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Honda's got Acura, Nissan's got Infiniti and Toyota got the Lexus.....perhaps Mazda could get into that Luxury business too....or just maybe one luxury flagship vehicle (sedan or SUV)...what do you guys think?
Luxury Line
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Mazda did have a luxury-car division in the 90s, and it's called "Amati". And before you ask, no, Amati is not only a fun scrable derivative from "Miata". The Millenia was supposed to be the first Amati. The division is dead with the financing trouble, just before the time when Ford pick-up part of Mazda Corp. Things have changed since then...
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Was Amati ever introduced into the market or was it just an idea? If it was, where? And in your personal opinion, should Mazda continue its rebirth, do you think they will resurrect the Amati line?...I sure would love to see a luxury SUV...you know, give the X5s, MDXs and RX330s a run for their money.... :lol:
MazdaHaveIt,
no Mazda aborted Amati shortly before the Millenia was introduced. Mazda stop following Honda and Toyota concerning the politic of car development. They have found their own way: sporty and fun-to-drive car. In the future, you would find many "original" design ideas from Mazda, but hardly luxury. Amati will be history, and IMHO it's a good decision.
no Mazda aborted Amati shortly before the Millenia was introduced. Mazda stop following Honda and Toyota concerning the politic of car development. They have found their own way: sporty and fun-to-drive car. In the future, you would find many "original" design ideas from Mazda, but hardly luxury. Amati will be history, and IMHO it's a good decision.
Usually to have a luxury car you have to have a luxury brand. I can't think of an instance where a lower end car company came out with a luxury car, at least in the present day. Except, now we have VW with the Phaeton. I personally think it's odd to consider VW as a luxury name. I'd sooner choose the Audi A8, which I consider to be the most luxurious car out there.
Funny how you mention it.Kazbaeden said:
http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...=carnews&loc_code=index&content_code=02720327
I think it will flop, just as the Phaeton is flopping (last I heard).
Mazda is known for sporty cars. Millenia became out of sync with the rest of their model line and its sales were lagging.
Millenia was going to be the Amati Millenia. Sorry if I repeate what someone else said.
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I kinda liked how the Millenia was turning out before they discontinued it....
but does anyone know what is the rationale behind the other car companies creation of a separate luxury line?
but does anyone know what is the rationale behind the other car companies creation of a separate luxury line?
Wahaha Mazda en a luxery brand? They already failed on that point..(in Europe)
Xedos 6. Based on the 626/MX-6 (1992-1999)
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Engines: 1.6 (114hp) and 2.0 V6 (140/147hp)
Competitors: Audi 80/A4, BMW 3-serie, Mercedes 190/C-klasse
Xedos 9 (1993-1998)
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Engines: 2.0 V6 (146hp), 2.5 V6 (170hp), 2.3 V6 Miller (214hp)
Competitors: Audi 100, BMW 5-serie, Lancia Thema, Nissan Maxima
Xedos 9 (1998-2001)
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Xedos 9 (2001-2002 and in some country's till 2003)
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Engine: 2.5 V6 (164hp)
Competitors: Toyota Camry, Audi A6, Peugeot 607
And how often do you see one? I almost never see one. But..... they were very very good cars. very comfortable, quiet and well equipt. But no status
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Xedos 6. Based on the 626/MX-6 (1992-1999)
Engines: 1.6 (114hp) and 2.0 V6 (140/147hp)
Competitors: Audi 80/A4, BMW 3-serie, Mercedes 190/C-klasse
Xedos 9 (1993-1998)
Engines: 2.0 V6 (146hp), 2.5 V6 (170hp), 2.3 V6 Miller (214hp)
Competitors: Audi 100, BMW 5-serie, Lancia Thema, Nissan Maxima
Xedos 9 (1998-2001)
Xedos 9 (2001-2002 and in some country's till 2003)
Engine: 2.5 V6 (164hp)
Competitors: Toyota Camry, Audi A6, Peugeot 607
And how often do you see one? I almost never see one. But..... they were very very good cars. very comfortable, quiet and well equipt. But no status
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234 Posts
Me too...i love the name....maybe Mazda, a few years down the road after experiencing the success of their new models, should again try for the luxury market and use MILLENIA as the name.....but again, this is Mazda, and they probably will not want to conform to the other Japanese cars...we'll just have to see.ATL said:
i was thinking the same thing just a week or two ago... why doesn't mazda have a luxury line? i figure that it's good that they don't have a luxury line as they can focus their work on making a solid band of great cars (as they have been) instead of devoting more attention with their expensive, luxury brands.
speaking as a toyota owner, i think toyota is really taking a nose-dive because there is so much hype about lexus. the toyota cars in the past five years have looked like shit and haven't had any amazing features to speak of. my ex-boyfriend owned a top-of-the-line V6 SLE solara convertible (the first year... 2000?) which i got to drive around for almost a year while we were dating (he got the car before he got his license, so i drove him around in it... no problem there!
). i thought it was a really great car, but then toyota "redesigned it" and now it looks like shit. i hate the new, bubbly tail-lights, and the interior trim is really cheap, plastic-like, and poorly-aligned. now i wouldn't touch it. aren't cars supposed to get better and more well-designed as time goes by?
toyota cars have nothing really to brag about, other than their "reputation" for quality. the corolla doesn't have any interesting features, other than clear instrument needles on the "S". another car with lots of potential but zero follow-through. the new, sporty corolla XRS or whatever it's called is such an afterthought. the corolla was cute (and i guess still is), but no where near as hot as a mazda 3.
the new camry isn't that bad looking and it drives like a charm, but it is so lacking feature-wise that it doesn't even have basic steering wheel audio controls. the coolest thing was the small, digital "outside temperature" display. and what's up with that avalon-style mega dashboard in the camry? and then there's that tiny passenger front airbag hole in the dashboard that's so randomly-placed and distracting that it leaves you wondering if it's going to do anything when you crash!
toyota has become blasé, and it has succumbed to mediocre and generic styling. it seems that the lexus models are better and better each year, with new features, etc. because more "attention" is given to that brand.
mazda should stay put with what they're doing... i think that it's fair to say that there is NO COMPARISON between mazda's and toyota's product lines. even honda's line is "just ok."
it's time for a new car for me, and i was looking to buy from toyota... but then my friend said "hey let's go check out mazda" (back when the 6 first hit southern california) and i have been in love with mazda ever since. for the price range, i think they are offering the best features, design, style, performance, and quality. i wouldn't buy anything else, and i'm really looking forward to my 3.
speaking as a toyota owner, i think toyota is really taking a nose-dive because there is so much hype about lexus. the toyota cars in the past five years have looked like shit and haven't had any amazing features to speak of. my ex-boyfriend owned a top-of-the-line V6 SLE solara convertible (the first year... 2000?) which i got to drive around for almost a year while we were dating (he got the car before he got his license, so i drove him around in it... no problem there!
). i thought it was a really great car, but then toyota "redesigned it" and now it looks like shit. i hate the new, bubbly tail-lights, and the interior trim is really cheap, plastic-like, and poorly-aligned. now i wouldn't touch it. aren't cars supposed to get better and more well-designed as time goes by?toyota cars have nothing really to brag about, other than their "reputation" for quality. the corolla doesn't have any interesting features, other than clear instrument needles on the "S". another car with lots of potential but zero follow-through. the new, sporty corolla XRS or whatever it's called is such an afterthought. the corolla was cute (and i guess still is), but no where near as hot as a mazda 3.
the new camry isn't that bad looking and it drives like a charm, but it is so lacking feature-wise that it doesn't even have basic steering wheel audio controls. the coolest thing was the small, digital "outside temperature" display. and what's up with that avalon-style mega dashboard in the camry? and then there's that tiny passenger front airbag hole in the dashboard that's so randomly-placed and distracting that it leaves you wondering if it's going to do anything when you crash!
toyota has become blasé, and it has succumbed to mediocre and generic styling. it seems that the lexus models are better and better each year, with new features, etc. because more "attention" is given to that brand.
mazda should stay put with what they're doing... i think that it's fair to say that there is NO COMPARISON between mazda's and toyota's product lines. even honda's line is "just ok."
it's time for a new car for me, and i was looking to buy from toyota... but then my friend said "hey let's go check out mazda" (back when the 6 first hit southern california) and i have been in love with mazda ever since. for the price range, i think they are offering the best features, design, style, performance, and quality. i wouldn't buy anything else, and i'm really looking forward to my 3.
The same qualities that you mention are the same qualities that help make Toyota the top selling import brand in the states. They may be boring, but quality and reliability have huge consumer attraction. The same argument also applies to the Lexus brand which is now the #1 import luxury brand. Both model lines show how well Toyota has attacked the North American Market: big, boring cars which suits Americans perfectly.
Honda on the other hand seems to have the identity crisis. Their sales may be comparable to Toyota, however are slipping along with their quality. The styling of many of their models, overall are less appealing than 5 years ago as well (that's personal opinion, styling being subjective). To me it seems that the Honda lineup is experiencing what Acura started going through a decade ago. Ironic, that Acuras seem to have a styling renaissance underway with the MDX, TSX and TL. I hope we don't have to wait 10 years for Honda's identity crisis to be solved.
As for Mazda. They tried their luxury line and failed in several parts of the world causing a financial crisis, which is part of the reason why Ford bought out part of the company. I see Mazda more as a Japanese Volkswagen (with better reliability). Volkswagen seems to be breaking the mold by building luxury VW models and creating a wide range of products for its lineup. Lately, models like the BMW 1-series and the Audi A3 show that those lineups are expanding to make them more accessible to buyers. Maybe Mazda should consider the same strategy? A wide range of cars to insure longevity along a consumer's car buying history?
Maybe not. I think Mazda has the same chance to build on its own luxury lineup with models like the RX-8. I don't associate Mazdas with huge, lazy-mobiles that populate the luxury division. However, there are people who buy BMW M3s, Audi S4s and such. If Mazda were to venture into the luxury market, I think they'd stand the best chance making similar cars. High performance, sport luxury cars.
My 2 cents.
Honda on the other hand seems to have the identity crisis. Their sales may be comparable to Toyota, however are slipping along with their quality. The styling of many of their models, overall are less appealing than 5 years ago as well (that's personal opinion, styling being subjective). To me it seems that the Honda lineup is experiencing what Acura started going through a decade ago. Ironic, that Acuras seem to have a styling renaissance underway with the MDX, TSX and TL. I hope we don't have to wait 10 years for Honda's identity crisis to be solved.
As for Mazda. They tried their luxury line and failed in several parts of the world causing a financial crisis, which is part of the reason why Ford bought out part of the company. I see Mazda more as a Japanese Volkswagen (with better reliability). Volkswagen seems to be breaking the mold by building luxury VW models and creating a wide range of products for its lineup. Lately, models like the BMW 1-series and the Audi A3 show that those lineups are expanding to make them more accessible to buyers. Maybe Mazda should consider the same strategy? A wide range of cars to insure longevity along a consumer's car buying history?
Maybe not. I think Mazda has the same chance to build on its own luxury lineup with models like the RX-8. I don't associate Mazdas with huge, lazy-mobiles that populate the luxury division. However, there are people who buy BMW M3s, Audi S4s and such. If Mazda were to venture into the luxury market, I think they'd stand the best chance making similar cars. High performance, sport luxury cars.
My 2 cents.
I can't see Mazda creating a seperate luxery line anytime soon. It takes a lot of $$$ to come up with the new model line and don't forget setting up a completely new dealer network and marketing a new brand.
Besides if they did that they'd just be the same as Honda/Acura, Toyota/Lexus, Nissan/Infiniti and VW/Audi. It is sometimes better to go your own way rather than just follow the pack.
As for expanding the current Mazda line-up, first you have to figure out where they're missing. Mazda is solid down the middle with the 3 and 6. Both cars are excellent values in their class, fun to drive, great to look at and come in various body styles and power plants.
Don't forget they still have the best selling roadster in the world in the Miata and are expanding that into the MX-5 coupe. Then there's the RX-8: drool. The MPV and Tribute are also solid offerings in they're class.
So what's next? On the high end of the spectrum, from the positive response the -8 has gotten, I would be surprised if we don't see the RX-7 resurected in the next few years. It will probably have numbers to put the Z to shame.
They could also go with a RWD sport sedan, but that would be a tricky exercise for pricing. It would have to be more than the 6, but then you get into Bimmer and Audi territory. Playing with those two on their turf would be tough.
One thing Mazda could do successfully is on the low end. The 3 is a very refined car and really cannot be called an econo-box. So they'll probaby bring the 2 over from Europe to compete in same price point as the Echo Hatchback.
Speaking of Toyota. My 2 cents: they make very good transportation appliances.
Besides if they did that they'd just be the same as Honda/Acura, Toyota/Lexus, Nissan/Infiniti and VW/Audi. It is sometimes better to go your own way rather than just follow the pack.
As for expanding the current Mazda line-up, first you have to figure out where they're missing. Mazda is solid down the middle with the 3 and 6. Both cars are excellent values in their class, fun to drive, great to look at and come in various body styles and power plants.
Don't forget they still have the best selling roadster in the world in the Miata and are expanding that into the MX-5 coupe. Then there's the RX-8: drool. The MPV and Tribute are also solid offerings in they're class.
So what's next? On the high end of the spectrum, from the positive response the -8 has gotten, I would be surprised if we don't see the RX-7 resurected in the next few years. It will probably have numbers to put the Z to shame.
They could also go with a RWD sport sedan, but that would be a tricky exercise for pricing. It would have to be more than the 6, but then you get into Bimmer and Audi territory. Playing with those two on their turf would be tough.
One thing Mazda could do successfully is on the low end. The 3 is a very refined car and really cannot be called an econo-box. So they'll probaby bring the 2 over from Europe to compete in same price point as the Echo Hatchback.
Speaking of Toyota. My 2 cents: they make very good transportation appliances.
The RX-8 is already putting the Z to shame. Not nearly as fast off the line, but it rewards the driver with a much greater driving experience. To me that's what Mazda's are all about! Driving experience.
What to look forward to? Mazda is preparing a 2007 release for the RX-7. No details on what to expect (hp, price). Likewise, the next MX-5 will probably debut at NAIAS within two weeks! That's all I can see for the future, but it would be sweet to see a RWD sedan!
What to look forward to? Mazda is preparing a 2007 release for the RX-7. No details on what to expect (hp, price). Likewise, the next MX-5 will probably debut at NAIAS within two weeks! That's all I can see for the future, but it would be sweet to see a RWD sedan!
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