With advanced information technology playing a key role from planning and design through manufacturing, the MDI 3D design approach has significantly contributed to improving quality while enhancing efficiency both in advancing product lead times and reducing costs.

The launch of the Worldwide Brand Positioning strategy has begun to enhance the efectiveness of the product development process by precisely defining how Mazda's brand personality and the product, or physical characteristics, tie together.

To help our conceptualists, planners, designers, engineers and technologists understand what our products should represent, we have also developed what we call our Product Philosophy, which includes our "Quality Vision" and "Design Policy." Under our Quality Vision, we have defined what it takes to achieve product quality leadership for all our products. Our Design Policy, which is further touched upon within this feature section, serves as an effective tool in creating distinctive Best in Class designs using our "Contrast in Harmony" design theme.

Above all, our Product Philosophy serves as a guiding vision for all Mazda product development operations and clearly states our priorities. Primary product attributes were selected to support Mazda product DNA. These include "Distinctive Design," "Exceptional Functionality" and "Responsive Handling and Performance."In addition to recognizing our corporate and social responsibilities to the environment and safety, we wish to be a leader in six distinct areas: quality, craftsmanship, design, handling, braking and package innovation and flexibility. We have also selected an additional 18 areas where we have set fully competitive objectives. In reinforcing the personality and product attributes of Mazda's brand management strategy, our aim is not necessarily to be the biggest car manufacturer, but rather the "smartest" in the industry for our products.

To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, we have reinvented our R&D activities over the past three-year period. In addition to a change in fundamental management processes, supported by the clear Product Philosophy, we have revamped the entire product development process enabled by progress achieved under the Mazda Digital Innovation (MDI) system. As a crucial component of integrating product development with brand strategy, we have redefined the means in which R&D functions interface with the sales and marketing community. Moreover, we have configured a new long-term product plan fully coordinated with Ford to take advantage of synergies of both companies.

With today's state-of-the-art information technology playing a key role from planning and design through manufacturing, Mazda has also adapted to the requirement of building a fundamentally different approach through the re-engineering of the R&D process. Through achieving a great deal of progress in the fast-advancing area of 3D design, the MDI system has significantly contributed to improving quality, enhancing efficiency both in advancing product lead times and reducing costs. Since the introduction of the Demio model, all vehicles have included increased use of 3D applications.

Another unique attribute of Mazda R&D operations relates to Mazda's core competence of "People working for success." The establishment of multi-national teams brings a diversity of experience and knowledge to operations at home base and branches around the world. Fully utilizing the insights of talented R&D professionals, while at the same time creating ever-closer relationships among total operational functions, Mazda will effectively link the development of quality products with our aim of achieving deeper customer satisfaction across all regions and generations.