Mazda Atenza Wins 23 Awards Around the Globe

	
Tokyo, Japan, Dec. 25, 2002 - (JCN Newswire) - Mazda Motor Corporation's
new mid-size Atenza (known as the Mazda6 in overseas markets) has been
honored with a total of twenty three awards in 16 countries and regions
around the world since it was launched in May 2002. The global
recognition and awards achieved during the first seven months since
launch make Atenza one of the most successful new-car in Mazda's 82-year
history.

Mazda Ateza/Mazda6 (SPORT)

In December 2002, Atenza received nine awards both in its home market
and abroad, including the "Japan Car Design Award Golden Marker Trophy
(commercial production)" and, in North America, a place among Car and
Driver magazine's "2003 10Best." The "Japan Car Design Award Golden
Marker Trophy" is a commercial production design award hosted by Car
Styling magazine. The Atenza Sport hatchback outclassed a field of 29
new vehicles launched in 2002 to receive the award.

The annual "10Best" is presented by Car and Driver, an influential
automotive magazine from North America. Established in 1983, the award
is now in its twenty-first year. Each year, nominees include all-new
vehicles sold in the United States, those that have been significantly
upgraded and the previous year's winners. The 2003 "10Best" list was
published in the January edition of the magazine. Forty-one models were
nominated as candidates for this year's list. After one week of
extensive testing, a V6-powered Mazda6 was chosen as one of the "10Best"
cars based on voting by the magazine's editorial team.

Mazda's new Atenza is gaining an excellent reputation worldwide for its
superb handling, functionality and distinctive styling. This is
reflected in healthy sales figures for both the domestic Japanese market
and overseas markets. In Japan, cumulative registrations from the
vehicle's launch on May 20 through Nov. 30 reached 18,725 units.
Moreover, cumulative overseas exports from March through the end of Nov.
stand at 75,928 units.


Atenza/Mazda6: Award Winning Status

1) 2002 Good Design Award (G mark): Japan Oct.1 
2) '02-'03 Japan Car of the Year: 10 Best Japan Nov.1 
3) Hall of Fame: Excellent Developer Award Japan Nov.6 
4) 2003 RJC Car of the Year Japan Nov.20 
5) Japan Car Design Award: Golden Marker Trophy (commercial production)
Japan* 
6) Car & Driver: The 2003 10 Best U.S.A Dec.11 
7) Fleet World Magazine: Best Newcomer Award U.K Jun.2 
8) Britain's Auto 1: Car of The Year U.K Dec.17 
9) Great Austrian Automobile Award Austria Oct.7 
10) New Car of the Year Scotland Oct.26 
11) Semperit Irish Car of the Year Ireland Nov.22 
12) Car of 2003 in Czech Republic Czech Republic Nov.11 
13) Family Car of the Year Sweden Nov.11 
14) European Car of the Year: 2nd place(highest placed Japanese car)
Europe Nov.19 
15) Auto Blic magazine: Croatian Auto 1. Croatia Dec.11 
16) Best Car in Lithuania in 2003 Lithuania Dec.16 
17) Le Moniteur Automobile: Family Car of the Year Belgium Dec.19 
18) National Business Review (weekly newspaper): Car of the year New
Zealand Oct.18 
19) New Zealand Company Vehicle and Executive Car Magazine: Business Car
of the Year New Zealand Dec.9 
20) Australia's Best Car Awards: Best Mid-Size Car Over $25,000
Australia Nov.6 
21) The Straits Times: Best Medium Family Sedan/Hatchback Singapore
Oct.19 
22) Auto magazine: Car of The Year (chosen by readers) Israel* 
23) Auto magazine: Best Premium Compact Israel * 
*Announced in the January 2003 issue.