Fiat won't buy stake in Mazda | CarAdvice

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Fiat won’t buy stake in Mazda

By Tim Beissmann
FIND DEALS

The boss of Fiat says his company will not purchase a stake in Mazda despite the two automakers agreeing to collaborate on future sports cars.

Fiat chairman John Elkann told Reuters there were no plans for a deepening of the partnership announced last week, which will see the next-generation versions of the Mazda MX-5 and the Alfa Romeo Spider developed together on the same all-new rear-wheel-drive platform.

Elkann told reporters Fiat was committed to its strategy of “simplifying our investment portfolio and extending our geographical reach”.

Fiat currently owns 58.5 per cent of Chrysler, and is set to increase that stake to 61.5 per cent in July. The Italian automotive giant ultimately plans to take over 100 per cent of the Detroit-based manufacturer, but has not outlined a timeline for the move.

Mazda is one of the few global manufacturer not tied to a large-scale alliance with another automaker. In February, just weeks before announcing the company’s fourth consecutive loss and its worst financial result in more than a decade, Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi said he was “considering every option” to help generate capital for his company and would “actively pursue” global alliances.


 

  • Xh

    I don’t see the problem, Mazda does excellent here, they do also good in Canada, USA and in Japan

    • M.

      True, Mazda does particularly well in Australia (for whatever reason) but in the USA they are relatively less successful. Current market share sits at about 2%, with April 2012 sales at around 21,506 units. This places them WAY down the manufacturer sales charts. For example, in April 2012 GM sold 213,000+ vehicles, Ford 179,000+, Chrysler 141,000+, Toyota 178,000+, Honda 122,000+, Nissan 71,000+, Hyundai 61,000+, Kia 47,000+, Subaru 26,000+, VW 37,000+ and they were even behind Mercedes (24000+).

      They also have no vehicles in the top 20 selling models in the USA….

      Basically, they are irrelevant in terms of volume in the USA, nor is their sales enough to (obviously) make them a profit. Their success in Australia is seemingly unhelpful to them considering the small size of our market. 

      They’ve also spent too much money on SkyActive technology, have cut ties with Ford, and have a product that just doesn’t seem to appeal to buyers world wide. How they do so well in Aus is beyond me, I also happen to think most of their cars are quite ugly. 

      • Sydlocal

        Maybe Australians enjoy cars that a fun to drive and has sharp handling? Plus Mazda have always been a bit “different” and that is what may be attracting some people. Also it could be that Australia has for a long time had a culture that supports “the battler”, maybe that could explain some of it? I don’t know, sometimes it is impossible to know what the general public are thinking sometimes, but I would hazard a guess you would find it would be more than just one factor!

      • Drac

        It seems Mazdas volume in AU comes purely from them selling the mazda3 for $21k and probably not making very much money on them at that price point. There isnt much out there better for $21k.

        • Sydlocal

          Whilst the Mazda3 is clearly their volume seller, the Mazda2 and now Mazda CX5 are up the pointy end of their respective classes WRT sales. Even the Mazda6 still occasionally makes the top 3 in its class. 

  • Heath Russell

    every mazda i drive is refreshing and great fun, i dont get why they dont do as well in other markets ?, every review i have read puts them in a positive light. 

    • bbb

      probably consumer in other markets can’t get over the ugly exterior styling of SOME Mazdas (i.e. BT 50). They just cover their eye and run out of the show room .. no chance to discover what a fun car to drive!

      • Sydlocal

        I don’t know, WRT the BT50 if you did buy one you would mostly see it from the inside, which from that point of view it is one of the best looking “trucks” out there! ;-)

  • Bernie

    How can you say there not tied up with a large-scale alliance, Ford still is a share holder and they have plant together building the Aussie designed Ranger & BT50 , the Fiesta & Mazda 2 .
    Is the Plants called Auto Alliance