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06.02.2020
At Johnsons Mazda, we were delighted to see the iconic Japanese marque celebrate its 100th birthday, joining fellow centenarian car manufacturers such as Fiat, Citroën, Peugeot and Aston Martin.
A ceremony was held to mark the exact date the company was formed, 30th January, with a larger celebration expected in Hiroshima over the summer. Centenary official Akira Marumoto, Representative Director, President and CEO of Mazda, commented on the anniversary:
“Our cars have found friends with many customers from over 130 countries and regions. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the customers, dealers, suppliers, business partners and the local community, who have supported us over the years through good and bad times, to whom we owe our 100 years of existence.”
But despite its landmark year, did you know that Mazda didn’t build its prototype four-wheel passenger car until 1940 (and it took another 20 years to get one into production)? Let’s take a look at the company’s journey…
Mazda has grown from humble origins – Toyo Cork Kogyo Co. Ltd was established in Hiroshima in 1920 and made corks for nearly a decade before switching to machine tools and vehicles. The company’s first production vehicle was a three-wheel truck that resembled a modern rickshaw, called the Mazda-Go.
During WWII, the firm joined the war effort until the city was struck by an atomic bomb. In 1960, the company built its first passenger car, the R360. Around this time, it partnered with Germany’s NSU to produce the Wankel rotary engine, and launched its first rotary car in 1967: the Cosmo Sport, one of Japan’s most iconic sports cars!
The rotary engine soon became prolific in Mazda models, with the marque producing almost two million such vehicles over the next 40 years, including the iconic RX-7 and what would become Mazda’s signature car, the MX-5.
Mazda officially changed its name to the Mazda Motor Corporation in 1984, and took the rotary engine out on the racetrack. In 1991 it became the first Asian manufacturer to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and is still the only brand ever to win the race with a non-piston engine. Its most recent technological feat is the SKYACTIV-X engine, the first-ever spark-controlled compression engine.
At the ceremony in January, Akira Marumoto said: “As we look ahead to the next 100 years, we will continue to put people first and cherish our ‘uniqueness of co-creating with others.” So, what does the future hold?
This year we expect to see Mazda’s first-ever electric SUV, the MX-30, plus the new CX-90 sporty crossover. The rotary engine is returning as a range-extending power generator for future electric models, giving rise to rumours that the engine will also be used for a new RX-9 sports car. Watch this space!
Discover the current Mazda range here: /mazda/new-cars/
Whatever your question or feedback we are here to help. So please feel free to contact us.
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Johnsons Cars Limited is an appointed representative of ITC Compliance Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (their registration number is 313486) and which is permitted to advise on and arrange general insurance contracts as an intermediary.
Johnsons Cars Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (our registration number is 688450. Permitted activities include acting as a credit broker not a lender.
As an FCA regulated credit broker we can introduce you to a selected group of lenders / brokers (see below) who may be able to help you finance your purchase. This group of lenders / brokers provides us with a range of products which may be suitable for your purchase. We will explain the key features of those products to you.
Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited, Evolution Funding Limited, Santander Consumer (UK) plc, Honda Finance Europe PLC, CA Auto Finance UK Ltd, Suzuki Financial Services Limited, Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited, Hyundai Capital UK Limited, Stellantis Financial Services Uk Limited, Toyota Financial Services (UK) PLC, FCE Bank Plc,
We are a credit broker and not a lender. We can introduce you to a limited number of lenders and their finance products, we act as their agent for this introduction. We are not an independent financial advisor; we will provide details of products available. We may advise you on the products, subject to your personal circumstances, though you are not obliged to take our advice or recommendation.
We do not charge you a fee for our services. we will typically receive commission from whichever lender we introduce you to (either a fixed fee or a fixed percentage of the amount you borrow).
Unless we consider it to be inappropriate given your personal circumstances, for certain vehicles e.g. New, our approach is to introduce you to the lender who are usually able to offer the best available package for you, taking into account interest rates, residual valuations (where applicable) and other contributions. If they are unable to make you an offer of finance, or the vehicle is not one that we would normally place with them we will introduce you to other lenders on our panel. The lender we introduce you to and available rates will depend upon a number of factors including: the vehicle, your personal circumstances and the likelihood of a lender to accept an application based on information provided.
Lenders typically pay a commission to us for introducing you to them, calculated by reference to the vehicle model or amount you borrow. Different lenders may pay different commissions for such introductions; some lenders may also provide preferential rates to us for the funding of our vehicle stock and also provide financial support for our training and marketing. But any such amounts they and other lenders pay us will not affect the amounts you pay under your finance agreement, all of which are set by the lender concerned. If you would like to know the amount of any remuneration we have received from the finance provider, please ask us.
All finance applications are subject to status, terms and conditions apply, UK residents only, 18’s or over, Guarantees may be required. View our full finance disclosure.
