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The Story of Mazda

Often overshadowed by Japanese car giants Honda and Toyota, Mazda is a relatively small company. Founded in 1920, Mazda sells about a million and a half vehicles a year. The company also has a reputation of sticking close to home. About two-thirds of their cars and trucks are made in Japanese plants. In this article we are going to discuss the history of this often overlooked company.

Like most carmakers, Mazda began as a manufacturing concern. But when automakers in Japan started reporting impressive profits, they quickly shifted to automobiles. The company produced its first vehicle in 1931, the Mazda-Go. But they could not raise the funds to manufacture it before the Second World War. During the war, Mazda was ordered to make weapons for the Japanese army.

When the hostilities ceased, the company started making cars again. By this time, several Japanese automakers had achieved success. Some of them were even shipping cars overseas. In a bold attempt to distinguish itself from the pack, the company made the choice to invest in the Wankel rotary engine. Did it help second hand Mazda sales?

Most Mazda engineers believed the engine gave the car an advantage over its competitors, especially on the race track where early cars had strong showings in international events. The company began entering their cars in prestigious races soon after they were introduced.

A Mazda race car was the first Japanese car to win the 24 hours of Le Mans, the world's oldest endurance race. They have also performed exceptionally well in Formula One and in the World Land Speed Competition.