[MSCW list] MSCW Digest, Vol 15, Issue 2 - Mazda - Toyota partnership, etc.

Sun Aug 6 00:24:22 CEST 2017

Apologies in advance to those who don't wish to read commentary about this by members, but I couldn't resist.  I look fwd to seeing comments from others.

RE: The Mazda - Toyota deal, this is a complete surprise to me.  I wish Mazda luck in this venture.  (Toyota doesn't need my wishes for luck - they're doing just fine anyway.)

RE:  Making old Miatas new again:  I'm also involved with an older ('71) Datsun 240Z, and follow the ventures of Nissan to some extent.  Many years ago, Datsun/Nissan bought up a lot of older 240Zs that were good candidates for restoration (i.e., little if any rust or body damage) and restored them to like new condition, even to the extent of new VINs as I recall.  They had a fair number of takers, but the project was not nearly so successful as Nissan had hoped.  It takes a lot more hours (and $$$) to restore an older car than it does to build a new one on the assembly line.

--Jack McCombs & '90 & '92 Miatae & '71 240Z--

> On Aug 5, 2017, at 6:00 AM, mscw-request at lists.mscw1.com wrote:
> 
> Send MSCW mailing list submissions to
>    mscw at lists.mscw1.com
> 
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
>    https://lists.mscw1.com/mailman/listinfo/mscw
> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
>    mscw-request at lists.mscw1.com
> 
> You can reach the person managing the list at
>    mscw-owner at lists.mscw1.com
> 
> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> than "Re: Contents of MSCW digest..."
> 
> 
> <<<<<<<<<  www.MSCW.com -- Mazda Sportscar Club of Washington (DC)  >>>>>>>>>>
> 
> List Etiquette: When replying, Please:
> 
> 1) EDIT your subject line so it is more specific than "Re: MSCW Digest, Vol xx, Issue xx..." and
> 2) DELETE text not pertinent to your reply.
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> 
> Today's Topics:
> 
>   1. Toyota, Mazda agree on $1.6 billion joint venture (Dave Nugent)
>   2. Mazda Will Make Old NA Miatas Brand New Again (Dave Nugent)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2017 13:13:11 -0400
> From: "Dave Nugent" <davidnugent at aol.com>
> To: <MSCW at lists.mscw1.com>
> Subject: [MSCW list] Toyota, Mazda agree on $1.6 billion joint venture
> Message-ID: <004201d30d44$f3c41ed0$db4c5c70$@aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;    charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> Toyota, Mazda agree on $1.6 billion tie-up, will cooperate on EVs
> 
> Automakers seek edge amid changing market
> 
> by  <http://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/int-kazuaki_nagata/> Kazuaki Nagata
> 
> Source Japan Times
> 
> Staff Writer
> 
> *    Aug 4, 2017 
> 
> In a bid to accelerate joint production in the United States and develop
> electric vehicles in a world moving away from fossil fuels, Toyota Motor
> Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. agreed Friday to form a capital alliance.
> 
> The move by the nation?s biggest automaker and Mazda is seen as a hedge
> against intensifying global competition to build cars that meet stricter
> emissions and environmental standards while reining in growing costs.
> 
> ?With the future of the industry in mind, in addition to leveraging their
> individual strengths to further improve technologies and reinforce their
> business foundations, Toyota and Mazda aim to deepen collaboration and
> achieve sustainable growth through their partnership, rising to face and
> overcome these pressing challenges,? Toyota said in a statement.
> 
> The companies will cooperate in the U.S. market to launch a joint venture,
> aiming to build a large factory by 2021 that can produce up to 300,000 of
> Mazda?s sport utility vehicles and Toyota?s Corolla models per year, the
> automakers said.
> 
> They said they will invest some $1.6 billion to build the new U.S. plant and
> create 4,000 jobs.
> 
> ?Rather than conflicting with each other, it is essential that we seek
> partners that can compete and collaborate from a wide point of view,? as the
> industry sees new players like Google, Apple and Amazon emerging from new
> fields, Toyota President Akio Toyoda said during a Friday news conference in
> Tokyo.
> 
> Toyota will take a 5.05 percent stake in Mazda for ?50 billion while Mazda
> will take 0.05 percent stake in Toyota.
> 
> Some experts see the partnership as a win for both companies.
> 
> For Mazda, a tie-up with Toyota will give it access to the larger company?s
> technologies, particularly for environmentally friendly vehicles such as
> electric cars, hybrids and those that use fuel cells, said Takaaki Sugiura,
> principal researcher at Mitsubishi Research Institute.
> 
> ?Mazda has been focused on developing internal combustion and diesel
> engines. And given its size of sales, it is difficult to invest in research
> and development (on technologies for environmentally friendly cars) as much
> as Toyota does,? he said. ?So, it?s a bonus for Mazda if it can access
> Toyota?s technologies.?
> 
> Many countries are looking to impose stricter regulations to lower carbon
> emissions, so more EVs running on roads in the coming years is an
> irreversible trend, Sugiura said.
> 
> Toyota is aiming to fully enter the EV market by 2020 and Mazda is looking
> to start selling EVs in the United States in 2019.
> 
> Meanwhile, Mazda is known for producing cars with more stylish designs, an
> area where Toyota is lacking, so the smaller automaker?s expertise could
> benefit Toyota by expanding its cachet with consumers, Sugiura said.
> 
> Such alliances are a trend in the industry, where going it alone to survive
> is becoming ever more difficult, particularly in light of the need to
> produce new technologies to meet the world?s changing demands.
> 
> Last year, Nissan Motor Co., took a 34 percent stake in scandal-hit
> Mitsubishi Motors, effectively putting the troubled company under its wing.
> 
> Following that move, Toyota and Suzuki Motor Corp., which specializes in
> smaller vehicles, announced that they too would seek a partnership.
> 
> The situation is much the same globally.
> 
> The Renault-Nissan alliance became the world?s top auto-seller for the first
> time after its addition of Mitsubishi Motors. Toyota has fallen to third
> place in global sales in the first six months of this year, behind Germany?s
> Volkswagen group.
> 
> The capital tie-up between Toyota and Mazda is an indication that the auto
> industry will see more reorganizations in the face of tougher competition.
> 
> In May 2015, the two automakers announced that they reached a basic
> agreement on a partnership, saying that they would form a committee to look
> for areas in the industry where they could cooperation and work together.
> 
> Before that announcement, Mazda had been producing Toyota?s compact cars at
> its Mexico plant.
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2017 20:53:09 -0400
> From: "Dave Nugent" <davidnugent at aol.com>
> To: <MSCW at lists.mscw1.com>
> Cc: <OC at mscw1.com>
> Subject: [MSCW list] Mazda Will Make Old NA Miatas Brand New Again
> Message-ID: <002f01d30d85$35530100$9ff90300$@aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;    charset="us-ascii"
> 
> Mazda Will Make Old NA Miatas Brand New Again
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.motortrend.com/news/mazda-will-make-na-miata-brand-new/?sm_id=org
> anic_fb_social_MT_170804_sf103808368
> <http://www.motortrend.com/news/mazda-will-make-na-miata-brand-new/?sm_id=or
> ganic_fb_social_MT_170804_sf103808368&utm_source=m.facebook.com&utm_medium=r
> eferral#sf103808368>
> &utm_source=m.facebook.com&utm_medium=referral#sf103808368
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> By Collin Woodard, Motor Trend August 4, 2017
> 
> 
> 
> But only if you live in Japan
> 
> 
> 
> Are you an NA Miata owner whose biggest fear is that your car will die one
> day? Are you frustrated that you can't get a brand new 1990 Miata in 2017?
> Would you gladly spend whatever it takes to restore your Mazda to its former
> glory? If so, we have fantastic news for you. Mazda has just announced two
> new programs that will make it possible to drive a first-generation Miata
> forever. That is, if you live in Japan.
> 
> 
> 
> The first is a new program to begin selling new versions of old parts. In
> early 2018, you'll be able to order original-spec Bridgestone tires,
> NARDI-made wooden steering wheels and shift knobs, and replacement soft
> tops. If demand is high enough, Mazda says it will offer more parts in the
> future.
> 
> 
> 
> But if the new parts program doesn't go far enough for owners, Mazda also
> announced a new service that will make NA Miatas as good as new. If you
> spring for this option, Mazda will completely restore your beloved car in a
> facility that's been certified by an outside group for its ability to do
> high-quality work. And once you get it back, it'll drive like it just rolled
> off the assembly line.
> 
> Considering how much Miata drivers love their cars, especially the original
> NAs, it makes sense that Mazda would offer something like this. But no
> pricing is available at the moment, which suggests it will probably be
> extremely expensive. And sadly, when asked whether the U.S. will have
> access, a Mazda spokesperson said in an email, "As of right now, it is
> designed to foster a greater relationship between Mazda and the MX-5
> enthusiast community in Japan only." 
> 
> 
> 
> So that's disappointing. But if the Japanese launch goes well, we'd like to
> believe the restoration and parts program will eventually be made available
> to Miata enthusiasts in other countries. Until then, you may want to start
> making friends in Japan. 
> 
> 
> 
> Source: Mazda
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Subject: Digest Footer
> 
> _______________________________________
> MSCW mailing list   MSCW at lists.mscw1.com
> Unsubscribe or change your mailing list settings:
> https://lists.mscw1.com/mailman/listinfo/mscw
> 
> --
> 
> .
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> End of MSCW Digest, Vol 15, Issue 2
> ***********************************