Report: Mazda to Cut Ties with Ford and Stop U.S. Production by 2013

Earlier in May, we told you about a report concerning Mazda’s plans to discontinue production of its Mazda6 mid-size model at its joint-venture plant with Ford in Michigan. Today, new reports from both Japan and the U.S. are claiming that Mazda Motors will dissolve its 50-50 joint venture with Ford and stop building cars in the USA by 2013, with the Japanese company already in talks with the Detroit automaker to sell its stake in their car production venture Auto Alliance International [AAI]. Read more »

Mazda3 Production Reaches 3 Million Units

Mazda announced that its Mazda3 compact car (known as the Axela in Japan) has reached a new milestone with the production of 3 million units, seven years and ten months after the launch of the first-generation model. The fastest-selling model in the company's current lineup of passenger cars is produced in three locations (Japan's Hofu Plant in Yamaguchi, China's CFMA plant in Nanjing and Thailand's AutoAlliance plant).The compact model is sold in approximately 90 countries and regions across the world. Read more »

Honda: US Output to Reach 100% by August for All Models Except the New 2012 Civic which will Remain at 50%

Following a recent announcement from Toyota predicting an increase in North American production this summer after the problems created by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Honda today said that its North American factories would return to near-normal production for all vehicles except the new 2012 Civic by this August. Read more »

Lexus Loses Big In the U.S.A.: Outpaced by Two of its German Rivals

It took eleven years for Lexus to earn the title of top dog of the U.S. luxury car market, and roughly the same amount of time for it to lose it. As a result of parent company Toyota’s accelerator pedal recall saga and the fifty percent drop in production capacity caused by the Tōhoku earthquake, old guard automakers BMW and Mercedes-Benz have left the Japanese upstart gasping for air in third place.

According to automotive forecaster IHS, Mercedes-Benz will most probably sell 254,100 cars and SUVs in the States topping BMW’s estimated deliveries of 250,400 units. Lexus is projected to drop to third place with 192,900 sales.

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Mazda Debuts New 1.3-liter Skyactiv Gasoline Engine on JDM Demio

The new generation of powertrains developed by Mazda under the Skyactiv name will soon have its another member out on the road, as the company announced that the “Skyactiv-G 1.3” direct-injection gasoline engine will debut on the facelifted Demio (known as the Mazda2 in international markets) in Japan this summer. Mazda will unveil the new engine at Tokyo's Automotive Engineering Exposition on May 18-20.

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Toyota Patents Designs of Sport Version of New Yaris in Europe

Toyota introduced a new generation of the Yaris supermini in Japan (named Vitz for the local market) in December, 2010, and is also planning to showcase a thinly disguised concept of an upcoming hybrid version of the supermini at the Geneva Motor Show, which will be held for the public from March 3 to 13. But as these trademark fillings from Europe prove, the company is also working on a sport variant, most likely as a replacement to the Yaris TS.

The model seen in these patent designs features a full body kit with a new front bumper that replaces the standard Yaris' front grille with openings next to the headlamps while also boasting daytime LED strips, side skirts and profile graphics, a redesigned rear bumper housing a prominent diffuser, and bespoke tail lamps. The new roof spoiler and the multispoke alloy wheels sum up the differences over the regular Yaris.

It only makes sense that if this is the new Yaris TS, it will get a more powerful engine, hopefully something with a bit more oomph than the current model's lackluster 133HP 1.8-liter gasoline engine. Toyota will also upgrade the car's suspension and brake systems to improve handling.

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