Tokyo, May 27: Japanese automaker Mazda Motor Corp. is dropping its Millenia luxury model to concentrate on small and mid-size cars and minivans, the nation's leading business daily reported today. Company spokesman Katsumi Yoshitake declined comment, saying Mazda does not comment on model plans ahead of their announcement.
Millenia sales have lagged in Japan, where they are produced, totaling just 1,300 last year. Millenia sales in the United States totaled 18,000 vehicles last year. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun said the decision to drop the Millenia is in line with the global strategy of Ford Motor Co., based in Dearborn, Michigan, which owns 33 per cent of Mazda.
Mazda's overall sales have rebounded lately on the success of recent models such as the RX-8 sportscar, Demio subcompact, sold as the Mazda 2 in Europe, and Atenza sedan, sold as the Mazda 6 in the united states. Profits at Mazda, based in Hiroshima, southwestern Japan, more than doubled to 24.1 billion yen ($206 million) in the fiscal year ended March 31, compared to the previous year. Sales surged 13 per cent to 2.36 trillion yen ($20 billion), backed by strong sales in Europe and Japan.
Bureau Report