2003 Mazda Protege5 Sport Leather Sunroof Inspected Ready. Runs Drives Verygood on 2040-cars

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Next-gen Mazda2 designed for 'predominantly feminine' appeal

We can't ever think of a time we've heard anyone accuse the current Mazda2 of being too edgy, which makes reports of a softer design for the next-gen model a little surprising. Autocar reports that when the new 2 debuts next fall, it will have a "softer, more feminine appeal" than the current design.
This description lends a little more credibility to the Japanese magazine image we saw of the car back in July. Aside from Mazda's Kodo-inspired signature face, that picture did reveal softer lines, especially along the side of the car. This softened styling is to appeal to the car's target market, which Mazda's European design chief is reported to have called a "predominantly feminine customer base." Last we heard, though, Mazda might keep the next 2 out of the US due to slow sales.
The 2015 Mazda2 will reportedly ride on a shortened version of the platform used for the CX-5, but Autocar mentions that its platform could also be the basis of a new subcompact crossover - possibly to go up against vehicles like the Buick Encore and the upcoming Honda Fit-based crossover called the Vezel.

Mazda's first-quarter profit slumps on weak sales in U.S. and China

TOKYO — Mazda reported a 79% drop in quarterly operating profit, falling significantly short of estimates, as it continues to struggle with declining U.S. and Chinese sales, while a strengthening yen also cut into its bottom line. Operating profit at JapanÂ’s No.5 automaker was 7.0 billion yen ($64 million) in the first quarter ended June, versus around 33 billion yen a year ago and less than half of an average forecast for 18.5 billion yen from analysts polled by Refinitiv. Mazda, however, reiterated its forecast for a 33% rise in operating profit to 110 billion yen in the year ending March. ThursdayÂ’s profit announcement marks MazdaÂ’s poorest first-quarter operating performance since the June 2012 quarter. The automaker has been struggling with falling demand for its cars over the past year or so, while it is also recovering from flood-related damage to its factories in Japan that led to a quarterly loss in the July quarter of 2018. The Nikkei business daily on Wednesday had reported that operating profit at the company would fall around 70% for the quarter due to lower sales in the United States. Mazda posted global sales of 353,000 units for the quarter, down 12% from a year ago. Its sales in the United States, its biggest market, fell 15% to 68,000 units, while in China, Mazda sold 54,000 vehicles, down 21% on the year. A trade war between the top two economies and slowing growth in China, the worldÂ’s biggest auto market, have prompted a broad-based sales downturn in the global auto sector. Automakers are grappling with easing demand for cars just as they must invest heavily in new technologies including electric cars, autonomous driving technologies and ride-sharing services to survive a major industry shift away from car ownership. Many of MazdaÂ’s rivals at home and abroad have been reporting disappointing quarterly results, with Nissan and Ford also announcing job cuts and possible plant closures earlier this month. The United States is a key source of revenue for Mazda, but it imports all its vehicles sold there, exposing it to a threatened hike in U.S. tariffs on imported cars from Japan. To limit its vulnerability to possible tariffs and currency fluctuations, Mazda is investing in a new plant in the U.S. state of Alabama, a joint project with Toyota.

Next Mazdaspeed3 could look this good

Mazda showed off its brand-new 2014 Mazda3 at an event in New York City earlier this week, and we have to say, at first blush, we're pretty impressed. It looks fantastic - like a smaller, hatch'd version of the already sleek Mazda6 sedan that went on sale earlier this year. And with a 200-pound weight reduction, efficient Skyactiv gasoline engines underhood and Mazda's usual focus on driving dynamics above all, we're willing to bet that the new Three will be a pretty decent steer.
Of course, being enthusiasts, we're already setting our sights on the next-generation Mazdaspeed3, rendered here by artist Theo Chin. To our eyes, it's not a very imaginative transformation, but is likely a spot-on rendering for what the next car will look like. And it's really, really hot.
While Mazda hasn't exactly confirmed that the new Speed3 will be coming, sources within the automaker have indicated that a third-generation version of the MS3 is under development. Thing is, the Japanese automaker wants to give the standard Mazda3 some time to grow in the market, so we might not see the new Speed3 until something like 2016, with a possible diesel version to arrive before then.