AutoBeta(AutoBeta.net)02/22 Report--

Mazda, as one of the representatives of Japanese brands, often does not drift with the current on the road of development, and even has the title of "paranoia". However, Mazda, which has very few models and a small market share, plans not to launch major models in the next two years, but plans to develop a larger model.

According to foreign media reports, Mazda is not expected to launch major models until March 2022, and its models will not be greatly updated, but will continue to develop a new large car architecture model. There is also a new powertrain to match this model, which is expected to be unveiled before March 2023. Mazda has not commented on the details.

Such a plan means that Mazda will continue to trade market share with a small number of its models over the next two years. Although there are relatively few models under the "Japanese three Musketeers" Mazda, there are still various segments. In the Chinese market, there are Onksera and Atez, compact and medium-sized sedans, CX-4, CX-5 and CX-8 respectively in the SUV market, and two imported models, CX-3 and MX-5, and within 2019, domestic models have completed medium-term modifications. It is also taken for granted that Mazda will not change its model in the next two years.

Last year, Mazda launched its first electric model, the Mazda MX-30 and the hybrid series Mazda CX-30. The Mazda MX-30 was unveiled at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show and is scheduled to go on sale this year, but it is unclear whether the plan will continue. The Mazda CX-30, which lies between the Mazda CX-3 and the Mazda CX-5, was unveiled at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show and has been listed overseas. It is equipped with the SKYACTIV-X series 2.0L gasoline compression ignition engine and is expected to settle in Changan Mazda this year.

Therefore, in terms of model layout, it can not be said that Mazda has less layout, but fewer domestic joint venture models, coupled with its unique marketing means, so that FAW Mazda and Changan Mazda have been in a small number of sales in China.

According to Mazda sales data in China, the cumulative sales of Mazda in 2019 were 227700, of which Changan Zda's annual sales fell 16.5 per cent to 136000 vehicles, while FAW Mazda's annual sales fell 16.1 per cent to 91000 vehicles. Mazda's declining market is not just in China. According to global sales data released by Mazda, only the European market rose year-on-year, while the rest of the market showed a downward trend, including the Japanese market. Mazda's cumulative sales in the fiscal year (March-December) were 139000, down 7% from the same period last year; in North America, cumulative sales in the fiscal year were 305000, down 5% from the same period last year.

Sales have led to a collapse in Mazda's operating profit in the third quarter (October 1-December 31, 2019). Data show that Mazda's operating profit in the third quarter was only 6.5 billion yen, or about 410 million yuan, a drop of 76%. The net profit was 15.8 billion yen, or about 1 billion yuan, still down 37%.

Mazda also adjusted its annual sales forecast based on a sharp drop in profits in the third quarter. In November, Mazda cut its annual sales by 4 per cent from 1.62 million to 1.55 million. This time, Mazda further reduced its sales to 1.5 million vehicles on this basis.

As for Mazda's new large car architecture, there was information as early as last year, which will be a model that Mazda will push to the high end of the market to compete with Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Lexus. According to Mazda's internal meeting last May, the model will be equipped with a Skyactiv-D diesel six-cylinder engine and a Skyactiv-X gasoline six-cylinder engine. Of course, there is also the possibility that Mazda will return to the rotor engine, which Mazda hinted at in November last year, but there is no definite statement.

Perhaps in the next two years, Mazda hopes to focus on the launch of a large car architecture, rather than on model changes and updates. After all, Mazda's models are also slow car companies that do not change for the market, but focus only on technology, which is one of the reasons why Mazda is called a "technical man". However, according to Mazda's current plan, the future market may still suffer a lot of unpredictability.

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