Introducing Two New Limited Editions From MAZDA

ISSUE 1
VOL. 7
JAN. - FEB. 2008
Introducing two new
limited editions from MAZDA
page
8
Making
Ma
aking Tracks
Tra
acks
in
Mexico
n Me
exico
MAZDASPEED
MA
AZDA
ASP
PEED
D Motorsports
2007
20
007 Racing
Raccing Recap
Reccap
The
e Zoom-Zoom
Zo
oom--Zo
oom
Family
amily
Fa
A Look
Loo
ok att El Dorado
Do
orad
do
Mazda's
Internet
Sales
azda
a's Intterne
et Salles
Ma
Page
Pa
age 3
Page
Pa
age 10
Page 11
Page
Pa
age 13
Article #27
IMAGES
TO COME
The Perfect
Investment
Real-estate investor and exotic car collector
James DiIorio chooses the MAZDA5 for
daily fun and stress-free driving.
F
or most car enthusiasts, driving an exotic 12-cylinder sports
car on a daily basis would be heaven on earth. And it is for
Las Vegas real-estate investor James DiIorio—to a point.
The flip side of driving exotica, such as a Ferrari Enzo or
Lamborghini Miura, both of which DiIorio owns, is the additional
worry and stress. With people constantly staring, a lack of safe
public parking, and problems with valets who want to hang
onto the keys, living with an exotic definitely has its challenges.
Which explains perfectly why DiIorio recently bought a new
MAZDA5 to use as his daily driver. He loves the Mazda six-seater,
citing how it has dramatically reduced his daily stress level while
also providing surprising driving character.
Mind you, DiIorio knows all about driving character. After becoming infected with sports-car fever as a young boy, the likeable investor made collecting exotic sports cars his passion as his
business skills and income grew. “Cars drive me,” he says. “At
an early age, I figured out that I have expensive tastes, and that
if I wanted to enjoy them, I’d better get out and make some
money.” He now has a collection of some 15 exotics that
includes a Ferrari 365GTC/4 Daytona, F40, and 550 Maranello,
a Lamborghini Miura, and a Porsche Carrera GT, among others.
His pièce de résistance is a Formula One Minardi-Lamborghini
that once raced in the Monaco Grand Prix.
DiIorio’s acquisition of the MAZDA5 is an interesting story in
its own right. Last year, a visiting friend arrived in a rented Chevy
Cobalt. Not wanting to deal with parking for a few days, DiIorio
traded his Aston Martin DB9 Volante (a $180,000 car!) for the
Chevy. He found himself so relaxed tooling around in the little
compact that he began to look for a similar vehicle to call his
own. Yet he didn’t want a minivan or an SUV—“too bulky and
depressing,” he says—and considered the Honda Element, Saturn Vue, and Toyota Matrix before wandering into a Las Vegas
Mazda dealership. There, he was instantly attracted to the
MAZDA5 ’s crossover styling. “It’s the size of a car with the practicality of a van—without looking like one,” he explains.
It was the test drive that really ignited DiIorio’s interest in the
Mazda. “The salesman asked if I wanted to take it around the
block,” he recalls. “I said ‘Okay,’ and immediately found it had a
responsive motor, great steering and brakes, and when I started
throwing it into turns, it stuck. It also had an easy, stress-free
appeal about it, so I bought it on the spot and drove it home to
Los Angeles.”
In just the first two months of owning it, DiIorio drove his
MAZDA5 6,200-plus miles and says he couldn’t be happier. He
takes friends and colleagues out in it—even into Mexico, where
he needed something that could seat four with luggage and still
keep a low profile.
“I tell you, [Mazda has] done a great job with this car,”
DiIorio says. “Being an investor is plenty stressful, and this makes
my life easier.” ■
It's not as flashy as his Ferrari Enzo
or Lamborghini Miura, but James
DiIorio's MAZDA5 delivers plenty
of driving enjoyment for a lot less
money and stress.
CONTENTS
3
2
3
4-5
First Lap
6
7
8- 9
Feature
10- 12
10-12
Feature
Making Tracks in Mexico
Pit Row
New Dealer Process Improvement Program; Top 25 Dealers –
Parts and Service; Best Practices – Mazda Knoxville
and the Mazda Tire Center
2008 Mazda Safety Features At-A-Glance
Feature
Safety Snapshot: 2008 Mazda Vehicle Safety Ratings
Cover Story
Special Delivery: 2008 RX-8 Rotary Engine 40th Anniversary
and 2008 MX-5 Special Edition
Fast Track
Mazda’s Racing Year in Review; Mazda’s Racing Class of 2007
Moves Up the Ladder; Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca 2008
Calendar of Events; The Zoom-Zoom Family of Jason
and Jennifer Isley
12
Gear Glitz
13- 15
Front Line
16
13
Extreme Green Race 2007; FUEL Feedback
The New Genuine Mazda Accessories Garmin nuvi® 760
Portable Navigation Device
Best Practices – El Dorado Mazda’s Internet Sales Processes;
Mazda’s New Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Function; Top 25
Dealers – Sales; Mazda Improves Its Product Quality
Information (PQI) Reports; Mazda Joins BBB Auto Line;
Mazda Makes Changes to 2008 Master Technician Competition
Final Stretch
AAI 20th Anniversary; Jay Leno and His Cosmo Sport
at Japanese Classic Car Show; MX-5 and MAZDASPEED3
Make the 2008 Car and Driver 10Best List
Mazda FUEL® magazine is published by Mazda North American Operations and is an internal
publication intended for employees of Mazda dealerships and Mazda North American Operations.
Please address all correspondence to [email protected] or fax to (949) 727-6813.
The content of Mazda FUEL magazine is prepared in accordance with the highest
standards of journalistic accuracy and was deemed accurate when written.
© 2008 Mazda North American Operations
8-9
FIRSTLAP
Extreme Green
Race 2007
Mazda team’s innovation honored at Lake Tahoe event.
B
uilding on its past gravity racing success, Mazda
partnered with The Art Institute of Orange
County and the University of California, Irvine
(UCI) Mechanical Engineering department to create
an all-new gravity racer that ended up winning the
Most Innovative award at the 2007 Extreme Green
Race (XGR), held in late September near Lake Tahoe,
CA. The Mazda racer featured a unique application
of four-wheel steering, developed by the UCI
engineering group.
Originally called Extreme Gravity Race, the event
was renamed Extreme Green Race in 2007 to support
its mission of being the most ecologically-friendly,
world-class, and exciting race and special event series,
featuring the world’s premier automotive manufacturers. Mazda was among several automotive competitors that included Porsche, Bentley, and General
Motors. Several university student teams, including a
contingency from the Shanghai Tongji University of
China, also participated.
Unfortunately, a rare September snow and ice
storm led the local highway patrol to cancel the official racing portion of the event. However, once the
weather cleared, the participants held an impromptu
race around the steep grade of a local hotel and then
handed out awards. Aston Martin won Best Design,
while the entry from Alfred University (New York)
took both Best Overall Speed and Fastest Time.
“Although it was an unfulfilled event, the process
to create a new-style vehicle with two university
teams was a complete success,” said Truman Pollard,
Lead Designer for Mazda Design Americas and the
corporate champion of Mazda’s XGR efforts. “Both
teams met the professional challenge with enthusiasm and new leadership skills.” ■
The Mazda/Art Institute
of Orange County/UCI
Mechanical Engineering
team and gravity racer
at the 2007 Extreme
Green Race in Northern
California
FUELFEEDBACK
NOV.-DEC.
2007
VOL. 6
ISSUE 6
W
Grille
08
Grille to
ith the 20
W ith
5
MAZDA 5
PAGE 8
"New"
MNAO's
t
Cosmo Spor
est Region's
The Midw
Pit Crews
Honorary
er Gear
Mazda's Wint
Page 12
Page 5
Page 2
MX-5
Celebrity
Page
Page 66
Racers
hat better way to kick off a new year than
with two all-new special edition Mazdas—
the MX-5 Special Edition and the RX-8 40th
Anniversary Edition? These two specialty cars get
front-and-center attention in this edition of Mazda
FUEL, an appropriate spotlight for two vehicles that
so confidently capture the Zoom-Zoom spirit. Also
falling under the “special” category, we recap the
2007 MAZDASPEED Motorsports season, and feature
two extraordinary dealerships for the best practices—
Mazda Knoxville and El Dorado Mazda. With all this
focus on the exceptional, we made sure to provide
some of the good old basics as well. Look for updates
on Mazda’s crash test ratings and safety features—
solid information for a new year of sales success. We
hope you read, learn, and enjoy!
Let us know what you think about FUEL. Send us
your comments on this issue using the enclosed reply
card. Whether you’re offering up story ideas or sharing your thoughts, we appreciate hearing from you!
“I loved the September/October (2007) issue of
Mazda FUEL. As an aspiring driver for the Rolex GT
RX-8, it was exciting to read about Roberto Santos
and how quickly he and Raphael Matos have
2 | MAZDA FUEL |
JAN/FEB 2008
climbed the ladder to racing success. I hope to learn
more about Mazda’s racing ladder, and hopefully
be fender to fender with these other young racers
like myself.”
Frank Hart
Service Technician
Reedman-Toll Mazda, Langhorne, PA
“I’m sitting here, waiting for my car to be [serviced]. I always look through Mazda FUEL while I’m
[at the dealership]. I would like to get a copy of the
magazine at home. Is this possible?”
Larry A. Liesner
Customer
Rosenthal Mazda, Arlington, VA
Editor’s Note: Due to budgetary restraints, we are
unable to send Mazda FUEL to customers. However,
although it is published expressly for Mazda dealerships and corporate employees, Mazda dealerships
are welcome to display copies of the magazine in its
service lounges.
We want to hear from you, too. Send us your comments and suggestions on the enclosed reply card. ■
Making Tracks in Mexico
Mazda enjoys excellent
growth south of the border.
I
t’s hard to believe that two years have passed since Mazda
launched its first dealerships in Mexico—a positive result of
the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the
Japanese/Mexico Free Trade Agreement that took effect in 2005.
Since then, a lot has changed—specifically, some hefty sales and
head-spinning growth for Mazda operations south of the border.
Here’s a closer look at Mazda Mexico today.
Dozens of Dealerships
In 2005, Mazda Mexico started out with just five dealerships—three in Mexico City and one in both Monterrey and
Guadalajara. Today, Mazda has a total of 17 dealers serving the
cities of Metepec, Leon, Morelia, Queretaro, Culiacan, Hermosillo, Merida, Puebla, Villahermosa, Torreon, and Saltillo, as
well as a second dealer in Monterrey.
“By March, we expect to have at least 20 Mazda dealerships operating,” says Clark Colby, Director of Sales. “It’s very
exciting.”
volume five times this past year. And in May 2007, Mazda had
attained 1.7 percent total market share—an impressive feat for
a company with a market presence of less than two years at
the time.
Just what are the top-selling Mazda vehicles in Mexico? According to Colby, they are consistently the MAZDA3, CX-7,
and CX-9.
“We sell more than 500 each month of both the MAZDA3
and CX-7, and the CX-9 isn’t too far behind,” he says. “In fact,
the CX-9 outsells the Honda Pilot, and the CX-7 is the sixth-bestselling SUV out of all the SUVs sold in Mexico.”
“I believe the main reason for our growth and success is our
brand positioning,” explains Colby. “We market Mazda as a
vehicle with all the quality one would expect from a Japanese
brand but with something extra: the Zoom-Zoom that makes
our cars exciting and fun to drive. We really do have a story
to tell, and it’s pretty clear that the people in Mexico are relating to it.”
Stacking up Sales
In terms of sales, Mazda Mexico’s numbers are nothing short
of spectacular.
In the first fiscal year, dealers sold a total of 2,098 Mazda vehicles. By the second fiscal year, sales had more than quadrupled, with total vehicle sales of 9,788, and this fiscal year
promises to be equally impressive.
“We expect to sell at least 15,000 Mazda vehicles this year—
almost twice last year’s numbers,” said Colby. “For most of the
year, we’ve also had higher average monthly sales per dealership
than every other automotive brand in Mexico.”
Here’s another worthy statistic: Out of the 32 brands that
Mazda measures itself against, it ranked in the top 10 for sales
At top, Mazda Metepec, in Metepec, Estado de Mexico, opened in
April 2007. Above, Polo Oreliana, Managing Director of Mazda De
Mexico, and representatives of Grupo Zapata cut the ribbon to
open Mazda Zapata in Queretaro, Queretaro.
JAN/FEB 2008
| MAZDA FUEL
| 3
TOP 25
PITROW
New Program Works to
Improve Service Processes
Simple strategies foster service success.
F
or years, Lean process improvement strategies have been at work in auto
manufacturing sites around the world. Now they’re also coming to
Mazda service departments, thanks to a new Dealer Process
Improvement program, first launched as a pilot program last year.
“This program teaches dealers how to use Lean management processes to
optimize workflow and overall productivity in their service departments,” says
Sridhar Adiga, MNAO’s Group Manager for Service Strategies.
The first two dealerships to benefit from the program were Legacy Mazda
in Orem, UT, and Bountiful Mazda in Bountiful, UT. Both dealerships experienced bold, new benefits through new tools, such as:
Daily Information Meetings
First thing each morning, each service department spends five minutes with
Technicians, Service Advisors, and Parts staff to discuss the daily workload and
issues for the day.
“Just this one simple tool really helps to improve communication in the service department,” says Dennis Langford, Service Manager for Bountiful Mazda.
Service Scheduling Board
“By displaying all the scheduled service work for the day, this board shows
customers and Technicians alike our entire production capacity,” explains
Lange Painter, Service Manager for Legacy Mazda. “It gives customers the assurance their cars are on our schedule—and provides walk-ins with an idea of
our daily workload, so they’re not surprised when we may not be able to get
to their car right away.”
Process Improvement Metrics
Legacy Mazda now uses a spreadsheet to track daily metrics such as warranties versus customer pays, percent of reservations, percent of no-shows,
service carry-overs, service hours available versus hours sold, and gross profit.
“By having this information at my fingertips, I can better plan my day-to-day
schedules and workload,” adds Painter. “It also lets us know how we’re doing
monetarily.”
A second spreadsheet tracks Technician productivity, which gives the Service
Manager efficiency ratios, while building a healthy competitive spirit among
the Technicians.
Because of this program’s success, Adiga says it has already expanded to 15
new dealerships and will eventually reach as many as 200 dealers over the next
five years. ■
4 | MAZDA FUEL |
PARTS SALES (YTD THROUGH NOVEMBER 2007)
Photo by Christopher Adams Photography
Service Adivsor John
Goodman (left) and
Service Manager
Lange Painter review
the service scheduling
board at Legacy
Mazda in Orem, UT.
RANKING DEALERS
JAN/FEB 2008
RANK DEALER NAME
CITY
STATE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
MARIETTA
AUSTIN
IRVING
ARLINGTON
NEW CASTLE
LONGWOOD
VAN NUYS
WILLOW GROVE
PORTLAND
WAYNE
MINNETONKA
MIAMI
GILBERT
FT. LAUDERDALE
TRUSSVILLE
MIAMI GARDENS
SAN JOSE
RICHMOND
ATLANTA
WANTAGH
PHILADELPHIA
SAN DIEGO
BOUNTIFUL
TULSA
CERRITOS
GA
TX
TX
VA
DE
FL
CA
PA
OR
NJ
MN
FL
AZ
FL
AL
FL
CA
VA
GA
NY
PA
CA
UT
OK
CA
JIM ELLIS MAZDA OF MARIETTA
ROGER BEASLEY MAZDA CENTRAL
FREEMAN MAZDA
ROSENTHAL MAZDA - ARLINGTON
NUCAR MAZDA
CORY FAIRBANKS MAZDA
GALPIN MAZDA
MARTY SUSSMAN MAZDA
RON TONKIN MAZDA
WAYNE MAZDA
MORRIES MAZDA
OCEAN MAZDA
BERGE MAZDA
GUNTHER MAZDA
TRUSSVILLE MAZDA
LEHMAN MAZDA
OAK TREE MAZDA
WHITTEN BROS. MAZDA
JIM ELLIS MAZDA OF CHAMBLEE
WANTAGH MAZDA
FAULKNER MAZDA
JOHN HINE MAZDA
BOUNTIFUL MAZDA
NELSON MAZDA
BROWNING MAZDA
LABOR SALES (YTD THROUGH NOVEMBER 2007)
RANK DEALER NAME
CITY
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
BURNSVILLE
MN
ARLINGTON
VA
AUSTIN
TX
MARIETTA
GA
MINNETONKA
MN
FT. LAUDERDALE FL
FAIRFAX
VA
SAN DIEGO
CA
VAN NUYS
CA
VIENNA
VA
SAN JOSE
CA
AUSTIN
TX
SEATTLE
WA
HOUSTON
TX
WAYNE
NJ
NORWOOD
MA
DELRAY BEACH
FL
ST. LOUIS
MO
PHILADELPHIA
PA
SAN JOSE
CA
COLMAR
PA
ATLANTA
GA
LONGWOOD
FL
CINCINNATI
OH
MARLOW HEIGHTS MD
WALSER BURNSVILLE MAZDA
ROSENTHAL MAZDA - ARLINGTON
ROGER BEASLEY MAZDA CENTRAL
JIM ELLIS MAZDA OF MARIETTA
MORRIES MAZDA
GUNTHER MAZDA
BROWN'S FAIRFAX MAZDA
JOHN HINE MAZDA
GALPIN MAZDA
ROSENTHAL MAZDA
OAK TREE MAZDA
MAZDA SOUTH
UNIVERSITY MAZDA
JEFF HAAS MAZDA
WAYNE MAZDA
MAZDA GALLERY
DELRAY MAZDA
LOU FUSZ MAZDA
FAULKNER MAZDA
CAPITOL MAZDA
NORTH PENN MAZDA
JIM ELLIS MAZDA OF CHAMBLEE
CORY FAIRBANKS MAZDA
KINGS MAZDA
MCCULLOUGH METRO MAZDA
FPO
STATE
CARE SERVICE INDEX (ROLLING 3 MONTHS THROUGH NOVEMBER 2007)
RANK
1T
1T
1T
1T
1T
1T
2
3T
3T
4
5
6
7
8T
8T
9T
9T
10
11T
11T
12
13
14T
14T
15
DEALER NAME
FIVE STAR MAZDA
RAZZARI MAZDA
I-79 MAZDA
MILLER MAZDA
EVERHART - O'LEARY MAZDA
CLASSIC MAZDA
QUALITY MAZDA
ROB SIGHT MAZDA
CRATER LAKE MAZDA
SUPERIOR MAZDA
SID DILLON MAZDA
DON BESSETTE MAZDA
MAZDA CITY OF ORANGE PARK
REGANIS MAZDA
SUNWEST MAZDA
JEFF WYLER MAZDA
KONA MAZDA
PRINCE MAZDA
TULLEY MAZDA
GOODWIN'S MAZDA
SCHWARTZ MAZDA
BUTCH OUSTALET MAZDA
IRWIN MAZDA
HERTRICH'S CAPITOL MAZDA
MILLER HILL MAZDA
CITY
ST.
SCORE
MACON
MERCED
MOUNT MORRIS
WACO
JANESVILLE
TEXARKANA
PETERSBURG
KANSAS CITY
MEDFORD
BENTONVILLE
FREMONT
MINOT
JACKSONVILLE
SCOTTSBLUFF
NEWPORT
BATAVIA
KAILUA-KONA
VALDOSTA
NASHUA
BRUNSWICK
SHREWSBURY
GULFPORT
FREEHOLD
DOVER
DULUTH
GA
CA
PA
TX
WI
TX
VA
MO
OR
AR
NE
ND
FL
NE
OR
OH
HI
GA
NH
ME
NJ
MS
NJ
DE
MN
100
100
100
100
100
100
99.3
99.1
99.1
99.0
98.7
98.6
98.5
98.2
98.2
98.1
98.1
98.0
97.9
97.9
97.7
97.6
97.3
97.3
97.2
T = Tie
Results based on financial statement data submitted to MNAO as of December 19, 2007.
PITROW
New Mazda
Tire Center
Spins Success
Tennessee dealer offers proof positive
of the many benefits.
F
or dealers wanting a simple, flexible, and profitable way to incorporate tire
sales and service into their existing parts and service business, the new Mazda
Tire Center is proving to be a gold mine. And numerous dealerships across
the country are feeling the positive effects.
One of them is Tennessee’s Mazda Knoxville, an operation that consistently sells
several thousand tires every year.
After just two months of using the Mazda Tire Center—and its preferred supplier, The Tire Rack Wholesale—Derek Bryant, Parts and Service Director, claimed
his dealership was already seeing a difference.
“One of the biggest things we appreciate is its sheer convenience,” he says.
“The Mazda Tire Center literally has everything. We now have a one-stop source
that has a wide range of brands and sizes on hand all the time, which means there
are hardly ever any back-order issues.”
“Plus, the cost of the tires is a lot lower than what we had before, so we can better compete with the plans from suppliers like Firestone, Goodyear, and Pep Boys.”
Increased availability and lower costs, however, are just the start.
“By ordering everything through The Mazda Tire Center, we can better track
our orders and maintain inventory control. Therefore, most of the tires we need
regularly we’ve got here in stock. This means we can make the sale right then and
not give the customer the opportunity to leave.”
If the dealership does need a special order, The Mazda Tire Center handles it
with ease—delivering almost everything in two days’ time, which helps the dealership quote the customer a definite delivery date and boost customer retention.
Bryant also praises The Mazda Tire Center for its hassle-free warranty claims administration and overall willingness to help out.
“We’ve had a couple of warranty situations in the past in which we either had
to absorb the cost of the tire or fight the tire manufacturer for up to 14 weeks to
get any warranty resolution,” Bryant explained. “The Mazda Tire Center has now
stepped up and takes care of all those problems for us, which has made life a lot
easier on us. The Mazda Tire Center has even helped us resolve some issues in regards to wheels, which is an added bonus. Our dealership is very happy and our
customers are very happy, as well.”
Learn more about how your dealership can benefit from the Mazda Tire Center
by calling (888) 682-3683 (888-MT-CENTER), or visit MXConnect/Parts/Mazda
Tire Center. ■
At top, Mazda Knoxville Service Advisor Doug Estes
helps a satisfied tire customer. Above, Parts and Service Director Derek Bryant says the Mazda Tire Center
makes tracking and controlling tire inventory easier,
which leads to better customer service.
JAN/FEB 2008
| MAZDA FUEL
| 5
The 2008 Mazda CX-9 offers Mazda's most comprehensive
range of advanced safety features.
2008 Mazda Safety
Features At-A-Glance
A
new model year means changes to the Mazda lineup—
including the safety features Mazda builds into its cars,
trucks, and SUVs. Focused on occupant protection and
accident prevention, Mazda continues to fortify its lineup with a full
offering of standard safety features and technology, including sideimpact air bags, Dynamic Stability Control, Roll Stability Control, Tire
Pressure Monitoring Systems, and Beltminder. And now, for the first
time, Mazda offers a Blind Spot Monitoring System on the CX-9. In
addition, the CX-9 stands alone at the top with its 5-star front and
side crash safety rating, as well as its 4-star rollover resistance rating.
Like the CX-7, no other SUV in their categories have better
government crash test ratings.
The chart below details how current Mazda models are equipped
with today’s most sought-after safety features and technology, making it easier to point out these features to potential buyers. For complete information about each feature and system, refer to the Owners Manual for the particular vehicle in question. ■
2008
RX-8
2008
MAZDA6
2008
MAZDA3
2008
CX-7
2008
CX-9
2008
Tribute
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Opt
n/a
Opt
n/a
Std
Opt
Std
Std**
Std**
Traction Control System (TCS)
Opt
Std
n/a
n/a
Std
Opt
Std
Std
Std
Roll Stability Control (RSC)
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Std
Std
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
Std
Std
Opt
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Blind Spot Monitoring System
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Opt
n/a
Side-Impact Air Bags (SAB)
Std
Std
n/a
Std#
Std
Std
Std*
Std*#
Std*
Rear Center Lap Shoulder Belt
n/a
Std
Std
n/a
Std
n/a
Std
Std
Std
Beltminder
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Lift Up Window Switches
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Crushable Brake Pedal
n/a
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
Std
n/a
* with Rollover Sensing System
6 | MAZDA FUEL |
** with Roll Stability Control
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
JAN/FEB 2008
2006
2008
2008
2008
MAZDA5 MAZDASPEED3 MX-5
# with 3-row coverage
Safety Snapshot
2008 Mazda Vehicles vs. 2008 Competitive Vehicles
M
azda FUEL has compiled this comprehensive chart of
current safety ratings for the 2008 Mazda lineup and their
main competitors. Check it out, and then share the good
news with your customers!
And, don’t forget to highlight the standard and available features
that help Mazda drivers avoid accidents in the first place, such as
Dynamic Stability Control, Traction Control, Tire Pressure Monitoring
Systems, and Mazda’s precise steering and powerful brakes. ■
NHTSA
Vehicle
Frontal
Driver
Passenger
MAZDA3
Honda Civic
Nissan Sentra
****
*****
*****
****
*****
*****
MAZDA6
Toyota Camry
Honda Accord
Nissan Altima
*****
*****
*****
*****
Mazda Tribute
Honda CR-V
Hyundai Santa Fe
IIHS
Side
Side
Without SAB With SAB
Rear
Rollover
***
****
*****
***
*****
****
****
****
****
G
G
N/T
P
N/T*
N/T
N/T
G
N/T
*****
*****
*****
*****
****
*****
N/T
*****
****
*****
N/T
*****
*****
****
*****
****
G
G
G
G
N/T*
N/T*
N/T*
N/T*
N/T
G
G
N/T
****
*****
****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
***
****
****
A
G
G
N/T*
N/T*
N/T*
G
G
G
Mazda CX-9
Honda Pilot
Saturn Outlook
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
****
****
****
N/T
G
N/T
N/T*
N/T*
N/T*
N/T
G
N/T
Mazda CX-7
Saturn Vue
Toyota RAV4
Acura RDX
*****
****
*****
*****
*****
*****
****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
****
****
****
****
N/T
G
G
G
N/T*
N/T*
N/T*
N/T*
N/T
G
G
G
Mazda MX-5
Pontiac Solstice
Honda S2000
N/T
****
****
N/T
****
****
N/T
****
*****
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
*****
*****
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
Mazda RX-8
Nissan 350Z
****
N/T
*****
N/T
****
*****
****
N/T
*****
*****
N/T
N/T
N/T*
N/T*
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
N/T
*****
****
****
N/T
***
A
N/T
N/T
MAZDA5
Mazda B-Series ExtCab 2wd
Key: N/T = Not Tested
Front
Frontal Offset
G = Good A = Acceptable M = Marginal P = Poor * = SAB Standard
EXPLANATION OF RATINGS
NHTSA: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, United
States Department of Transportation.
Star Ratings - Frontal Impact Test: Vehicle is crashed into a fixed barrier at 35 mph. The stars indicate a belted person’s chances of incurring a
serious injury in the event of a crash. A serious injury is defined as one requiring immediate hospitalization and may be life threatening.
One star = worst; Five stars = best.
the highest-rated vehicles (5 stars) when involved in a single-vehicle crash.
*****
****
***
**
*
= Has a risk of rollover of less than 10%
= Has a risk of rollover between 10% and 20%
= Has a risk of rollover between 20% and 30%
= Has a risk of rollover between 30% and 40%
= Has a risk of rollover greater than 40%
IIHS - Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
*****
****
***
**
*
= 10% or less chance of serious injury
= 11% - 20% chance of serious injury
= 21% - 35% chance of serious injury
= 36% - 45% chance of serious injury
= 46% or greater chance of serious injury
Star Ratings - Side Crash Test: A 3,015-pound barrier moving at 38.5
mph is crashed into the side of the passenger compartment of a stationary
vehicle. The stars indicate the chance of a life-threatening chest injury for a
belted driver, front seat passenger, and rear seat passenger.
*****
****
***
**
*
= 5% or less chance of serious injury
= 6%-10% chance of serious injury
= 11%-20% chance of serious injury
= 21%-25% chance of serious injury
= 26% or greater chance of serious injury
Star Ratings - Rollover Resistance: A vehicle’s rollover resistance rating
is an estimate of its risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash, not a prediction of the likelihood of a crash. As the following chart indicates, the lowest-rated vehicles (1 star) are at least four times more likely to roll over than
Frontal Offset Crash Rating: A vehicle moving at 40 mph is crashed
into a fixed barrier. Approximately one-half of the front of the vehicle impacts the barrier, hence the term frontal offset. The rating is based on three
things: how well a vehicle’s front end manages the energy of the crash and
limits passenger compartment intrusion; injury risk to an average driver; and
performance of the vehicle’s seat belts and airbags. G = Good (best rating);
A = Acceptable; M = Marginal; P = Poor (worst rating).
Side Crash Rating: A moving deformable barrier with a front end that
simulates a pickup or SUV weighing 3,300 pounds and traveling at 31 mph
impacts perpendicularly into the driver’s side of the vehicle. Crash test dummies are seated in the driver’s seat and the rear passenger seat behind the
driver. The rating is based on three things: dummy injury measures, head
protection measures, and the performance of the vehicle’s structure/safety
cage. G = Good (best rating); A = Acceptable; M = Marginal; P = Poor
(worst rating).
Sources:
NHTSA Buying a Safer Car: www.safercar.gov
IIHS: www.highwaysafety.org
JAN/FEB 2008
| MAZDA FUEL
| 7
Feature #2
Images
TO COME
2008 RX-8 Rotary Engine
40th Anniversary
Special
Two new limited editions from Mazda add exclusive
M
azda’s two favorite sports cars are getting
some distinctive upgrades for 2008 in the
form of the MX-5 Special Edition and the
RX-8 40th Anniversary Edition. Scheduled to arrive
at dealerships beginning in February, these two
premium models are the new flagships of the MX-5
and RX-8 model lines, and together they add even
further luster to Mazda’s already successful sportscar duo.
With retail prices ranging from $26,590 to $27,340
for the MX-5 Special Edition and from $31,370 to
$32,070 for the RX-8 40th Anniversary Edition (manual and automatic transmission models, respectively),
the special editions offer exclusive exterior, interior, and
other upgrades that elegantly distinguish them from
the Grand Touring models upon which they are based.
Both models are available for any Mazda dealer who
wishes to order them, although they are truly limited
production—only 750 MX-5 Special Edition models
and 1,000 RX-8 40th Anniversary Edition models will
be produced. If past sales records are any indication,
the majority of customers will be found in the Sun Belt
states and along the East and West Coasts.
Now, here’s what makes the new MX-5 Special Edition and RX-8 40th Anniversary Edition special.
2008 RX-8 Rotary Engine
40th Anniversary
The 40th anniversary of the Mazda rotary engine
was a huge event in the company’s history in 2007.
Now comes this RX-8 special edition designed to appeal to the true rotary enthusiast.
“The 40th Anniversary Edition represents a historic
milestone for the rotary engine and will become a desirable collector’s edition due to its limited quantities,” Vehicle Line Manager Tetsu Nakazawa explains.
8 | MAZDA FUEL |
JAN/FEB 2008
Particularly handsome, the RX-8 40th Anniversary Edition likewise begins with the Grand Touring model. Its exterior features include:
• Metropolitan Gray paint
• Unique 18-inch wheel design and finish
• Blue-tinted fog lights
• 40th Anniversary Rotary Engine badging
• Silver-colored engine cover
•
•
•
•
Interior features include:
Cosmo Red leather seats
Cosmo Red door trim
Leather parking brake lever
Front floor mats with 40th Anniversary Rotary
Engine logo
Chassis upgrades include:
• Sport suspension tuning with Bilstein® dampers
• Urethane foam-filled suspension cross member
An even greater array of Genuine Mazda
Accessories are available for the 2008 RX-8 40th
Anniversary Edition, including:
• Appearance Package, including front air dam,
and side and rear aero flares
• Rotary accent package
• Moonroof wind deflector
• Rear spoiler
• Sirius™ Satellite Radio
• Fender strakes
• All-weather floor mats
• Cargo net
• Cargo tray
• Cargo organizer
• Collapsible cargo carriers
• Spare tire kit
Unique 18-inch wheels
Cosmo Red interior
40th Anniversary Rotary Engine badging
Delivery
2008 MX-5 Special Edition
appeal to the 2008 RX-8 and MX-5 Miata models.
2008 MX-5 Special Edition
Mazda product planners wanted to do something
to boost the appeal of the brand's essential sports
car—the Mazda MX-5—to keep it top of mind
among dealers and MX-5 enthusiasts alike. And with
the MX-5 Special Edition, they did precisely that.
“The MX-5 has been a best seller and a multiple
award winner since its introduction,” says Nakazawa.
“With its unique exterior and interior appointments,
this special edition will surely attract many MX-5 enthusiasts into the showroom.”
The MX-5 Special Edition starts with the Grand
Touring model and then adds the following exterior
features:
• Icy Blue paint
• Saddle Brown cloth top
• Unique 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels
• Chrome grille surround
• Chrome headlamp bezels
• Chrome fog light surrounds
• White lens for center high mount stop lamp (CHMSL)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Luxurious special interior features include:
Saddle Brown leather heated seats with blue
stitching
Saddle Brown leather steering wheel with
blue stitching
Saddle Brown door trim with blue stitching
Saddle Brown parking brake lever with blue
stitching
Saddle Brown shift knob
Floormats with embroidered SE logo
Dark silver—finish instrument panel
Chrome instrument ring surrounds
Chrome air vent side louvers
Stainless steel scuff plates
When presenting the 2008 MX-5 Special
Edition, be sure to mention the Genuine Mazda
Accessories that can be easily included in vehicle
financing:
• Sirius™ Satellite Radio
• All-weather floor mats
• Chrome fuel-filler door
• Wheel locks
• Cargo net
Saddle Brown shift knob
Saddle Brown interior with blue stitching
Icy Blue paint
JAN/FEB 2008
| MAZDA FUEL
| 9
FASTTRACK
Mazda’s Racing Year in Review
By nearly any measure, 2007 was a fantastic year
for MAZDASPEED Motorsports. Here are the cars,
drivers, and teams that made Zoom-Zoom history.
Above, the Tri-Point Motorsports team celebrates
their 2007 SPEED World Challenge championship season. Above left, SpeedSource's MAZDA RX-8 posted
three wins in the 2007 Grand-Am Cup GT series.
“V
ictory is sweetest when you’ve known defeat,” said Forbes magazine
publisher and capitalist Malcolm Forbes. The famous adage applies
perfectly to Mazda’s racing efforts in 2007, as California-based TriPoint Motorsports’ Jeff Altenburg and Randy Pobst finally swept the top two
places in the prestigious SPEED World Challenge road-racing series with their
MAZDA6 racecars. The hotly contested title—Mazda’s first in the World
Challenge series—came in only the third year of campaigning the MAZDA6, and
it was extremely well earned against some of the finest competitors from Acura,
Audi, and BMW. As well, Tri-Point Motorsports earned the Crew of the Year
award to go with Mazda’s manufacturers’ championship and Altenburg’s drivers’
championship.
To make matters even better, based on the east coast in Florida, SpeedSource’s
Sylvain Tremblay and Nick Ham took their Mazda RX-8 to three wins in Grand-Am
Cup GT endurance-racing competition. Their victories likewise came against some
pretty high-end competitors from Porsche, BMW, and even Ferrari. The pair drove
their RENESIS-powered racer to victory in Mexico, Miami, and Daytona, helping
Mazda finish third in manufacturers’ points in the process.
Turning to drag racing, South African-born Ken Scheepers built and has campaigned a wild RX-8 in NHRA Modified drag racing for three years now—and
his talent and dedication have paid off with a remarkable four wins in 2007.
Scheepers finished up the season a strong second in points.
In other series, the American Le Mans Series “P2” prototype racer, built by B-K
Motorsports and powered by a powerful Mazda MZR-R engine, got a solid development year underneath it and will return for 2008 ready to wage war against
the Porsche prototypes. While in Formula Atlantic, an open-wheel feeder series
for Champ Car, the Cosworth-built Mazda MZR spec motors did an outstanding
job in their second season. These highly tuned engines power every car in the series, and their speed and reliability have been terrific.
But it’s not only the pros who are winning for Mazda. At the famed annual National Championship Runoffs in Topeka, KS, nine Mazda racers won championships, including: Thomas Thrash (EP/RX-7); Brad Rampelberg (Spec Miata/MX-5)
and Jesse Prather (FP/MX-5); Robert Huffmaster (T3/RX-8); and Jim Goughary, Jr.
(Formula Mazda). Meanwhile, four more Mazda drivers bagged national titles in
the NASA Championships, including Keith Wise (PTA/RX-7), Bob Bradfield
(PTB/RX-7), Todd Lamb (Spec Miata/MX-5), and Greg Stasiowski (PTD/Miata).
Congratulations all! ■
10 | MAZDA FUEL |
JAN/FEB 2008
Raphael Matos
Fast Learners
Meet the “Racing Class of 2007”
—four talented drivers working
their way up Mazda’s new
motorsports ladder.
L
ast year, Mazda became the first automaker to
introduce an official “racing ladder,” providing
a pathway for young drivers to progress from
karting all the way into the professional ranks. The
innovative training system is already working, with
four 2007 championship drivers poised to jump to
the next rung this year.
Raphael Matos is proof that Mazda’s ladder system works. He won the Skip Barber championship in
2003, then graduated to Star Mazda and crowned
that series in 2005 before moving to Formula
Atlantic, which he won last year. For 2008, Matos
moves to Champ Car, one of the top open-wheel
racing series in America.
Meanwhile, fellow open-wheel driver Dane
Cameron is moving from his 2007 Star Mazda
championship to Formula Atlantic, while Joel Miller
steps from winning the 2007 Skip Barber championship into Star Mazda. Finally, in sports cars, Jason
Saini progresses from the MX-5 Cup to SPEED
World Challenge. ■
FASTTRACK
The Zoom-Zoom Family
Photo by Richard S. James
Two parents,
one child, one
Mazda RX-8,
and four national
championships…
it all adds up for the
Isleys of Southern
California.
Racing is a family affair for Jason and
Jennifer Isley, with daughter Jessica.
The couple has won four national
autocross championships between
them in their Mazda RX-8.
W
contingency dollars and MAZDASPEED parts support. “The local
BMW dealer would work with us on the price of the car but not
the other stuff,” Jason notes.
Their racing results to date really are impressive. The RX-8 has
now carried Jason to three B Stock national autocross championships (2005-07) and Jennifer to the 2007 B Stock Ladies championship. “We like the challenge of autocross because everything
happens very fast.” Jason explains. “You don’t get practice or
qualifying, just three timed runs to get it done.” Impressively, the
Isleys won about $7,000 in contingency money last year—more
than the cost of campaigning their RX-8.
So how do other Southern California moms react to Jennifer’s
weekend passion? “They think I’m crazy,” she admits. “They think
it’s pretty insane that I’m out there racing on the weekend, especially if it’s my ‘mommy car’ that I use to haul my little girl around
in the back seat!” ■
Photo by David Cosseboom
hen two-year-old Jessica rides in the rear seat of
Jennifer and Jason Isley’s Mazda RX-8, she’s not the
only precious cargo to ever travel back there. That’s
because her parents also use their beloved Sunlight Silver
Metallic 2005 RX-8 for autocross racing, and on race
weekends, the RX-8 heads to the track with its backseat filled
with race wheels and tires. Then on Monday morning, the
RX-8 serves triple duty as Jason commutes to work at Sports
Car magazine.
If there is any such thing as destiny in relationships, Jennifer and
Jason are living proof. Both come from racing families and met at
an autocross, where Jennifer was driving a Miata and Jason was
piloting a Corvette. They married in 1996 and ultimately needed
a four-seat car that could carry kids safely while still being
competitive in autocross. What sold them was the RX-8’s
performance, Mazda’s retail “S Plan” for racers, plus Mazda
Jason pilots his Mazda RX-8 in the 2007
SCCA Solo National Championships.
JAN/FEB 2008
| MAZDA FUEL
| 11
FASTTRACK
Mazda Raceway
Laguna Seca
Gears Up for 2008
F
irst opened in 1957, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has since
hosted almost every form of road racing imaginable—including
a variety of events featuring Mazda racers. The tradition
continues for 2008, with five major events on the schedule. Visit
www.laguna-seca.com for tickets, updates, and additional information.
May 16-18 Monterey Festival of Speed
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca kicks off its 52nd season of racing
with the new Monterey Festival of Speed, a double-header weekend featuring the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series on Saturday
and the Champ Car World Series on Sunday. The event will mark
the fourth consecutive year for Grand-Am’s Daytona Prototype
and GT cars in Monterey, while the Champ Cars are returning after a three-year absence.
July 18-20 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix
The biggest event on the 2008 schedule, the Red Bull U.S. Grand
Prix will feature the prestigious MotoGP World Championship. This
event attracted more than 140,000 fans in 2007. The 2008 event
will include support races from the AMA Superbike Championship
and, new for this year, the Red Bull Rookies Cup.
August 15-17 Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Race
The 35th Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races, the premier
historic race in North America, returns to the Monterey Peninsula in
mid-August. Event details, including the feature for 2008, will be
announced in the near future.
September 27-28 Corona AMA Superbike Finale
For the second consecutive season, September will see all four
classes of the AMA Superbike Championship conclude their season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the Corona AMA Superbike
Finale.
October 17-19 Monterey Sports Car Championships
The Monterey Sports Car Championships concludes the 2008
season in dramatic fashion with the high-tech, high-speed Le Mans
prototypes and GT machines of the American Le Mans Series staging a Saturday afternoon-into-evening four-hour race. Sunday's action features the season finale of both the SPEED World Challenge
Touring and GT classes. ■
GEARGLITZ
A Portable Navigation
Device Made Just for Mazda
New Genuine Mazda Accessory lets owners of any
Mazda enjoy the benefits of a navigation system.
M
azda has teamed up with Garmin, a global leader in navigation,
communication, and information devices, to create the new
Genuine Mazda Accessories Garmin nüvi® 760 portable
navigation device (PND). Compatible with all Mazda models, the PND
allows owners of Mazdas not equipped with the in-dash navigation
system to enjoy all the benefits of a navigation system, including
directions to more than six million points of interest such as addresses,
restaurants, hotels, and much more. What’s more, the device is
portable, which allows users to move it from car to car.
The Genuine Mazda Accessories Garmin nüvi 760 features a 4.3-inch
color touch screen and a simple-to-use menu. Maps can be displayed in
either 2D or 3D views, allowing drivers to see their position on the road,
while voice directions announce street names and automatic re-routing
capabilities.
In addition, the nüvi 760 has been customized for Mazda users.
When the device is turned on, the opening screen features the Mazda
logo, and the main menu offers a dealer locator option which, when selected, displays the nearest 50 Mazda dealership locations.
Beyond its navigation capabilities, the nüvi 760 features Bluetooth®
wireless technology for hands-free calling,* an MP3 player, a picture
viewer, and a world clock. Additional key features include:
12 | MAZDA FUEL |
JAN/FEB 2008
The Genuine Mazda
Accessories Garmin nüvi 760
portable navigation device
• An initial 3-month trial subscription for GTM 20 traffic receiver,
which uses satellite technology to communicate real-time road
conditions such as delays, accidents, and construction
• A built-in high-sensitivity global positioning system (GPS)
receiver
• A rechargeable lithium-ion battery, with a battery life of up to
five hours
• Storage capability for up to 50 routes
• Track log features, which display a trail for any route traveled
• Automatic route sorting to determine the fastest route
• On-screen speed limit display for major roads and highways
• “Where Am I?” feature, which locates the nearest hospitals,
police stations, fuel stations, addresses, and intersections
The Genuine Mazda Accessories Garmin nüvi 760 PND is now
available, part number 0000-8F-Z15. ■
* Requires Bluetooth-compatible phone, version 1.0 or higher.
FRONTLINE
Bridging the Digital Divide
El Dorado Mazda takes the information
approach to managing Internet Sales leads.
L
The top-notch Internet sales team at El Dorado
Mazda includes (from top) Christian Pritt, Director
of Sales; Doug Feller, Internet Sales Manager; and
Matt Clark, Internet Sales Manager.
ocated just outside of Dallas in McKinney, TX, El Dorado Mazda operates
in one of the most competitive metro auto markets in the U.S. Yet, like
any formidable competitor, this Mazda dealership has risen to the
challenge, year after year, building a Retail Revolution store, establishing a
MAZDASPEED franchise, implementing Mazda’s Full Circle Service program,
and consistently being named to the Mazda President’s Club and Mazda
Performance Champions.
It’s no surprise, then, to learn that El Dorado Mazda is also one of the top
performing Mazda dealers in the U.S. in terms of Internet Sales. With more
than 30 percent of the dealership’s monthly sales attributed to Internet leads,
El Dorado boasts a close rate of almost 19 percent with leads generated by the
Mazda Dealers Online (MDOL) system. The average MDOL dealer posts about
a 7 percent close rate.
So, how do they do it? Mazda FUEL recently spoke with El Dorado Director
of Sales Christian Pritt, who explained the structure, process, and attitudes that
work together to create their formula for Internet Sales success.
MF: First of all, how is your Internet department structured?
CP: We have two full-time Internet Sales Managers. They are 100-percent
focused on our Internet leads—responding to e-mails, answering questions,
re-contacting customers, and setting sales appointments. Our Internet department is purely a business development center. Our ultimate goal is to bring
these customers into the store, and then turn them over to the Sales department.
MF: What sort of standards do you have in place to take full advantage of
your Internet leads?
CP: It’s all about being consistent and persistent with customers—which is
really no different than a customer who visits your store. We respond immediately—within 10, 15, 20 minutes. We have an auto-responder in place that
provides my phone number in case someone falls through the cracks. And, we
respond to every e-mail, and we stay with them. If the customer provides a
phone number, we call. It’s about treating customers the right way.
MF: What happens once your Internet department sets an appointment
with a customer?
CP: They get together with our Sales Manager to brief him on the customer,
the situation, and all the correspondence to date. When the customer actually shows up at the store, the Internet Sales Manager greets them and then
makes the introduction to the Sales Consultant. Once the customer is in the
Sales department’s hands, they’re done.
MF: In addition to MDOL, where else do your Internet leads come from?
CP: We’re not super-aggressive with third-party lead source providers. We’ve
come to realize that there isn’t a real good return on investment with these
sources. Of course, 90 percent of all customers who buy from us have visited our
dealership Web site, so we’ve optimized for search engines to drive traffic to us.
MF: What’s the most important thing you’ve come to learn about Internet
Sales?
CP: People used to consider the Internet as a tool to purchase. However, if
you approach it that way, then it becomes all about a price, and price doesn’t
sell vehicles. We see the Internet as an information tool—a way to help customers learn more about the cars and our dealership so that when they do
walk through our doors, they are pretty much ready to buy. ■
JAN/FEB 2008
| MAZDA FUEL
| 13
FRONTLINE
Finding
Dealers Fast
Mazda introduces new
Interactive Voice Response
(IVR) function.
F
or years, the Mazda Customer Assistance
Center has been providing current and
prospective customers with timely
support via telephone. And today, that service
is faster than ever—thanks to the new
“Automated Dealer Locate” function, a voiceprompt option that speeds customer requests and boosts overall support.
When a caller provides his or her zip code, the interactive system now identifies the
three closest Mazda dealers and automatically provides the caller with the dealership
name, street address, and phone number.
“This system handles about a hundred calls every day and has greatly reduced the
number of calls coming in to the Call Center for repetitive inquiries, such as people
looking for their nearest Mazda dealer,” explained Bill Hughes, Department Manager
for IT Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty. “This new interactive system enables people
to get the information they need without having to talk to a live person.
“We’ve seen a very good response rate,” he adds. “Not only does it save time for
those using the automated system, it also improves customer service for those with
questions that can only be answered by a live person. Now, our Customer Call Center
is giving better service to those callers who need a live conversation for assistance, because they have fewer calls to take and that means a shorter wait time for callers.”
Another benefit is round-the-clock access to dealer information. Unlike the Customer Assistance Center, which is only available 12 hours a day, the interactive Automated Dealer Locate function is available 24/7, which essentially doubles the availability and further increases customer satisfaction. For Mazda dealers and prospective
customers, that’s a win-win scenario. ■
Improving the
Product Quality
Information Process
New tool makes submitting
dealer feedback faster
and easier.
F
or more than 15 years, MNAO has relied on its
Quality Monitoring Dealers (QMDs) to report
Mazda customer concerns and provide firsthand insight into the quality of Mazda vehicles. Based
on “real-world” service situations, these 30 dealers
regularly share details about potential quality issues
and make themselves available to Mazda engineers.
In order to improve this two-way communication,
Mazda recently enhanced its primary source of dealer feedback: the Product Quality Information (PQI) reports. Today, these online reports are easier to use
than ever before and open to all dealers to submit.
14 | MAZDA FUEL |
JAN/FEB 2008
TOP 25
RANKING DEALERS
SALES VOLUME (YTD THROUGH NOVEMBER 2007)
RANK DEALER NAME
CITY
STATE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
WAYNE
AUSTIN
DELRAY BEACH
AUSTIN
LONGWOOD
ORLANDO
VAN NUYS
LODI
FT. LAUDERDALE
BURNSVILLE
W PALM BEACH
CINCINNATI
MARIETTA
MINNETONKA
SAN ANTONIO
GEORGETOWN
MCKINNEY
CERRITOS
NORCO
FAIRFAX
HURST
WESLEY CHAPEL
TUSTIN
EDISON
TROY
NJ
TX
FL
TX
FL
FL
CA
NJ
FL
MN
FL
OH
GA
MN
TX
TX
TX
CA
CA
VA
TX
FL
CA
NJ
MI
WAYNE MAZDA
MAZDA SOUTH
DELRAY MAZDA
ROGER BEASLEY MAZDA CENTRAL
CORY FAIRBANKS MAZDA
CLASSIC MAZDA EAST
GALPIN MAZDA
MAZDA OF LODI
GUNTHER MAZDA
WALSER BURNSVILLE MAZDA
PALM BEACH MAZDA
KINGS MAZDA
JIM ELLIS MAZDA OF MARIETTA
MORRIES MAZDA
INGRAM PARK MAZDA
PREMIER MAZDA
EL DORADO MAZDA
BROWNING MAZDA
NORCO MAZDA
BROWN'S FAIRFAX MAZDA
HILEY MAZDA OF HURST
MAZDA OF WESLEY CHAPEL
TUSTIN MAZDA
OPEN ROAD MAZDA
SUBURBAN MAZDA OF TROY
Results based on financial statement data submitted to MNAO
as of December 1, 2007.
The new features include:
• One scrolling page instead of five individual pages
• Improved search/sort functions
• An extended time-out function
• Multiple VIN capability
• A new response-feedback function
“Because these reports are easier to use, dealers are
now submitting them much more frequently, which gives
Mazda engineers the information they need to spot
repetitive problems, trends, and safety issues—anything
that can help Mazda make better cars,” says Dave Pace,
MNAO Technical Training Manager.
Keith Cline, Parts and Service Manager at Jeff Haas
Mazda in Houston, is one user that couldn’t be happier.
“The old system was quite cumbersome,” he explained, “but today, it’s more simplified, more streamlined, and has cut the PQI process down considerably. I’m
very happy with it.”
Apparently, Cline is not alone. Since the tool went live
in September, Pace says the number of PQI reports being
received by Mazda has more than doubled.
“We’ve gone from receiving between 350 and 400 reports
a month to now receiving nearly 800 every month,” adds Pace.
“It’s clear that this update is not only making life easier for our
dealers, it’s also helping Mazda get better and more timely
information about its vehicles.” ■
FRONTLINE
Mazda Joins
BBB AUTO LINE
Warranty dispute-settlement program
benefits customers and dealers.
M
azda has always been dedicated to addressing customer
issues with vehicles still under warranty. However, the
company recently fortified its commitment to resolving
complaints and concerns quickly by joining the Better Business
Bureau (BBB) AUTO LINE program.
The BBB AUTO LINE program has grown to become one of the
largest and most effective auto warranty dispute resolution programs in the U.S.—now with more than 20 major auto manufacturers participating. Last year alone, the program helped more than
12,000 car owners achieve resolutions for defective vehicles still under warranty.
How BBB AUTO LINE Helps Troubled New-Car Owners
After a customer files a complaint, BBB staff can typically help
the car owner reach a voluntary settlement with the manufacturer
and forego an arbitration process. However, if a settlement cannot
be reached, consumers can present their case at no cost to an impartial arbitrator who will render a decision, which may include repairs, reimbursement, or the repurchase or replacement of the
consumer’s vehicle.
If the car owner accepts the arbitrator’s decision, the manufacturer is bound to comply with it. Because the decision is non-binding for the consumer, he or she can reject the decision and pursue
any other options (including legal action) available. The entire
process is provided at no cost to consumers and is normally completed in about 40 days.
“For customers, the benefits of this program are tremendous, including early intervention, faster resolution, and higher customer
satisfaction,” explains Paul Winovitch, Manager of Customer
Mediation. “Likewise, Mazda benefits from fewer lawsuits, lower
settlement costs, and increased customer loyalty. We’re extremely
excited about working with the Better Business Bureau and are
looking forward to our continued partnership with the BBB for
many years to come.” ■
Mazda Makes
Changes to 2008
Master Technician
Competition
M
azda has modified the rules and qualifications for the
2008 Master Technician Competition to encourage
greater participation.
Under the new program, Master Technicians need only to
achieve one of the top 10 scores in their region on the competition’s online test to qualify for the Regional Competition.
The multiple-choice test will be available in February and is
composed of technical questions.
Scheduled for April 12, 2008, the Regional Competition is a
hands-on event that features a two-hour on-vehicle contest
and may include a written and bench test. The top two finalists from each region and their guests will receive an all-expense-paid trip to an exciting destination resort.
Log on to MXConnect and MazdaState.com for complete
information about the new competition rules and format.
Also, look for information on Mazda’s new Technician Recognition Program, which rewards Certified Technicians, Senior
Technicians, and Master Technicians for increasing their technical knowledge and skills. ■
JAN/FEB 2008
| MAZDA FUEL
| 15
ACROSS
1 ISLEY
3 BILSTEIN
4 GOUGHARY
5 SCHEEPERS
6 JAY LENO
7 CAMERON
CROSSWORD
CHALLENGE
ANSWERS
FUEL
DOWN
2 LAGUNA SECA
12
13
14
15
22
23
24
25
26
MATOS
WAYNE
DIIORIO
BBB AUTO LINE
TIRE CENTER
AAI
COSMO
THIRD
TRI-POINT
3
8
9
10
11
12
16
17
18
19
20
21
BEST DESIGN
ROTARY
TRACTION CONTROL
LAMBORGHINI
MDOL
MONTERREY
BELTMINDER
ICE STORM
EL DORADO
NASA
NHTSA
SIRIUS
FINALSTRETCH
AAI Celebrates 20
Photo courtesy of JCCS Association
Years of Making Mazdas
The AutoAlliance International (AAI) facility today
L
ast October, AutoAlliance International (AAI), the joint
manufacturing operation between Mazda and Ford Motor
Company, celebrated the 20th anniversary of its facility in
Flat Rock, MI. Originally started in 1987 as Mazda Motor
Manufacturing (USA) Corporation (MMUC), the operation
became AAI in 1992, and, in the past 20 years, has produced
more than 3.2 million vehicles for Mazda and Ford.
AAI honored its 20-year milestone with a company-wide celebration, during which all AAI employees received commemorative anniversary jackets. In addition to photo displays, cake,
and coffee, the event also featured an informal automotive display, where employees showed off their Mazda and Ford cars
that were manufactured at the plant between 1987 and 2007.
Today, AAI is a United Auto Workers (UAW)-represented plant
that employs more than 3,700 workers. Past products produced at AAI include the Mazda MX-6, Mazda 626, Ford
Probe, and Mercury Cougar. Currently AAI produces the
MAZDA6 and Ford Mustang. ■
Heeeeere’s Leno…
and His Cosmo Sport!
W
ith two Mazda Cosmo Sports now a part of its heritage
collection, there was no chance Mazda representatives
would miss the annual Japanese Classic Car Show, held
October 6, 2007, at the Queen Mary Events Park in Long Beach,
CA. In addition to showing its pair of early Cosmo Sports, the
Mazda display showcased the company’s famous racing heritage
and featured the IMSA GTP RX-792P, the IMSA GTO RX-7, the IMSA
GTU RX-7, and a non-U.S.A. production model called the Eunos
Cosmo 3-Rotor, a model for the Japan domestic market. The group
also extended an invitation to Tonight Show host and comedian Jay
Leno to exhibit his 1970s Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S-B. To the
surprise of many, Leno showed up and parked his beauty right next
to MNAO and Mazda Canada’s Cosmo Sports, making for a triple
treat. Leno is seen here showing off his car’s unique Wankel engine
to car show attendees. ■
Mazda Makes
Car and Driver’s
10Best List…Again!
It’s the ninth year for MX-5 and
second for MAZDASPEED3.
T
he Mazda MX-5 and MAZDASPEED3 have once again earned spots on Car
and Driver’s 10Best list for 2008. The MX-5 made the list for an amazing
ninth time, while the MAZDASPEED3 has now made it twice in a row.
Car and Driver made the announcement in early December as its January 2008
issue went on sale.
Car and Driver, a monthly magazine, is arguably the most important automotive authority in the world. The publication only selects 10 vehicles as its 10Best,
and for the second year in a row Mazda has won two of these coveted awards.
“So effortlessly does the MX-5 respond to your steering inputs that you can
guide the car along the most writhing road at breakneck speeds without effort
or even apparent thought,” wrote Car and Driver about the MX-5. The publication praised the MAZDASPEED3 saying, “Hot hatchbacks have been C/D
favorites for a quarter-century, ever since the VW GTI made its appearance, and
the MAZDASPEED3, a 10Best repeater, is the current leader of a small but competitive pack.”
If you can’t find a print copy, read the details at www.caranddriver.com. ■
16 | MAZDA FUEL |
JAN/FEB 2008
Car and Driver considered performance, driving dynamics,
styling, and affordability in naming the Mazda MX-5 (top)
and MAZDASPEED3 to its 2008 10Best list.
PSHAW MOTORS
MAZDAMANIA
FUEL CROSSWORD CHALLENGE
SCENICROUTE
Photo by roadsideamerica.com
Have you got the energy to take the FUEL Crossword Challenge?
Fill up on Mazda FUEL for clues, then go for it! Answers are on page 15.
Yabba-Dabba Do!
D
24 Three's a treat at Japanese Classic Car Show
25 Place Mazda finished in Grand-Am Cup
GT racing
26 2007 SPEED World Challenge champions
DOWN
2 Gearing up for a new racing season
3 Mazda's 2007 XGR award
8 Happy 40th anniversary to this Mazda classic
9 Get a grip with this safety system
10 One of the Italians in DiIorio's garage
11 Connects Mazda dealers with online leads
12 Mexican city booming with Mazdas
16 Safety belt warning system
17 Prevented XGR 2007 official race
18 Dealer who dominates the digital world
19 Not the space agency; the race championships
20 A 5-star agency
21 Mazda’s satellite radio partner
A. Cody, WY
B. Branson, MO
C. Valle, AZ
D. Custer, SD
See below for the answer.
Answer: D. Custer, SD
ACROSS
1 Mazda's Zoom-Zoom family
3 RX-8 Rotary Engine 40th Anniversary's
damper maker
4 2007 SCCA Formula Mazda champ
5 Four-race winner in 2007 NHRA Modified
drag racing
6 AKA the King of Late Night
7 Moving up to Formula Atlantic from
Star Mazda
12 He’s climbing the Mazda racing ladder
13 MNAO's top dealer for sales volume
14 Mr. Exotic who now drives a MAZDA5
15 Auto industry standard for warranty
dispute resolution
22 How Mazda dealers roll to higher service
profits
23 Just celebrated its 20th
espite the fact that the original “Flintstones”
cartoon aired decades ago (from 19601966), apparently the love of the Modern
Stone Age family is far from extinct. Today, fans of
all ages can relive their favorite Flintstones
memories in one town’s real “Bedrock City.”
Sprawling across 30 acres, this attraction was the
brainchild of several local concrete makers, who
figured that with their abundance of raw materials,
building a modern Stone Age town would be easy.
Today, visitors can ride in a Flintmobile, enjoy a
Brontoburger, and even shake hands with a live
Fred and Barney. Where is this sight?
ZO M
ZOOM
2008 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year
The Seven Passenger Mazda CX-9
TM
It was unanimous. Which is a polite way of saying it wasn’t even close. The Motor Trend judges tested Mazda CX-9 against the
newest offerings from all the big SUV names, including Toyota, Nissan and Jeep. And, ultimately, Mazda quality and innovation
ruled the day. They saw it in CX-9’s remarkably easy third-row access. The true seven-passenger comfort of its highly crafted
interior. They took note of its five-star crash test rating.* They praised it as “the ideal balance of sport, utility and style,” and “the
benchmark of the three-row crossover class.”
Of course we’re thrilled that Mazda CX-9 has won this trophy.
But the real winner is anyone searching for a truly superior SUV. Your search ends with Mazda CX-9. Because, like every Mazda,
Motor Trend’s 2008 Sport/Utility of the YearTM is designed and engineered the Zoom-Zoom way.
MazdaUSA.com
*Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). Vehicle tested with standard
side-impact air bags (SABs). Optional equipment shown. ©2007 Mazda Motor of America, Inc.