes no sense to reinvent the wheel when ford, mazda, and volvo are all making better cars now than they previously were on a wider variety of independently produced chassises.

at least mazda will assumably get to keep using all the stuff they've built on thus far.

also, i'm not sure why the article mentions sharing engines. doesn't mazda make their own engines? everything seems to have the same mazda made 4 banger, but i'm not sure what their v6 option is.

 

[ElFenix]

also, i'm not sure why the article mentions sharing engines. doesn't mazda make their own engines? everything seems to have the same mazda made 4 banger, but i'm not sure what their v6 option is.

the 3.7 used in the mazda6 and cx-9 are fords.


the article gets some of the platform information wrong. the escape is a tribute rebadge, not the other way around (and 626 based, old old old stuff).

 

[Knavish]

Platforms are *Expensive* to develop, I don't see how this move helps Ford or Mazda. Oh well, I hope they continue to collaborate on drivetrains, the Duratec motor in my Focus has been a fantastic little workhorse, far better than the 4-bangers that preceded it such as the SPI motor and Zetec motor.

I think the real reason for doing this is that Ford has been selling off its stake in Mazda to avoid going into the Government Motors Bankruptcy Program. They use to have a "controlling" interest in Mazda. Now that they own closer to 10% (I think), they may start to see Mazda as more of a competitor than a partner.

 

[PricklyPete]

Basically.

What was that domestic car that was basically the same as a corolla? Despite knowing that intellectually, I would have expected it still to suck because I am obviously more of a brand whore than I like to admit.

I enjoy your honesty.

 

[JDub02]

judging by the 6, mazda has the chops to make a great car. i hope they can pull it off on their own.

 

[adlep]

judging by the 6, mazda has the chops to make a great car. i hope they can pull it off on their own.

....?

Not only they can pull on their own, but they also saved Ford from destruction. I am not afraid about Mazda - I am afraid about the F.


In case you don't know, Ford Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr MKZ, Mercury Milan are all rebaged, previous gen Mazda 6 with Ford stickers applied to it.

 

[zmatt]

Platforms are *Expensive* to develop, I don't see how this move helps Ford or Mazda. Oh well, I hope they continue to collaborate on drivetrains, the Duratec motor in my Focus has been a fantastic little workhorse, far better than the 4-bangers that preceded it such as the SPI motor and Zetec motor.

Agreed, it is going to hurt us more than them. A lot of money can be saved with sharing platforms and drive trains and Ford and Mazda have some good stuff to bring to the table. Look at the fusion, it is a Mazda 6 in essence, and Mazda uses a lot of Ford's engines.

 

[angry hampster]

For those of you who mentioned the Mazda3: It is on Ford's international focus platform.

 

[hanoverphist]

I had this argument with a guy I worked with once. A friend of ours bought a Mazda B2000 pickup and someone else was giving him crap for not buying an American car. I said that the B2000 is made by Ford for Mazda. It's a Ford Ranger with Mazda badging.

I showed him the plate on the door frame that said made by Ford and that didn't even shut him up.

i used to give my boss a hard time for his explorer manual having the mazda logo on it. he has since sold that puppy and gone through a few expeditions.

 

[zerocool84]

....?

Not only they can pull on their own, but they also saved Ford from destruction. I am not afraid about Mazda - I am afraid about the F.


In case you don't know, Ford Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr MKZ, Mercury Milan are all rebaged, previous gen Mazda 6 with Ford stickers applied to it.

Umm the platform was developed by Ford AND Mazda.

 

[vi edit]

That's really disappointing actually.

It's the collaboration between the two that allows each brand to minimize R&D costs and still put out a fairly unique and compentent product while still making a profit. It also allows Mazda to put hotter selling products on the lot with minimal costs like Suv's and still have money left over to sell niche producst like the RX-8 and MX-5.

The North American market is going to take a serious hit from this. It should still sell well in other areas where the more compact/economy oriented vehices that Mazda doesn't sell here do well. But they are going to have a major R&D budget problem for the N/A larger cars/suvs.

Not cool. Mazda actually gave people with a bit of driving enthusiasm a choice. And that spirt passed on through some of Ford's recent cars.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Ford of Europe has proven they can make a sporty, small platform. Ford of USA obviously has trucks and SUV's down.

I'd be more worried about Mazda, if only for the cost associated with developing new platforms.

 

[thedarkwolf]

....?

Not only they can pull on their own, but they also saved Ford from destruction. I am not afraid about Mazda - I am afraid about the F.

Other way around

 

[PlasmaBomb]

I had this argument with a guy I worked with once. A friend of ours bought a Mazda B2000 pickup and someone else was giving him crap for not buying an American car. I said that the B2000 is made by Ford for Mazda. It's a Ford Ranger with Mazda badging.

I showed him the plate on the door frame that said made by Ford and that didn't even shut him up.

Sounds like someone else on this forum...

 

[StageLeft]

It also allows Mazda to put hotter selling products on the lot with minimal costs like Suv's and still have money left over to sell niche producst like the RX-8 and MX-5.

Likely true, but nobody would really miss the rx-8 if it went away

It also allows Mazda to put hotter selling products on the lot with minimal costs like Suv's and still have money left over to sell niche producst like the RX-8 and MX-5.

Sounds like half of us :O