This was during a time of great uncertainty for the future of Mazda.
In the late 1990s, the company was in the midst of restructuring its business. Severe cutbacks in investment prevented the development of new technology as intended, and Mazda cars rapidly became less represented in the market. Moreover, including Mazda, there were several other auto manufacturers under the Ford Motor Company umbrella. To survive Mazda had to demonstrate its uniqueness without delay.
Under these circumstances, the company defined both the “DNA” of the Mazda brand and the product philosophy that would determine the specific properties of its vehicles. The first-generation Mazda6i was the first vehicle to take up the mission of fully embodying this ideal product vision based on the company’s strategic development guidelines — which later led to the company’s pursuit of “driving pleasure.” Not only that, the development of the first-generation Mazda6 also led the company into acquiring a key role in the development of FF cars of the same class category within the Ford Group. Thus, the Mazda6 became the crucial factor that would determine whether the company could survive or not, and whether its new brand strategy would be successful or not.
To make a product that could take on this kind of responsibility, it was not enough just to improve existing car models. Mazda went as far as deciding to interrupt the ongoing development of the all-new Mazda Capella and restarting the whole process from square one. This left Mazda paying the heavy price of an 18-month long period without introducing a single new model to the already struggling dealerships. As a result, everyone at Mazda was forced into a situation where failure could not be tolerated.
“There was this feeling that made it seem as if everyone at the company was involved in developing the Mazda6,” later said a staff member in charge of developing the car, when reminiscing about the time. Of course, this was not actually the case. Development staff were working under extreme pressure as the development of the Mazda2ii and Mazda3iii — that followed that of the Mazda6 — had also reached their peak. Even staff members who were not directly involved in developing the Mazda6 paid equal attention to it eagerly keeping track of its development, as it would be the vehicle to usher in Mazda’s new brand. Under extraordinary pressure, the head of the development team of the Mazda6 kept spirits high within the team. “Produce a top-tier car even in the worst of cases, and we’ll make a ‘super top-tier' car in the best.” he said.
The members decided to get engaged in the development of the car without compromise and with their sights set high for as long as they assumed the heavy responsibility of creating a “newborn Mazda” that would be loved by customers. This also meant that they would stand away from the defeatist mentality that had begun to take root in the company due to the many years of poor performance that had preceded.
At the time, the place new models were developed in was operated in a large room, where leaders responsible for vehicle development in each field, such as engines, chassis, and car bodies, and parts suppliers all gathered. The high mobility in the workplace that this offered was helpful in the development of the Mazda6. To reach high performance goals, many meetings were held, where leaders would engage in energetic discussions making snap judgments and prompt decisions until an agreement was obtained all round. They continued to devote all their energy toward resolving various problems throughout the whole process. “Since an early retirement plan was just announced at the time, it seemed a sense of uneasiness started to set in throughout the whole company. However, we couldn’t afford to let ourselves be overwhelmed by anxiety,” one of the development staff members said with a bitter smile, looking back on those days.
Finally, their passion came to fruition, with the first-generation Mazda6 launching in May 2002 being highly evaluated for its marketability and winning 23 awards in 16 different countries and regions by the end of the year. Living up to expectations while being at the forefront of a new-generation of products, the Mazda6 left a great impression on people for what the newborn Mazda was and where it would be heading.
From then on, Mazda began making steady progress in its pursuit to “Celebrate Driving” under the “Zoom Zoom” brand message. This subsequently grew into efforts to balance both environmental and safety performance, setting into motion the development of the current Skyactiv technology. If not for company-wide engagement in the development of the first-generation Mazda6, Mazda could not have carved the unique path that led it to where we are today.
i Formerly known as Atenza in Japan
ii Formerly known as Demio in Japan
iii Formerly known as Axela in Japan
Redefinition of Mazda Brand
In 2002, the Mazda6 (known as Atenza in Japan) was introduced alongside the “Zoom-Zoom” brand message and acted as a superb example of Mazda’s brand DNA all over the globe. The product groups that succeeded the Mazda6, as well as new communication strategies greatly contributed to the revival of the Mazda brand.
