Is Mazda severing ties with Ford??

**tidus1203** · June 3rd, 2011 07:18 PM

TOKYO (TheStreet) -- Japanese automaker Mazda reportedly plans to end its joint venture with Ford(F) and stop making cars in the U.S. Mazda and Ford operate the AutoAlliance International plant in Flat Rock, Mich. as an equal partnership. Mazda is considering selling its stake to Ford and switching production of cars it makes in the U.S. to Japan starting in 2013, according to Nikkei, a Japanese financial daily. Mazda said it wouldn't comment on speculation. "Mazda and Ford are jointly studying various possibilities for AAI, and we have nothing to announce at this time," Mazda said. -- Written by Joseph Woelfel

Mazda to Stop Making Cars in U.S.: Report - TheStreet

**Ry_Tower** · June 3rd, 2011 07:48 PM

Di ba Ford and madami nang na-divest na car brands, baka gusto na rin nila makipag-divorce sa Mazda.

Mutual ika nga.

**SiRbossR** · June 3rd, 2011 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Ry_Tower

Di ba Ford and madami nang na-divest na car brands, baka gusto na rin nila makipag-divorce sa Mazda.

Mutual ika nga.

Most probably. kase binitawan na ng Ford yung iba nilang stocks sa ibang car brands diba?

**tidus1203** · June 3rd, 2011 08:34 PM

The question here is really more of their technical relationship rather than financial. Financially severed na talaga sila, almost... Pero they say before that even if Ford only holds less than 3% of Mazda, their technical partnership will continue. But with this news would the technical cooperation also cease?

**scharnhorst** · June 3rd, 2011 08:41 PM

finally magiging independent na ulit ang mazda... hehe.

btw, eto nice read:

CX-7 shows Mazda is ready to go it alone - All Will Drive | TopGear.com.ph

**myk384** · June 3rd, 2011 08:42 PM

Kaya pala yung 2012 Ford Focus ay hindi mechanically related sa Mazda 3 (Paging Mazda Philippines), at pinatay nalang ng Mazda ang Tribute. So there is something behind this.

**scharnhorst** · June 3rd, 2011 08:55 PM

*myk384: the super-smiley mazda3 still uses the ford C1 platform...

and the tribute is being phased out since it occupies the same niche as the much more modern CX-7

**tidus1203** · June 3rd, 2011 09:22 PM

Yeah the Tribute has been killed because the CX-7 is the replacement... The Ford Escape which is similar to the Tribute would also be killed soon with the new Ford Vertrek replacing it...

Another interesting question, in the global scale since Mazda is separating from Ford ano na kaya mangyayari sa local Mazda which is still operated by Ford... Pansin ko lang locally may kanya kanya na silang marketing people unlike dati iisa lang pero FGP still owns Mazda PH...

**scharnhorst** · June 4th, 2011 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by tidus1203

Yeah the Tribute has been killed because the CX-7 is the replacement... The Ford Escape which is similar to the Tribute would also be killed soon with the new Ford Vertrek replacing it...

Another interesting question, in the global scale since Mazda is separating from Ford ano na kaya mangyayari sa local Mazda which is still operated by Ford... Pansin ko lang locally may kanya kanya na silang marketing people unlike dati iisa lang pero FGP still owns Mazda PH...

yeah... not sure what's going to happen in the ASEAN market, since they have factories that they still share here.

AFAIK, once the next gen focus and mazda3 goes on sale here, local production stops. pero wag naman sana.

**niky** · June 4th, 2011 08:22 AM

Iba yung marketing people, but they're all still in the same boat.

Mazda locally wanted its own marketing people para di sila nasasapawan sa Ford in terms of marketing exposure. But locally, Mazda is still tied to Ford Group Philippines in terms of technical support.

Mazda has never been more than a small player in the US. I wonder though, why they would give up the capacity, since selling cars at import prices would probably further erode their market share there...