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Mazda

The Toyo Cork Kogyo Company, founded in 1920 in Hiroshima, Japan, used the name "Mazda" for its first three-wheeled truck, built in 1931. Company founder Jujiro Matsuda chose the word "Mazda" because it was the name of the Zoroastrian god of good and light. Work on a small sedan began in the late 1930s, but development was halted so the company could pitch in with Japan's war effort. In the wake of World War II and the rebuilding that followed, the company refocused its efforts on car development and manufacturing and set its sights firmly on the future.

By 1960, the first Mazda automobile — the R360 coupe — was developed, and the company's talent into the production of passenger vehicles began in full force.

In 1961, the company entered into a technical partnership with NSU and Wankel to develop and produce rotary engines, a union that led to Mazda's distinguishing itself as the only manufacturer to offer three engine configurations for sale to the general public: conventional gasoline piston, diesel and rotary. This was a major marketing point and is something the company still owes its success to today.

Mazda began selling cars in the U.S. in 1970. In the early part of the decade, the automaker rolled out the RX-2. Powered by the noted 12A rotary, the RX-2 introduced America to Mazda's effort to build fun-to-drive and affordable cars which were becoming more and more desirable because of the looming oil crisis. The decade also saw the introduction of the RX-3, RX-4 and now iconic rotary-powered RX-7 sports car. In 1979, the Ford Motor Company purchased a 25 percent stake in Mazda after the Japanese company encountered a number of financial difficulties.

In the 1980s The Company officially took on the Mazda name (though all its vehicles since its launch in the '20s have carried that brand). It also witnessed a rise in sales sparked by successful new products like the 323 (which was first called the GLC in the American market) and 626. The 1990 model year saw the launch of a car that would prove a huge hit for Mazda: the MX-5 Miata which is still a symbol of ‘proper’ roadsters.

The company's vehicles experienced declining sales in the U.S., and the company's fortunes suffered as a result. This was a major concern for the Mazda bosses who for some time couldn’t come up with a solution.

The new millennium has seen Mazda regain its stride. The automaker has invested in new development, with impressive results. New models like the Mazda3 and CX-9 have broadened the company's customer base and won over a whole new generation of fans, while the enthusiast-oriented RX-8 and Mazda speed performance models have exemplified the company's "Zoom-Zoom" philosophy which is now a major ad-campaign in Europe.