Editing Mazda (section)

=== Partnership with Ford ===
From 1974 to 2015, Mazda had a partnership with the [[Ford Motor Company]], which acquired a 24.5% stake in 1979, upped to a 33.4% ownership of Mazda in May 1995.<ref name=mzinfo>{{cite web | url = http://www.mazda.com/globalassets/en/assets/investors/library/annual/files/ar17_19e.pdf | title = Mazda Annual Report 2017 | page = 59 | publisher = Mazda Motor Corporation | access-date = January 20, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180121071250/http://www.mazda.com/globalassets/en/assets/investors/library/annual/files/ar17_19e.pdf | archive-date = January 21, 2018 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref> Under the administration of [[Alan Mulally]], Ford gradually divested its stake in Mazda from 2008 to 2015, with Ford holding 2.1% of Mazda stock as of 2014<ref>[http://www.mazda.com/investors/stockinfo/situation.html Stock and Bond Information] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811231804/http://www.mazda.com/investors/stockinfo/situation.html |date=August 11, 2014 }}, Mazda, March 31, 2014</ref> and severing most production as well as development ties.

[[File:2007 Mazda CX-9 -- NHTSA.jpg|thumb|From 2007 to 2015, Mazda used the [[Ford Cyclone engine|3.5&nbsp;L MZI Ford Cyclone Engine]] in Mazda CX-9 models.]]

This partnership with Ford began owing to Mazda's financial difficulties during the 1960s. Starting in 1979 by expanding their 7&nbsp;percent financial stake to 24.5%, Ford expanded an existing partnership with Mazda, resulting in various joint projects. The cooperation had begun in 1971 when the [[Mazda B-Series]] spawned a Ford Courier variant for North America, a version which was later offered in other markets as well. Mazda's [[Mazda Bongo|Bongo]] and [[Mazda Titan|Titan]] cab-over trucks were sold with Ford badging in mainly Asia and the Pacific region beginning in 1976.<ref name=annual80>{{citation | title = Mazda Annual Report 1980 | publisher = Toyo Kogyo Co., Ltd. | location = Hiroshima, Japan | page = 3 | date = March 1981 }}</ref> These included large and small efforts in all areas of the automotive landscape, most notably in the realm of pickup trucks and smaller cars. Mazda began supplying manual transaxles to Ford in the spring of 1980.<ref name=annual80/> Mazda's [[Mazda Familia|Familia]] platform was used for Ford models like the [[Ford Laser|Laser]] and [[Ford Escort (North America)|Escort]] beginning in 1980, while the [[Mazda Capella|Capella]] architecture found its way into Ford's [[Ford Telstar|Telstar]] sedan and [[Ford Probe|Probe]] sports models.

During the 1980s, Ford-badged Mazda products replaced much of their own European-sourced lineup, especially in the Asia-Pacific markets, with the Laser replacing the [[Ford Escort (Europe)|Escort]]<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5OoxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mJIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3080%2C4077082 "Family tree bears fruit"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408193341/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5OoxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mJIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3080,4077082 |date=April 8, 2023 }}, Christopher de Fraga,''[[The Age]]'', June 1, 1984, page 18</ref> and the Telstar replacing the [[Ford Cortina|Cortina]].<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gi5VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=npQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5279%2C6011618 "Telstar should keep Ford on top"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408193341/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gi5VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=npQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5279,6011618 |date=April 8, 2023 }}, Christopher de Fraga,''[[The Age]]'', June 14, 1983, page 18</ref> In some cases, such as [[New Zealand]] and [[South Africa]], these were assembled alongside their Mazda-badged equivalents, the Mazda 323 (Familia) and 626 (Capella).

Following the closure of its own assembly plant in New Zealand, Mazda established a joint venture with [[Ford New Zealand]] known as Vehicle Assemblers of New Zealand (VANZ), while in South Africa, Ford's local subsidiary merged with [[Sigma Motor Corporation]], which already assembled Mazdas in the country, to form [[Samcor]], although the sharing of models proved unpopular with both Ford and Mazda customers.<ref>{{cite magazine | url = http://www.carmag.co.za/news_post/ford-mazda-zoom-apart/ | title = Ford, Mazda Zoom Apart | magazine = CAR | location = South Africa | date = September 1, 2002 | access-date = May 26, 2017 | archive-date = August 1, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170801205218/http://www.carmag.co.za/news_post/ford-mazda-zoom-apart/ | url-status = live }}</ref> In other markets such as Australia, however, the 323 and 626 were always fully imported, with only the Laser and Telstar assembled locally.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5OoxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mJIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3080%2C4077082 Australia Welcomes The 'new' Migrants] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408193341/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5OoxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mJIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3080,4077082 |date=April 8, 2023 }}, ''[[The Age]]'', June 16, 1986, page 43</ref> In Japan, the Laser and Telstar were also sold alongside their Mazda-badged brethren, but the Festiva was not sold as a Mazda 121 on the Japanese market.

In North America, the Probe was built in a new Mazda company plant in [[Flat Rock, Michigan]], along with the mainstream 626 sedan and a companion [[Mazda MX-6]] sports coupe. Ford also lent Mazda some of its capacity when needed: the [[Mazda 121]] sold in Europe and South Africa was, for a time, a variant of the [[Ford Fiesta]] built in plants in Europe and South Africa. Mazda also made an effort in the past to sell some of Ford's cars in Japan, mainly through its Autorama dealer group.

Mazda also helped Ford develop the 1991 [[Ford Explorer|Explorer]], which Mazda sold as the 2-door only [[Mazda Navajo]] from 1991 through 1994. However, Mazda's version was unsuccessful, while the Ford (available from the start as a 4-door or 2-door model) instantly became the best-selling sport-utility vehicle in the United States and kept that title for over a decade.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.autoweek.com/car-life/classic-cars/a1693151/rare-anywhere-mazda-navajo/ |title=Rare anywhere: Mazda Navajo |first=Jay |last=Ramey |work=Auto Week |location=US |date=March 15, 2018 |access-date=October 20, 2022 |archive-date=October 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019222050/https://www.autoweek.com/car-life/classic-cars/a1693151/rare-anywhere-mazda-navajo/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mazda has used Ford's [[Ford Ranger|Ranger]] pickup as the basis for its North American–market [[Mazda B-Series (North America)|B-Series]] trucks, starting in 1994 and continuing through 2010, when Mazda discontinued the B-Series trucks to North America.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rumors.automobilemag.com/6583065/news/mazda-kills-b-series-pickup/index.html |title=Mazda Kills B-Series Pickup |publisher=Automobile Magazine |date=September 16, 2009 |access-date=June 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100630144425/http://rumors.automobilemag.com/6583065/news/mazda-kills-b-series-pickup/index.html |archive-date=June 30, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Eunos 800 001.JPG|thumb|[[Mazda Millenia]]]]

Following its long-held fascination with alternative engine technology, Mazda introduced the first [[Miller cycle]] engine for automotive use in the [[Mazda Millenia|Millenia]] luxury sedan of 1995. Though the Millenia (and its Miller-type V6 engine) were discontinued in 2002, the company introduced a much smaller Miller-cycle four-cylinder engine for use in its [[Mazda Demio|Demio]] in 2008.

{{multiple image
| align             = right
| total_width       = 450
| image1            = Mazda logo 1991.png
| caption1          = In 1991, Mazda adopted a corporate symbol which was to represent a sun and a flame standing for heartfelt passion. This is commonly referred to in Mazda enthusiast circles as the "cylon" logo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/mazda-has-used-four-different-logos-1980s-273154|title=Mazda Has Used Four Different Logos Since the 1980s|access-date=January 30, 2019|archive-date=January 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131041210/https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/mazda-has-used-four-different-logos-1980s-273154|url-status=live}}</ref>
| image2            = Mazda-logo-1992.jpg
| caption2          = Shortly after the release of the new symbol, the design was smoothed out to reduce its similarity to [[Renault]]'s. This is sometimes referred to as the "eternal flame" logo.  It also represented the design of the [[Wankel engine|rotary engine]] that Mazda was famous for.
| image3            = Mazda logo with emblem.svg
| caption3          = The brand symbol, adopted in 1997, with the V-shape wings inside, standing for “growth” and “improvement” and Mazda logo in Mazda blue.<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 21, 2016|title=The Evolution of the Mazda Logo and Brand|url=https://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/the-mazda-way/mazda-spirit/mazda-brand-marks-logotypes-history/|access-date=January 26, 2022|website=Inside Mazda|language=en-US|archive-date=January 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126134141/https://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/the-mazda-way/mazda-spirit/mazda-brand-marks-logotypes-history/|url-status=dead}}</ref> A slightly modified version was introduced in 2015.
}}

Further financial difficulties at Mazda during the 1990s caused Ford to increase its stake to a 33.4-percent [[controlling interest]] in May 1996.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1996-05-01 |title=Ford raises Mazda stake |url=https://www.wardsauto.com/ford/ford-raises-mazda-stake |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=WardsAuto |language=en}}</ref> In June 1996, Henry Wallace was appointed president, and he set about restructuring Mazda and setting it on a new strategic direction. He laid out a new direction for the brand including the design of the present Mazda marque; he laid out a new product plan to achieve synergies with Ford, and he launched Mazda's digital innovation program to speed up the development of new products. At the same time, he started taking control of overseas distributors, rationalized dealerships and manufacturing facilities, and driving much-needed efficiencies and cost reductions in Mazda's operations. Much of his early work put Mazda back into profitability and laid the foundations for future success. Wallace was succeeded by James Miller in November 1997, followed in December 1999 by Ford executive [[Mark Fields (businessman)|Mark Fields]], who has been credited with expanding Mazda's new product lineup and leading the turnaround during the early 2000s. Ford's increased influence during the 1990s allowed Mazda to claim another distinction in history, having maintained the first foreign-born head of a Japanese car company, Henry Wallace.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1996-04-13 |title=Ford takes control of Mazda |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1996/04/13/ford-takes-control-of-mazda/ |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=1996-04-12 |title=Ford Taking Control of Ailing Mazda Motor |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-04-12-fi-57735-story.html |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

In Thailand, Mazda and Ford jointly established a manufacturing plant called [[AutoAlliance Thailand]]. The facility broke ground in 1995 and started production in 1998.<ref>{{cite web |date=1998-07-01 |title=Highlights of Ford Thailand |url=http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=9729 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320093757/http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=9729 |archive-date=2012-03-20 |access-date=2012-05-29 |work=Ford Motor Company Newsroom |publisher=Media.ford.com}}</ref>