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Leung Ka Fai is probably the person Mazda hates the most
What is said outside the words is not to say:
Mazda is not advanced!
Wronged, Mazda is still a brand with quite feelings and die-hards. Rotor engine, Chuang chi blue sky, compression, soul movement... Any of these terms can make the inner deer of die-hard fans mess around. The passage of "making cars and selling money for engineers to study rotor engines" has given the Mazda brand a touch of romance of science and engineering men.
And Mazda, which is constantly engaged in big news, actually officially announced that it wants to take the high-end route! In March this year, the first product of the high-end route, the CX60, was officially unveiled in the European market.
A medium-sized SUV starts at about 360,000 yuan in Europe. This price, positioning, completely benchmark is BMW X3, Audi Q5 and a series of cars.
Is Mazda's high-end reliable?
Mazda does high-end
There is a chance to have a foundation
Looking at the CX60 alone, there is that taste
It is hard to imagine that in 2022, Rolls-Royce will be electrified today, and you can still hear such a set of words: longitudinal, rear drive, six cylinders, 3.0L. For a series of models such as the CX60, the new longitudinal rear-drive platform, the 3.0L compression-ignition six-cylinder engine, and the new self-developed 8AT transmission will be prepared. All of this gives the CX60 a foundation that a high-end car should have.
New powertrain spy
Mazda's new platform also has many technological innovations and breakthroughs. The motor + multi-plate clutch for the gearbox replaces the traditional torque converter and feeds the machinery back with electrification technology. Unfortunately, the parameters of this set of compression power have not yet been announced, but it is inevitable to break through 300 horses.
The CX60, which originated in the European market, will feature a plug-in hybrid system based on a 2.5L four-cylinder engine. The data of 3.0L compression-fired six-cylinder and 3.3TD supercharged diesel engines have not yet been released. But this plug-in mixing system should not be underestimated: 328 hp, 500 Nm, 5.8S acceleration per 100 km/ h... This will be the fastest production car in Mazda's history.
Appearance, with the proportion of luxury cars. The longitudinal rear drive brings a slender cabin, a wide firewall from the front wheel to the front door, and the Mazda fluid curve gives the CX60 a little bit of charm from the Apennine Peninsula. This is not so much a Toei BMW, more like Toei Alfa Romeo, more like toei Maserati. Such an overall proportion is qualified.
Interior, material is high enough. Luxury brands like to be mysterious in the material, and Mazda also sets this tune very well. White wood grain panels made of japanese-style pale maple wood; wrapped in instrument panels, fabrics made in traditional Japanese craftsmanship; leather is made of Nappa leather...
But there is still a little bit of taste missing. Whether it is the exterior or interior, the theme of the Mazda CX60 still carries too much oriental implication. The overall proportions have changed dramatically, but the details still continue the existing Mazda feeling. Compared with the existing Mazda models, there are improvements but lack of breakthroughs. As a high-end model, you may need some more exaggerated new gadgets.
Mazda brand
Character in place
High-end brands, what is needed is a unique character. Unique personality allows consumers to recognize the value of the brand.
Coincidentally, Mazda does not lack a unique personality, which is stubbornness. This stubbornness has made Mazda a "small and beautiful" brand. Doing small and beautiful things, but positioning is biased towards the mass market, which is the reason for its current poor sales. But its temperament and character are already taking the road of luxury brands.
This paranoia makes Mazda unique in both technology and design. Technically, the rotor, pressure ignition and other technical full commitment, the design adhere to the concept of soul movement is not kitsch in the mainstream. It is also this kind of paranoia that has also allowed Mazda to accumulate a lot of stories that fans are happy to praise.
Be prepared
Mazda's desire to go to the high end is by no means a whim. Although Mazda has only recently officially expressed its determination to transition to the high-end to the market, these technologies are by no means out of thin air. Behind these time-consuming technical reserves, there must be a long-term strategic plan and efforts to do so.
The current generation of Mazda models on sale has a better texture than the same level of models. For example, Axela, Artez and other models have a relatively high-quality design sense. Enhance your brand's sense of value in the details.
At the terminal, the "small and beautiful" Mazda was never involved in price wars. In 2021, Mazda's annual sales in China will only be 180,000 units, compared with Volkswagen, Honda, and Toyota, it is only a fraction of others. Refuse to sharply reduce prices, discounts, and exchange sales through the practice of overdrafting the brand. No matter how much market pressure is, we must also adhere to the value of the brand.
Behind this determination and determination, Mazda also has confidence. In fiscal 2021, Mazda sold 1.28 million units of a single brand worldwide, and although it is not a member of the TOP10, it does not have to worry about survival. Moreover, Mazda is also one of the brands with high brand loyalty. Compared with the upgrade needs of these Mazda owners, it is the cornerstone of Mazda's high-end.
There are also many difficulties
Mazda has a history
But lacks a history of luxury
The lack of flagship models will be a hard wound to Mazda's high-end. The most high-end 929 series in Mazda's history is also positioned as a medium and large sedan, which is the same as today's E-class and 5 series. Historically, we have also tried to create high-end sub-brands Amati and Eunos, and the sales volume is so dismal that it is Mazda's black history.
The lack of a successful high-end history requires greater effort to convince consumers; it also requires consumers to spend more courage to pay for higher prices.
There is a high probability that you will not come to China
It doesn't sell much
The world's largest and fastest-growing luxury car market is China. But in the Chinese market, the performance of high-end Mazda will not be optimistic.
The CX60 will most likely not come to China. In the future, mazda CX series high-end products will be divided into two sequences, products for the United States, China and other markets, more likely the CX70 and CX90 with a wider body.
Even if you enter China, sales will not be optimistic. The longitudinal rear-drive layout, the long cabin and the short carriage mean that the rear space will be cramped. This has become the biggest slot point for this car on the network in recent days. The CX70 is also only widened, and I have not heard of the lengthening. In this era when the BMW X5 has begun to lengthen, such product power can be said to cleverly avoid the pain points of Chinese consumers.
Follow-up inputs
Rely on what
Behind the high-end products, there must be a high investment. Today, mazda relies only on a single brand, and although Toyota holds a five-percent stake, it still mainly relies on itself. From the CX60 to the CX90, there are up to 4 similarly positioned products, the legendary rear-drive Mazda 6, these R&D investments are all big bets for Mazda.
Of course, although Mazda is high-end, the civilian product line will still be retained. Perhaps with these products, it is still possible to continuously transfuse Mazda's high-end products. Maybe the high-end has become, and these civilians' Toei BMW can also rise.
Write at the end
Seeing this, most people are still not optimistic about Mazda.
But Mazda itself did not want to break the wrist with Mercedes-Benz BMW, ah, in an interview with its British executives, also mentioned: "Germany has BBA, while in Europe's Japanese luxury brand only Lexus, why can't there be a second brand?" "Acura and Infiniti are partial to North America. In this world, there is still room for Mazda. Don't set too big a goal, but also live a dashing life.
In today's new energy fires, it is still indulgent in the internal combustion engine, and this alone is worth supporting Mazda. Perhaps going to the high end is also the only chance to make this "small and beautiful" brand survive the wave of electrification.
Do you like Mazda? Are you optimistic about moving towards a high-end Mazda? See in the comments section