TOKYO - Mazda Motor Corp plans to construct a small-car plant in Thailand jointly with Ford Motor Co and build its own factory in North America, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported, without citing sources.

Under a new growth plan, Mazda and its top shareholder Ford will spend more than 50 billion yen to build the Thai plant, which will begin operations in 2009, the business daily said. This factory will roll out some 200,000+ vehicles per year, including the 1.3-liter Demio.

The two are also considering manufacturing transmissions there as well, which, if combined, could send overall investment there to 100 billion yen, the Nihon Keizai said.

- Operating Profit up 43 Percent Year-on-Year -
- Full-year outlook revised upwards in the final year of the Mazda Momentum plan -

Mazda Motor Corporation has announced the following organizational and personnel changes as follows, effective November 1, 2006.

Source: www.adweek.com

NEW YORK Like many advertisers, Mazda is waking up to the power of broadband video.

The carmaker is readying a series of video initiatives to complement ones it already has under way on its site and across the Web. Next month, it plans to launch a virtual museum, which will showcase Mazda's automotive history to users. In addition to photography of classic and concept cars, the museum features several video vignettes of Mazda designers.

Source: www.bloomberg.com

Oct. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Mazda Motor Corp., Japan's fourth- largest carmaker, will make San Diego the primary port for vehicles it ships to the U.S., leaving an auto-import facility near Los Angeles that it has used for three decades.

The automaker starting in December will import as many as 100,000 cars and light trucks a year through San Diego, Mazda spokesman Jeremy Barnes said today. Mazda since 1978 has used Port Hueneme, California, as its main U.S. entry point. That lease expires Nov. 30, Barnes said.

In September 2006, Mazda's domestic production, exports, and overseas production figures exceeded the figures for the same month in 2005 due to steady sales of the Mazda CX-7 and Mazda3. The domestic production, exports and overseas production figures for the six-month period from April to September 2006 also rose above the figures for the same period last year.

IRVINE, Calif. - Mazda North American Operations today announced the recent appointment of Danica Laub as communications specialist. Reporting to Jeremy Barnes, group manager, product communications, Laub will serve as a media contact for all North American media on issues relating to Mazda’s current and future vehicles, corporate marketing and event communications and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca events.

In making the announcement, Jay Amestoy, vice president of public and government affairs, said, “We are very happy to have Danica on board. Her industry knowledge, media relations experience and life-long passion for automobiles make her the perfect addition to our team.” Laub joins Mazda from Ketchum public relations in Venice, Calif., where she held a similar position in product and corporate communications, working for Hyundai Motor America. Prior to that, she worked with Motor Trend Auto Shows, Inc., where she helped develop public relations campaigns, broadcast advertising, and special events for new-model auto shows. She began her career as a news reporter at The Sentinel, her hometown newspaper in Lewistown, Pa. Laub holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Pennsylvania State University.

TOKYO October 05, 2006 - Mazda Motor Corp. said on Thursday it would recall more than 12,000 vehicles in Japan to replace their air bags after three accidents were reported because of the faulty parts.

Mazda, one-third owned by Ford Motor Co., said the 12,235 vehicles covered were the Premacy, Atenza and Ixion, sold under the Ford brand, that were manufactured between March 1999 and July 2002.

Company spokeswoman Aya Takahashi said the company did not yet know the cost of replacing the air bags, which could abruptly unfold, or how many vehicles it will recall overseas. About 19,000 of the models were produced during the period and exported, she said.

HIROSHIMA, Japan-- Mazda Motor Europe, Mazda Motor Corporation's European affiliate, announced that it commenced operation today of two new national sales companies (NSCs) in the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic, with official transfer of distribution from Mazda's long-standing distributor, Auto Palace Praha, taking place yesterday. The appointment of new Managing Director for both NSCs, Ivan Ruzicka, was subject of an announcement earlier this year. Mr. Ruzicka, with Thomas Egan as Financial Director, will lead an 18-member staff in the Czech Republic and a 7-member staff in Slovakia. Headquarters are located in Prague and Bratislava respectively.