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Mazda Announces Plans for New Minivan, Sport Utility, and Hybrid

23 November 1998

'Autoline Detroit': Mazda Announces Plans for New Minivan, Sport Utility, and Hybrid Vehicle

    DETROIT, Nov. 20 -- On the television program "Autoline
Detroit," Richard Beattie, the president and CEO of Mazda North America, said
the company is getting ready to beef up its presence in the truck segment.
    "There's no secret we have a sport utility coming.  It's long overdue,"
Beattie said.  "And we will have an all new MPV (minivan).  It's bigger for
the American market and predominantly aimed at the American market.  It will
have some class-leading features."  The new MPV minivan will debut at the
North American International Auto Show in January.
    Sports car aficionados will be pleased to learn the company is not turning
its back on its heritage.  "Will there be an RX-7 in Mazda's future?  I would
say there has to be," Beattie said.
    He noted that 50% of Mazda's products will soon share platforms with Ford,
especially new products, saying, "We're exploring avenues with Ford's
assistance with products we call hybrid vehicles.  Watch this space."
    Beattie credits Ford with helping Mazda start to turn around.  "We haven't
really helped in the engineering areas, the talent is already there," he said.
"But I think with basic business acumen, and with marketing expertise and
financial analysis expertise in particular we've helped steer the company.
We're turning around quite strongly.  Sales and share are up.  Things are
looking pretty bright."
    "Autoline Detroit," hosted by John McElroy, Editorial Director of
Automotive Industries magazine, airs Sundays at 10 a.m. on Detroit Public
Television.  Videotapes are available at http://www.theautolink.com.  Underwriters of
"Autoline Detroit" are Visteon Automotive Systems and General Electric.  It is
produced and distributed by Blue Sky Productions.