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Mazda taps Americas head as CEO to raise game in its biggest market

TOKYO — Mazda has named the head of its Americas operations as its next president and CEO after its current chief steps down in June, as Japan's fifth-largest automaker seeks to boost profitability in North America, its biggest market. The company said on Friday that Masamichi Kogai will step down and be replaced by current vice president Akira Marumoto, who now oversees operations in the Americas. The changes are effective June 26 after Mazda's annual shareholders' meeting. Mazda, which has global annual sales of around 1.6 million vehicles, has enjoyed a run of rising vehicle sales, expanding in markets particularly in North America, which accounts for nearly 30 percent of total sales. But as one of Japan's smaller automakers and a tiny player globally, it faces growing competition in the United States, where market growth has slowed, and where the company's profitability has sagged due to higher discounting and slowing demand for sedans. The maker of the MX-5 Miata roadster and the reputed Skyactiv gasoline engines also faces higher costs to stay competitive in an industry which is being disrupted by new technologies, including self-driving cars and electric vehicles. Marumoto, a 38-year company veteran with a background in engineering who described himself as having a "strict" work ethic and admitted to being "short-tempered" at times, previously led Mazda's corporate planning and product strategy divisions before heading its Americas operations. He said that growing sales and improving profitability in the North American market would be his biggest priority, along with expanding the company's brand image as an innovative car maker. "Given the rapid changes occurring in the auto industry at the moment it's often asked whether a small company like us will be OK," Marumoto, 60, told reporters at a briefing in Tokyo. "But before we even consider this we need to show our strengths, and what makes us different if we want to grow our brand." Kogai, who became Mazda's president and CEO in 2013, will be following the footsteps of his two immediate predecessors who also held the top job for five years each. He will still be with the automaker and become its chairman, the company said. Earlier this year, Mazda announced that it would invest in a new, $1.6 billion plant in the U.S. state of Alabama as a joint venture with Toyota.

2019 Mazda3 shows off factory bodykit, Miata gets a hardtop at Tokyo Auto Salon

The 2019 Mazda3 wasn't exactly lacking in the sporty style department when it was shown last month in L.A. But everyone, including Mazda, knows that doesn't mean it can't be even sportier. As such, the company is showing off a version of the new compact hatchback at Tokyo Auto Salon, a modified car and aftermarket parts show, with a body kit. It's a subtle one, consisting of a black front lip spoiler, black side skirts, and a longer, slightly upturned rear spoiler. Its low-key design fits in well with the Mazda3's taut, clean lines, and it makes the car look lower and more purposeful. The Mazda3 isn't the only car getting some love at the Tokyo Auto Salon. The company will display an MX-5 Miata with a removable hardtop made of carbon fiber. Now, you may remember that Mazda does offer a hardtop, but just for racing drivers. That top is a bit odd looking with a really high rear-end to clear motorsports-spec roll bars and cages. This top follows the lines of the roadster's soft top, looking much more sleek. Neither sets of parts here have been announced for production, but we wouldn't be surprised to see them show up as Mazda accessories. The Mazda3 body kit in particular seems a shoe-in, since the previous generation Mazda3 had a very similar appearance package available. The Miata top certainly seems as though it was designed with regular consumers in mind. Its future is less certain, though. For one thing, Mazda can point to the Miata RF if you want a solid roof. Then again, Mazda still offered a removable hardtop for conventional Miata roadsters even after the original power-retractable hardtop model was introduced. If it does come to market, though, expect it to be made from more affordable fiberglass and be painted in factory colors. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mazda plans a new crossover for 2021

If Mazda is going to increase sales, it's going to need more crossovers. According to company CEO Masamichi Kogai, a new crossover that won't cannibalize sales of the CX-3, CX-5, and CX-9 is coming in 2021, to be built at the new U.S. factory Mazda is building in partnership with Toyota. The plant will be able to build 150,000 vehicles per year, and that full capacity will be reserved for the new CUV. With 112,235 units sold, Mazda's best-selling vehicle in the United States last year was, not surprisingly, the CX-5. With that in mind, it seems a safe bet that the new crossover will be a replacement for the discontinued CX-7 to slot above the CX-5 and below the CX-9. Kogai told Automotive News that the vehicle will be designed for America and built exclusively in the States. "We are actually going to introduce a totally new and different type of SUV," said Kogai. We don't know exactly what that means, but we hope the new model line follows Mazda's tradition of crossovers that are more fun to drive than their main competitors. Related Video: