Mazda offers a great lineup of passenger vehicles for American consumers. Let's take a closer look at the rich history of this legendary Japanese auto brand.
A Brief History of Mazda
The Mazda Motor Corporation was initially established as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Company in the 1920s. In its early years, the company produced corks in the industrial zones of Hiroshima. The firm changed its name to the Toyo Kogyo Company in 1927. Four years later, the brand officially launched its first production-scale vehicle. The original Mazda-go model was a tricycle truck with light-duty capabilities for urban driving. It took Mazda nearly three more decades to enter the automobile market on a full scale. The R360 Coupe made a grand debut in 1961. This passenger car had two doors and many stylish exterior appointments for urban consumers. Mazda rapidly expanded its production capabilities and development facilities throughout the 1960s. For example, the Miyoshi Proving Ground was constructed in 1965. This facility was heavily used to research, develop, and test passenger cars and prototypes. In 1966, the company opened a new production plant in Hiroshima. Equipped with a rotary engine, the Mazda Cosmo Sports model revolutionized the auto industry on a large scale. This sporty model had a successful run for nearly three decades.
Mazda launched the Savanna model for the first time in 1971. Seven years later, the Savanna RX-7 sports car appeared on the market. This model had major aesthetic and mechanical upgrades. Mazda opened the Hofu Transmission Plant in the Nakanoseki District in 1981. The Hofu Plant in the Nishinoura District opened the following year. Both of these significant production facilities boosted the company's reputation on national and global scales. By 1984, the firm officially adopted the Mazda Motor Corporation name. Thanks to a partnership with Ford, MMC rapidly expanded operations in Asia and North America. In fact, Ford owned nearly a third of MMC's stock in the middle of the 1990s.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the Mazda Motor Corporation rapidly expanded operations in Asia, North America, and Europe. For example, the Changan Ford Mazda Automobile division produced the Mazda2 in China. Compact and sporty, the Mazda6 entered the sedan market in 2002. The compact CX-5 entered the crossover SUV niche a decade later. In 2019, the brand launched the Mazda3 hatchback with athletic styling and powerful capabilities. Mazda now has an ambitious vision for the future of electrified vehicles. The company plans to produce plenty of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric cars in the future.
Contact our Mazda car dealership to learn more about the fascinating history of the Mazda Motor Corporation.
