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Article: Mazda got discipline, but lost its passion.
- Article from:
- Automotive News Europe
- Article date:
- July 16, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Crain Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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MAZDA USED to get loads of what every Japanese brand now hungers for in Europe - respect. But no more. Mazda has about half the market share in western Europe it had in 1990 and about half of the appeal.
What happened and whose fault was it? Did Ford rush in too quickly in 1993 when Mazda - along with every other Japanese carmaker - got into financial trouble?
Ford stopped the bleeding, which is something American auto companies know how to do. But did a wonderful brand die in the process?
A decade ago, Mazda was the best-loved Japanese nameplate in Europe. It did what so many other non-German carmakers have tried and failed to do - win the ...