Mazda/Ford relationship & Mazda3 parts sharing thread

[wongpres]

Seeing that there's currently two threads on this, and who knows how many threads before it - I'm going to break a moderator rule here by making a sticky without first getting Antoine or Enry's permission. I want to sort this out once and for all, and by making it a sticky, all new users can find this thread without posting the question again.

Ford's involvement in Mazda

- Ford owns 33.4% of Mazda's shares. Under Japanese law, anyone with over 33% gets controlling share (obviously the law is much more complicated than this, but this is the jist of it). Therefore, Ford controls Mazda.

Mazda3 platform sharing

- Mazda3's platform was a joint-development with Ford of Europe, Mazda, and Volvo. This platform is for the following cars: Mazda3, new Volvo S40/V50, Ford Focus C-Max (not avail. in N. America), and the flagship vehicle - the next-gen euro-Ford Focus (this vehicle will be introduced later this year and will not be coming to N. America anytime soon - the re-styled N. American '05 Focus stays with the old platform).
- Each company was the lead for their main strength. So Ford of Europe was the lead for driving dynamics (the current-gen euro-Focus is nothing short of awesome), Volvo the structurals and safety, and Mazda for the powertrains and exhaust systems (Japanese-reliability and technology).
- The individual brands could then add their own brand-specific stuff on top of the common platform (e.g. steels of different strengths for additional safety on the Volvo, and 3 additional tranny-area cross-members on the Mazda to further reduce body-flex)
- In the end, 42% of the Mazda3's parts are shared with its siblings. This means that 58% of the Mazda3 is all Mazda, with the other 42% being co-developed.
- None of the shared components can be seen, heard, or felt by the typical consumer
- So what are examples of things the Mazda3 gained from this platform sharing?
- control-blade rear-suspension is simply awesome (it performs better and is cheaper to manufacture than the one Mazda developed for the Mazda6)
- Mazda3's largest brakes are larger than those on the Mazda6
- Crash-protection will be excellent

Mazda3 engines

- Rule #1. Never go by the marketing names for engine families. For example, the '05 N. American Focus will have an engine called the Duratec 23. This goes along with the Duratec 35 that's currently in development, and the Duratec 30 (the one that is the basis for the Mazda6 3.0l). Aside from the marketing names, these engines have nothing in common (Note: the Duratec 30 is currently called the Duratec 3.0, the names I've used above are the names Ford will use in the upcoming 1-2 years).
- Recognizing the need to develop a strong 4-cylinder engine family to compete against the ones from Honda and others, Ford assigned Mazda to develop the engine family. Ford gave Mazda the basic block, some intellectual property (e.g. Cosworth casting process), some money, and told Mazda to come back with a state-of-the-art engine family with a streamlined manufacturing process that can be manufactured at plants around the world. These engines would be shared by Ford, Mazda, and whoever else in the Ford family with the need for it.
- Mazda did this and developed a 4-cylinder engine family in the following displacements: 1.8, 2.0, 2.3. Even though the Mazda3 1.6l is often referred to as a MZR, it's actually part of a smaller engine family (remember my rule #1).
- Similar to the platform sharing above, the 4-cylinder engine family that Mazda gave is the basic family - it is then up to the brand to add stuff to it (e.g. PZEV for the 2.3l N. American Focus, SVT for Mazda's 1.8 and 2.3). To further re-inforce my point, notice that Mazda doesn't have a PZEV 2.3l.
- This engine family is currently being manufactured at:
- Chihuahua, Mexico (for N. American Focus, N. American Mazda6 2.3l, Ford Ranger)
- Hiroshima, Japan (for Mazda3, Japanese-assembled Mazda6)
- Valencia, Spain (honestly, I don't think Valencia is making this engine family at the moment, but I'm not sure, and I do know for sure that this plant can build this engine family)
- here's a technical press release about the 4-cylinder engine family (if the link doesn't originally work, try refreshing):
http://www.carseverything.com/conten...rticle/1346.3/

Hopefully this clears up a lot of misconceptions of the Mazda3.

Apr 18, 2005 edit:

A thread has come up concerning Mazda3 assembly locations.
Current Mazda3 assembly facilities:

- Hofu plant 1 & 2 in Hofu, Japan, and Ujina plant 2 in Hiroshima. (June 28, 2005 edit: Hofu 2 and Ujina 2 production added to meet demand)
- Ford Lio Ho plant, Taiwan. Mazda3 assembly from knock-down kits
- Ford Motor Company Philippines plant, Santa Rosa, Laguna, Philippines. Mazda3 assembly from knock-down kits

The Philippines & Taiwan plants combined assemble a total of roughly 1000 Mazda3 units per month for a selected few local markets around southeast Asia. Mazda3 for all other worldwide markets are assembled from Japan.

[Mazda3]

Thanks wongpres, great post!
Saved me the trouble of having to produce all the info myself. This sticky will save numerous arguments and BS posts is this form.

Nice work

[Micah]

excellent post

[tonkabui]

too bad we don't get the volvo's T5 in the mazda3. i'd sell my p5 in a heartbeat. actually, i'd sell it in about 48... gotta think about it for a minute.

[TheMirror]

Yes, brilliant! This 'engine family genesis' issue is one that should be a sticky for ever and ever.
A few links over to the Focus boards wouldn't hurt either. After all, they're our step-children......

[AzMz3]

Originally Posted by TheMirror

Yes, brilliant! This 'engine family genesis' issue is one that should be a sticky for ever and ever.
A few links over to the Focus boards wouldn't hurt either. After all, they're our step-children......

Actually most of them are already knew that. The word is A ford guy will call the 2.3L a Duratec and a Mazda guy will call it a MZR. I keep an eye on the Focus boards to see when new parts are coming out for the 2.3L.
So since I'm a Mazda guy now its a MZR to me...LOL

--Herb--

[Mazda3]

[Levitron]

Wow, very nice post. Thanks wongpres!

[goldwing2000]

Just discovered another Ford part: the brake booster. That's added to the ignition coils and wiring harnesses.

I have yet to find any Volvo stickers on anything. Still looking, though.

I did find some Lear wiring connectors, though (the main plug into the underhood PDC).

[BlueMonsta]

wow... as long as the mazda doesnt share the same ignition system as the ford its coo

[goldwing2000]

Originally Posted by BlueMonsta

wow... as long as the mazda doesnt share the same ignition system as the ford its coo

They're the same coils. What else is there? Just the ECU.

[tkhawaii]

Wongpres - thank you for all the wonderful information. I am a new owner of a M3-5 door. Loving it so far. I hope to see performance parts for this 2.3 shortly.

[seanmcsean]

essentially what mazda does now is they develop the chasis for the new models, and then ford picks them up and makes them into fords volvos etc. The sole purpose of the mazda 3 was to develop a new focus/s40 chasis.

[Mazda3]

Originally Posted by seanmcsean

essentially what mazda does now is they develop the chasis for the new models, and then ford picks them up and makes them into fords volvos etc. The sole purpose of the mazda 3 was to develop a new focus/s40 chasis.

Just to set the record straight. Only the European Focus will be built on the same chasis, the North American Focus is the same crap its always been. Although I'm sure the Ford salesman will try and tell you different.

[BlueMonsta]

Originally Posted by Mazda3

Just to set the record straight. Only the European Focus will be built on the same chasis, the North American Focus is the same crap its always been. Although I'm sure the Ford salesman will try and tell you different.

as long as mazda 3 is 100% mazda made...
watever... lol