Mazda makes selling child's play

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

Mazda New Zealand will launch five new vehicles within the next year or so - the Mazda 6, Demio, Bounty, RX-8 and 323. The company's managing director, Peter Aitken, describes them as "exciting models that are the result of us going back to our roots as a maker of cars that are great to drive".

"Zoom-zoom is really with us."

Aitken was not playing brrmm-brrmm games on the floor with toy models of the new cars. He was referring to the catchline in Mazda's worldwide advertising campaign.

In grown-up language, zoom-zoom is a "childhood expression of exhilaration and liberation that comes from experiencing sheer motion".

That's how Mazda's advertising agency put it. Why grow up and confuse things, it told the carmaker. Children put things much better.

Today's child is also tomorrow's car buyer, remember. Zoom-zoom might have a subliminal effect later on down the road.

Whatever, it has already made an impression on the children of a Mazda staffer. "Dad, is Mazda making zoom-zoom biscuits?" they asked in a supermarket.

"No, why?" he replied. "Because we've found them," they said.

The packet was missing the hyphenated second zoom, and the small print - "Galletitras rellenas sabor vainilla" - was confusing, but there they were. Zoom biscuits - "Vanilla-flavoured sandwich cookies" from Argentina.

Aitken and his executives served them up for morning tea the other day at the launch of two more immediate Mazda models - the people-mover MPV and its three rows of seats and the 323 sport-hatch GSX.

The MPV is an update of the front-drive vehicle launched in 1999. The most significant change is to the engine and gearbox. A 3-litre V6 and a five-speed auto replace the old model's 2.5-litre V6 and four-speed box.

The result, says Mazda, is an 18 per cent improvement in power and 19 per cent in torque, made full use of by the new transmission.

The 3-litre V6 delivers 152kW at 6200rpm and 271Nm at 3000rpm. The previous model's 2.5-litre developed most of its torque at 4500rpm.

Mazda says the new five-speed automatic - the first of its type for the carmaker here - is better suited to New Zealand driving conditions.

It delivers better acceleration through the gears, and the closer spread of ratios, coupled with the increased output of the engine, means it isn't forever hunting for a suitable gear on hills.

The updated MPV comes with a fold-flat table between the front seats, which can be extended for the convenience of passengers in the middle row.

There are grab handles on the back of the front seats and the second row tumbles forwards to make access to the rear row easier. The rear sliding doors are also easier and safer to use.

Handling, ride and build quality have been improved, too, said Mazda general manager Andrew Clearwater.

"A number of upgrades have been made to give the MPV better straight-line stability, improved steering feel, better braking and lower levels of noise, vibration and harshness.

"Suspension improvements have reduced body roll and braking changes have given the brakes a more linear, passenger car-like feel, as well as better stopping power. The new model is also quieter."

An American safety agency gave it a five-star crash rating, too, one of only seven vehicles out of 126 tested to achieve the rating.

The previous MPV had been selling at the rate of about one a week in segment which has had less than 3 per cent of the market.

Mazda expects the new model to double the sales rate. It is priced at $50,995, a 4 per cent increase over the outgoing model.

The 323 sport-hatch GSX is powered by a 1.8-litre engine and sits between the GLX with its 1.6-litre unit and the sporty 2-litre SP20.

The 1.8-litre unit delivers 92kW at 6000rpm and 163Nm at 4000rpm - 14kW more power and 18Nm more torque than the 1.6-litre.

Clearwater says the new hatchback fills an important niche in the 323 range.

"We recognise that not all drivers wants the performance levels of the SP20, so this model plugs a gap in the 323 range we have been conscious of for some time."

The five-speed manual costs $25,995 and the four-speed automatic $27,195.

Aitken believes Mazda is on the right track with its model line-up as sales overall increase. "The industry is buoyant with the big boys (Toyota, Holden, Ford) making all the running.

"We have been at a 4 per cent market share and in total terms we are picking annual sales this year in the order of 81,000 vehicles, an 8.4 per cent increase year on year.

"Japanese imports remain a major factor in our market. In May and April of this year, used imports totalled 24,336 units - an increase of 6.1 per cent on the same two months last year.

"That certainly undermines many of the used importers' claims that new frontal regulations would destroy their operations.

"But what is encouraging for us is that we are seeing a definite swing in buyer sentiment towards the purchase of new cars."

* The Mazda 6 will go on sale in September, followed next year by the new Demio, Bounty, RX-8 (the RX-7 replacement) and the 323.