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Heritage

Mazda Beginings 1920-1931

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Mazda Beginings

Mazda Beginings

In 1920, the Toyo Cork Kogyo company was founded in Hiroshima, Japan by Jujiro Matsuda. As the name suggests, the company initially manufactured cork, and so set in motion the Mazda beginings. Matsuda, himself the son of a fisherman, apprenticed to a blacksmith and at the age of fourteen embraced the entrepreneurial spirit and invented the ‘Matsuda-type pump”in 1906 Matsuda soon however branched out from manufactuering machine tools to making cars cars and in 1931 the name Mazda was born, and so too the Mazda-Go – a motorised tricycle – Mazda’s first vehicle. Matsuda adopted son-in-law, Tsuneji Matsuda succeeded Matsuda as president of Toyo Kogyo, and oversaw the expansion of its automobile division until 1979, when Ford Motor Company took a 25% equity stake in Toyo Kogyo. The alliance with Ford led to the divestiture of shares from the Matsuda family and the change of Toyo Kogyo into Mazda Motor Corporation in 1984. The word Mazda refers to the family surnname “Matsuda” as well as Ahura Mazda, the West Asian God of wisdom, intelligence and harmony. This is the Mazda beginings!

Mazda the Early Years 1931-1945

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Mazda the Early Years

Mazda The Early Years, Three wheels and the rebuilding of a city.

Mazda's first 'car' the Mazda-Go motorised tricycle or 'autorickshaw'
Mazda the early years started with the introduction of their first ‘car’ the Mazda-Go motorised tricycle or ‘autorickshaw’
Mazda’s first car was the three-wheeled ‘Mazda Go’ and was exported to India and China where it was proved very popular thanks to its excellent manoeuvrability. From the entreprenurial spirit of the companies founder, this was but one example of Mazda’s unconventional thinking and ‘can-do’ attitude, that comes as a result of the “Hiroshima Spirit” of overcoming huge challenges. The most dramatic demonstration of Mazda’s unique spirit came in 1945, directly after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Mazda played an integral part in the reconstruction of Hiroshima – the Mazda plant itself was relatively undamaged in the blast – and was used as a place from which to organise the reconstruction and relief aid effort in and around Hiroshima.

Mazda Rotary Engine 1961

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Mazda Rotary Engine

Mazda Rotary Engine

The Mazda Rotary Engine is a truly revolutionary engine and does exactly that: it revolves. This was the thinking behind the Mazda rotary engine developed by Felix Wankel, where the combustion spins a flat disc rather than pushing pistons up and down. Mazda acquired this technology in the late 50s and is the only manufacturer to continue using this alternative engine concept today. Ideal for use in sports cars thanks to their high RPMs and compact dimensions, the rotary engine featured in a number of exciting Mazdas, from the breathtaking Cosmo 110S to the legendary RX-7 and RX-8. The Mazda Rotary Engine also featured in the 787 racers, famous for winning the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1991.

Birth of Mazda MX-5 Roadster

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Mazda MX-5 roadster makes its comeback.

Birth of the Mazda MX-5 Roadster In the 1980s, very few mainstream motor manufacturers where making roadsters anymore. Their heyday in 1950s and 1960s Britain seemed well and truly over. Until Mazda came into the picture that is. The thinking was to create a sporting roadster, the Mazda MX-5 roadster for modern times that was reliable and fun to drive. To defy conventional thinking and to make a car that featured back-to-basics driving pleasure at its best. The original Mazda MX-5 Roadster tipped the scales at just 955 kilograms proving to be a truly lightweight sports car. It boasted a front-engine, rear wheel-drive layout that featured exceptional driving dynamics. This was the roadster of 1950s and 1960s reborn for a modern time. In fact, the Mazda MX-5 Roadster was so much fun to drive and such a pleasure to own that it became the best selling roadster of all time.

Mazda Victory at Le Mans in 1991

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A revolution in 24 hours.

Mazda Victory

No Japanese team had ever won Le Mans. Until 1991, that is. That was the year Mazda threw out the rulebook and entered its rotary-engined 787 racers in the world’s oldest and most prestigious endurance-racing event. Despite the 787s power deficit against the competition – the rotary engine proved to be more reliable than the compeitions regular inline and V configurated engines – Mazda managed to take the lead and win the race. This truly was a first for Mazda and a record that stands to this day: The only Japanese team ever to win and the only victory by a car not using a reciprocating engine design. All thanks to thinking differently and defying the conventions.

New Generation 2002-2010

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Mazda Zoom Zoom

Mazda Zoom Zoom

Mazda receives a makeover and a new design and slogan to go with it – Mazda Zoom Zoom encapsulates the youthful joy of motion we feel as children. Translated into cars ‘Mazda Zoom Zoom’ provides a dynamic driving experience as well as an exciting design. Perfectly demonstrated by the groundbreaking, convention-defying RX-8 which debuted in 2003. A true driver’s car, it featured versatile “freestyle” doors, making ingress into the rear seats far easier and a modern interpretation of the rotary engine, winner of the “International Engine of the Year” and “Best New Engine” awards.

Mazda has its 90th Birthday in 2010

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Mazda has its 90th Birthday

Mazda has its 90th Birthday

When looking at the cars Mazda has built over the last 90 years, it’s easy to see that thinking differently has led to exciting, innovative and fun-to-drive cars, made by a unique group of passionate individuals. From the best-selling MX-5 to the agile CX-5, Mazda has continued to make the most of its innovative engineering traditions and convention-defying spirit. Here’s to the next 90 years.