Mazda Launches New Mazda2 Sports Sedan Offensive With Celebrity “Pae” Arak As Presenter

Bangkok, Thailand – March 16 2010 – Mazda Thailand has announced its plans to further penetrate the highly-competitive Thai automobile market. After the tremendous success achieved with the Mazda2 5-door hatchback that rocked the Thai subcompact market when introduced in late 2009 and achieved sales of 5,500 units, Mazda is now introducing the much-awaited sports sedan version of the Mazda2. For the Sedan version, another style of popular musician/actor “Pae” Arak Amornsupasiri is being presented, clearly stressing upon the sporty elegance with unique styling of the new Mazda2 sports sedan. This strategy is targeted at members of “Generation NOW”, who have been raised in the digital age and have a unique lifestyle just like the new Mazda2, which comes with a launch campaign – “New Mazda2 Life Continues”. Like other models, the new Mazda2 sports sedan comes with the strong Mazda “Zoom-Zoom” identity with its sporty and distinctive design, as well as a large and comfortable interior and 5-star European NCAP crash rating. The new Mazda2 sports sedan is a high-quality sub-compact car that promises driving enjoyment and is available for Thai customers at a starting price of only Baht 535,000.

John Ray, managing director at Mazda Thailand, said the extremely successful launch of the Mazda2 hatchback in mid November 2009 has given Mazda a dramatic leap forward with unprecedented sales success. “The success level of the Mazda2 surprised our Mazda’s competitors who are watching us closely now,” John said. “It is important for us to work more closely with our dealers in order to ensure our success this year through various projects and initiatives. Apart from our sales success, Mazda has always given importance to expanding our sales and after sales service network and our objective is to have 130 Dealers across the country by December this year and all will feature the new Mazda Corporate Image and cater to the increased sales and servicing demand. We will also ensure a higher level of customer satisfaction in vehicle sales, financing, parts or service, as well as elevate the Mazda brand to a stronger position among the leaders in the Thai automobile industry,” he said.

John Ray added that for 2010, Mazda has set a sales target of 35,000 units, which reflect a 164% sales growth over 2009. “The new Mazda2 sports sedan and the 5-door hatchback model will be our most important products this year, and the combined sales target for these two models has been set at 24,000 units. Meanwhile, the Mazda3 will maintain its excellent performance with sales of 5,000 units and sales of the Mazda BT-50 sport pickup is expected to reach 6,000 units, plus another 78 units of premium models namely the Mazda CX-9 and Mazda MX-5.

The new Mazda2 sports sedan comes into the small passenger car market with an image that is sportier but still provides families with a car that responds better to the customer needs and requirements. In addition, the Mazda2 comes with innovative technology and stylish design that captivates all, whether standing still or in motion. With Mazda’s renowned suspension expertise, safety protection with 5-star Euro NCAP crash rating and the 103-hp MZR power plant that offers excellent performance across the engine speed range, the new Mazda2 sports sedan will surely capture the hearts of Thai car buyers.

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Mazda Commences Production of Mazda2 at New Passenger Car Plant in Thailand

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation today announced that it has commenced production of the Mazda2 (known as Mazda Demio in Japan) at the new passenger car plant at AutoAlliance Thailand Co., Ltd. (AAT), a joint venture manufacturing facility with Ford Motor Company. Mazda2 units produced at AAT will be sold mainly in the ASEAN markets.

To celebrate the start of production, AAT today held a ceremony at the new passenger car plant in Rayong’s Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate. The ceremony was attended by executive officers from Mazda’s head office in Japan, including Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer Masazumi Wakayama and Managing Executive Officer Yuji Nakamine.

The Thai-produced Mazda2 will be one of Mazda’s core products in the ASEAN region, with ASEAN sales targeted at approximately 20,000 units per year.

“The Thai-produced Mazda2 will be a key element in Mazda’s future growth in the ASEAN region, which is continuing to see growing demand for small cars. We consider that the Mazda2 model will also play a pivotal role in Mazda’s global strategy,” said Mazda’s Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer, Masazumi Wakayama, before the ceremony.

“Since its launch, the Mazda2 has received more than 50 awards globally, including Car of the Year in over 20 countries. In 2008, Mazda2 was named World Car of the Year, acclaimed for its beautiful design, sporty driving performance, and outstanding eco-friendly features,” added Wakayama. “I firmly believe that the Mazda2 being built at our state-of-the-art facility in Thailand will make an immense contribution toward establishing the Mazda brand in ASEAN markets and will be our main driving force in the region as we go forward.”

Source : Headlightmag.com

Mazda Thailand will be launch the Mazda 2 minorchange codenmae J64G(5dr) and J64J(4dr) debut in Thailand at AAT thailand plant to fighting B-segment strategy,expect sale figure at more than 1,000 units/month instead of Pickup low hoping sale.

- Freshened model features enhanced interior quality and a new body color -

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation has released refined versions of the Mazda Demio compact on sale in Japan. Known as the Mazda2 in overseas markets, the Mazda Demio has earned high praise in Japan and abroad. The freshened model goes on sale today at all Mazda, Mazda Anfini and Autozam dealerships nationwide. Manufacturer’s suggested retail prices range from 1,195,000 to 1,621,750 yen (including consumption tax).

The freshened interior features a glossy black center panel and matching materials for the seat cover centers and door trim. New silver garnish on the shift knob, parking brake and inner door handles adds to the enhanced overall quality. Aluminum Metallic, a dark silver exterior body color, has also been added to reflect the quality improvements.

Main features of the refined Demio

Interior
- High quality semi-gloss black metallic center panel
- Matching seat cover centers and door trim (three designs: Calm White, Multi Black and Sporty Black)
- Silver garnish: parking brake release button, inner door handles and all automatic air conditioner dials.
- Silver highlights on the shift knob (automatic transmission [AT] and CVT models). An illuminated shifter display has also been added to make driving at night easier (AT and CVT models).
- Silver ring on the manual transmission shift boot.

Exterior
- A new dark silver exterior body color, Aluminum Metallic, enhances the sense of high quality. There are now twelve available body colors.

Other features
- Fully automatic air conditioning and an Alleru [Allergy] Buster* unit (a particulate filter to aid allergy sufferers) now come as standard equipment (SPORT grade).
* Alleru [Allergy] Buster® is a registered trademark of Panasonic Co., Ltd.

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HIROSHIMA, Japan—For the first time ever, a Mazda2 three-door hatchback joins the popular Mazda2 model range. Bringing with it all the attributes of the five-door hatchback, the three-door model is even sportier and more affordable. Mazda will showcase the world premiere of this new vehicle at the 78th annual Geneva International Motor Show to be held from Tuesday, March 4, through Sunday, March 16, 2008.

The new Mazda2 three-door hatchback is designed to attract new customers to further Mazda’s continued growth in the European market. It comes with the same lively and responsive MZR 1.3-liter and 1.5- liter gasoline, powertrains, and the same MZ-CD 1.4-liter common-rail turbo diesel, as the five-door hatchback. These engines achieve high fuel efficiency along with particularly low CO2 emissions.

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Mazda2 delivers impressive fuel efficiency thanks to a weight reduction of nearly 100 kilograms and world-class safety protection -

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation has announced that the new Mazda2 was awarded the five-star maximum rating in the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) adult occupant protection safety test. This is the second five-star score from Euro NCAP awarded to a Mazda vehicle; the first was given to the Mazda5 (known as the Premacy in Japan) in September 2005.This Euro NCAP five-star rating for adult occupant safety is a validation of the Mazda2’s world-class crash protection in a compact car which also achieves outstanding fuel economy and boasts many user-friendly features.

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World-class, flexible manufacturing facility will serve as small car production hub for ASEAN region, South Africa, Australia & New Zealand

  New production expected to create up to 8,000 direct and indirect jobs
Ford Motor Company and Mazda Motor Corporation today announced plans to invest more than US$500 million in a new, highly-flexible small passenger car plant at AutoAlliance Thailand (AAT) – the successful joint-venture of the two global automotive leaders. Senior executives from Ford and Mazda made the announcement at a press conference in Bangkok.
The new, flexible small car plant will utilize the same automated systems and processes, and state-of-the-art auto manufacturing technologies as the Changan Ford Mazda plant that was launched last month in Nanjing, China.

         AAT will begin manufacturing Ford and Mazda’s respective small cars in 2009, which will compete in what the auto industry refers to as the ‘B-car’ category. AAT will also be able to accommodate a more diversified range of products in the future, with simultaneous production of different passenger cars that extend up through the mid-size segment. 

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