Mazda3 production start dates

[wongpres]

2004 Mazda3 production will be starting very, very soon:

Initial order acceptance: June 1, 2003
Production startup: Sep 16, 2003

The above dates are for the US, Japanese and Euro production starts even earlier.

[melvincat03]

Excellent. The current model is very out-dated, even though it still looks good.

[Antoine]

Nice avatar melvincat03! :D

Current model designs are classic...the Mazda3 is new and fresh...will see how it fares over time...but it's growing on me. ;)

[melvincat03]

Thx Antoine. I got that pic from mazda's media site. Hopefully the production model would look better than the Mxsportif.

[pdhaudio83]

kewl! :)

[Rockinblue]

Second that on the "kewl". I wish Mazda would pump out more info on the new P3. Been a lack of fresh news lately.

[wongpres]

Originally posted by Rockinblue
Second that on the "kewl". I wish Mazda would pump out more info on the new P3. Been a lack of fresh news lately.

Mazda's being secretive about the Mazda3 because the current model is still a good seller (this launch is very different to that of the Mazda6 and RX-8).

But I think around June, we'll know the the US option packaging (that'll be useful to see exactly what features are available). It could possibly be until the debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show (September) before we can get good pics of the production version.

[jjac28]

mazda 3 might loose it's reliabilty because it will share its platform with the focus. i think it will use ford parts aswell ,if thats the case then the reliability will be crap.
at least now the pro5 has excellent relaibility, and it uses 100%mazda parts.
the mazda 3 looks good but then again the matrix looked better as a picture before it came out

[1sty]

I am staying away from the new 3.
Has only slightly more powerful engines but has the same weak ass tranny and now is a focus hybrid.
No thanks

[wongpres]

Originally posted by jjac28
mazda 3 might loose it's reliabilty because it will share its platform with the focus. i think it will use ford parts aswell ,if thats the case then the reliability will be crap.
at least now the pro5 has excellent relaibility, and it uses 100%mazda parts.
the mazda 3 looks good but then again the matrix looked better as a picture before it came out

Yes, in fact it shares approx 60% with the next generation Ford Focus and Volvo S40. But it's not doom and gloom, the three companies worked together and have a lot riding on it, read this:

http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat_code=carnews&loc_code=index&content_code=07981115


http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat-code=carnews&content_code=01221354


The reliability is only a Ford USA issue anyways, the European Focus is fine, and as the article notes, this platform was all Europe.

Edit: URL was too long